Broadway Grosses: Six-Time Tony Winner Audra McDonald is the First Lady of the Box Office

The First Lady of Broadway AKA six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald won big at the box office this week. Not only did Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill break the Circle in the Square box office record with $696,922, but the show had the fifth highest capacity of any on the Great White Way, at 100.05%. Meanwhile On the Town began previews, the starry cast of It's Only a Play continued to bring in the crowds and This Is Our Youth has not yet seen quite the uptick it could have done from its excellent reviews. Perennial family favorite The Lion King once again reigned Broadway, coinciding with the news that the tuner is now the highest-grossing show in history.

Here’s a look at who was on top—and who was not—for the week ending September 21:

FRONTRUNNERS (By Gross)
1. The Lion King ($1,740,907)
2. The Book of Mormon ($1,602,733)
3. Wicked ($1,356,354)
4. Kinky Boots ($1,323,036)
5. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ($1,295,796)

UNDERDOGS (By Gross)
5. Once ($407,108)
4. Rock of Ages ($337,242)
3. The Country House ($230,242)
2. Love Letters ($162,749) *
1. On the Town ($103,586)**

FRONTRUNNERS (By Capacity)
1. The Book of Mormon (102.63%)
2. It's Only a Play (100.83%) ***
3. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (100.65%)
4. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (100.45%)
5. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (100.05%)

UNDERDOGS (By Capacity)
5. Matilda (67.88%)
4. This Is Our Youth (65.74%)
3. Love Letters (63.28%)
2. Once (59.41%)
1. Cinderella (48.06%)

*Number based on four preview performances and four regular performances
** Number based on one preview performance
*** Number based on eight preview performances

Source: The Broadway League