Broadway Grosses Report: Jan. 7, 2026

Podcast: BroadwayRadio
Host: Matt Tammani
Date: January 7, 2026
Episode Summary and Detailed Breakdown

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Matt Tammani breaks down the Broadway grosses for the week ending Sunday, January 4, 2026, providing an in-depth look at the financial and attendance health of the current Broadway season. The report highlights top-performing shows, attendance trends, ticket pricing, and notable box office stories, while offering context by comparing this week to previous seasons.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Overall Broadway Grosses and Attendance

• Total Grosses: Broadway's 33 shows grossed $52,037,125 for the week—down about 4% ($2.2 million) from Christmas week, but still a strong showing.
  (00:32) “Last week they brought in $52,037,125 around the new year HOL, down about 4% from the genuinely more lucrative Christmas week…”
• Attendance: Despite the drop in grosses, attendance was up by 3% to 313,513.
  (00:57) “Overall attendance in fact was up 3%. 313,513 people saw Broadway shows last week…”
• Ticket Pricing: Average ticket price dropped by $11.90 to $165.98.

2. Top Grossing Shows

• Shows Crossing $3 Million:

  • Hamilton: $3,332,754
  • Wicked: $3.29M
  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: $3.27M
  • The Lion King: $3.15M—setting a new box office record at the Minskoff Theatre for the 34th time
    (01:14) “The Lion King actually set a new box office record for itself. This was the 34th time that they had set a new house record at the Minskof…”

• Fifth Highest:

  • Mamma Mia at just under $2.6M, followed by Aladdin and Stranger Things: The First Shadow each above $2M.

• Notable Trend:

  • Stranger Things benefited from Netflix's series finale bump but had only seven performances (most did nine).

3. Shows with Milestones & Closings

• Final Weeks & Bump in Sales:
  • Waiting for Godot (Hudson Theatre, starring Alex Winters and Keanu Reeves) closed with a $243,000 bump—$1.55M final week.
  • Beetlejuice wrapped up with a $311,000 increase—$1.373M final week.

4. Capacity Analysis

• High Capacity Across Broadway:

  • 29 out of 33 shows played to 90%+ capacity during New Year’s week.

  • Shows at 100% capacity or higher:

    • Wicked, Gadot, Ragtime, Oh Mary, Moulin Rouge, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
    • And Juliet, Buena Vista Social Club, Hadestown, Hamilton, Maybe Happy Ending, Mamma Mia
    • The Outsiders at 102.29%
    • Just In Time at 103.08% (boosted by Jonathan Groff’s presence—03:30)

    “Just In Time back on top over at the Circle in the Square Theater came in at 103.08% capacity. Now, of course, a lot of that has to do with Jonathan Grof's star power, but he's going to be wrapping up his run as Bobby Darin next month.” (03:30)

• Shows Lagging:

  • Liberation struggled at 65.55% even after an extension. (02:40)
    • “The excellent Liberation that only had 65.55% capacity at the James Earl Jones Theater… it does not seem like this show is going to be a huge financial success.”

5. Previews, Subscription Shows & Outliers

• Bug (in previews for Manhattan Theatre Club):
  • Third from bottom, $446,806 but strong 96.41% capacity (02:12)

6. Year-over-Year Comparisons

• Calendar Week Comparison:

  • Previous year (33 shows): $45M grosses; 23K fewer attendees.
  • This year: 15% ($7M) higher gross; 8% more attendees (02:58)
    • “Significant 15%, or almost 7 million dollar increase. There's also an 8% increase in terms of attendance by nearly 23,000 people.”

• Season-to-Date:

  • Total gross so far: $1,199,642,229—10% higher than last season.
  • Total attendance: 8,844,829—up 3%.

7. Star Power & Upcoming Casting

• Just In Time:
  • Speculation on who will replace Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin—a key factor in continued box office strength.
    • “There was a lot of rumors… about a certain crooning star turned singing competition coach taking over that role after Grof Sauce leaves…” (03:56)
    • “The beloved Broadway and occasional TV star… certainly has his fans… they do show up…” (04:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lion King Box Office Record (01:14):
  “This has to the rise in ticket prices, but nonetheless impressive during its nearly three decade run.”

• Liberation’s Struggle (02:40):
  “One of the strongest that we are going to see this season has not found an audience just yet and it is unfortunately running out of time…”

• Attendance Milestone (02:58):
  “Significant 15%, or almost 7 million dollar increase. There's also an 8% increase in terms of attendance by nearly 23,000 people.”

• Just In Time & Jonathan Groff (03:30):
  “Just In Time back on top…103.08% capacity. Now, of course, a lot of that has to do with Jonathan Grof's star power, but he's going to be wrapping up his run…”

Important Timestamps

• 00:32 — Opening, gross figures, and attendance for the week.
• 01:14 — Top grossing shows and the Lion King’s record.
• 01:52 — Capacity stats, Stranger Things details, and unusual show schedules.
• 02:12 — Bug in previews, subscription season implications.
• 02:40 — Liberation’s low attendance and awards outlook.
• 02:58 — Year-over-year comparison of grosses, ticket price changes.
• 03:30 — Sage on star power and Just In Time’s future casting.
• 04:29 — More on casting rumors and audience demographics.

Conclusion

This week's Broadway grosses reflect robust attendance even as the post-holiday drop in overall dollars proves seasonal norms. Star-driven vehicles, major franchises, and new entries all show the varied dynamics at play on Broadway, while deeper cut shows like Liberation highlight the challenges of gaining traction. The looming cast change for Just In Time and strong year-over-year growth suggest a vibrant but highly competitive Broadway marketplace.

“I’ll be bringing you the grosses every week so you can stay informed on all of the business and box office dealings on the Great White Way.” — Matt Tammani (04:54)

For weekly updates, tune in to BroadwayRadio’s Grosses episodes and stay informed on the pulse of Broadway’s financial and audience trends.