Broadway Grosses Report: February 4, 2026

Podcast: BroadwayRadio
Host: Matt Tamanini
Date: February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

Matt Tamanini delivers the weekly Broadway Grosses report from aboard the Icon of the Seas cruise ship in St. Thomas, discussing the financial health of Broadway for the week ending February 2, 2026. He analyzes box office trends, closing shows, notable performances, and the impact of current promotions and weather, offering insights into Broadway's resilience in early 2026.

Key Discussion Points

1. Broadway's Positive Growth Amid Winter Weather

• Despite harsh conditions across the country, Broadway did not experience any show cancellations due to snow, contributing to across-the-board increases.
• Grosses totaled $31,766,855—a 6% rise from the prior week, and 2% up year-over-year.
• Attendance reached 269,655, up 8% week-over-week and 4% year-over-year.
• Matt reinforces the comparative strength:

  "In total, we had 31 shows running, which was the same as the previous week and two more than in the corresponding week during the previous Broadway season." (01:02)

2. Impact of Broadway Week and Ticket Pricing

• The average ticket price dropped to $117.81 due to "Broadway Week" and two-for-one ticket sales, boosting attendance but lowering average revenue per ticket.
• Matt explains:

  "It's because it's Broadway week. We have the two for one ticket sales going on right now, meaning that while we will see attendance pick little bit over the next week or so, the average ticket price could drop down a little bit because people are getting essentially half off for two tickets now." (02:00)

3. Top-Grossing Shows and Notable Closings

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child continues to lead with $2,364,698––the only show north of $2 million, buoyed by Tom Felton’s presence.
• Hamilton follows at just over $1.9 million.
• Mamma Mia! closes out its Broadway run explosively at $1.8 million, up nearly $392K from the previous week:

  "A really good note to for the folks over at the Winter Garden." (03:06)

• List of other leading shows:
  • Wicked ($1.6 million)
  • The Lion King ($1.5 million)
  • Others surpassing $1 million: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Chess, Just In Time, Ragtime, O Mary, MJ, (with Aladdin close behind).

4. Show Closures: Liberation and Mamma Mia!

• Liberation ends its run at the James Earl Jones Theatre, posting its highest grossing week: $734,237, up $195K.
• Matt notes the bittersweet send-off:

  "Even though it has kind of struggled during its run on Broadway, the Best Wall play was able to wrap up its run with its highest grossing week." (04:27)

5. Notable Drops and Cast Changes

• Maybe Happy Ending saw the biggest dip, with only seven shows and a gross of $711,055.
• Discussion about the show's future, particularly after the departure of stars Helen Jason and Darren Criss, whose "star power...helped get this show going."
• Matt speculates on future casting to maintain momentum:

  "I would not be surprised if they tried to find some actors of Asian descent to play those two roles to keep the show going even more." (06:21)

6. Broadway Occupancy and Season Overview

• 21 out of 31 shows played to 90% capacity or more.
• Only Just In Time exceeded 100%, but occupancy was "lower than it has been...at 100.56%."
• Seasonally, it's a "really slow time of year. January and into February on Broadway are very slow. It's cold, I don't have to tell you that." (07:15)
• Broadway's average capacity for the week: About 91%.
• Cumulative 2025–2026 stats:
  • Total gross: $1,330,375,458 (up 8% YoY)
  • Season attendance: ~9,912,740 (approaching 10 million, up 3% YoY)

7. Looking Ahead: New Productions and Show Schedule

• No new shows opening until March 6 ("Death of a Salesman" at Winter Garden).
• March 10: "Dog Day Afternoon" opens at the August Wilson Theatre.
• The next several weeks may be leaner as Broadway "holds its own despite some of the adverse weather conditions."

Memorable Quotes

• On the state of Broadway in winter:
  "At least from a financial standpoint, Broadway is doing fairly well, holding its own despite some of the adverse weather conditions that we've seen in previous weeks." (09:02)

• On show closures and timing:
  "We will have a few more shows closing between now and when the next lot of shows begin performances." (08:30)

• On the impact of Broadway Week:
  "While we will see attendance pick a little bit over the next week or so, the average ticket price could drop down a little bit because people are getting essentially half off for two tickets now." (02:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:01] Episode introduction and weather effects
• [01:02] Overview: Number of shows and comparison to past seasons
• [02:00] Ticket pricing, Broadway Week impact
• [02:50] Top grossing shows rundown
• [03:06] Mamma Mia! and Liberation closures
• [04:27] Liberation’s last week
• [05:30] Maybe Happy Ending, cast impacts
• [07:00] Attendance and capacity details, seasonality
• [08:10] Season grosses and attendance summary
• [08:30] Upcoming shows
• [09:02] Concluding reflections on Broadway's outlook

Summary

This episode highlights both the resilience and cyclical challenges of Broadway, particularly in the slow winter season. Financials remain up year-over-year, attendance is strong thanks to promotional efforts, and shows like Harry Potter and Hamilton continue to lead the pack. As Broadway enters a quiet period before spring’s new productions, Matt’s analysis points to a healthy, if not booming, theatre industry, adept at navigating weather, staffing, and audience fluctuations.