Broadway Grosses: An Entrance Fit for a Queen! The Audience Kicks Off with Packed Houses

It may be February and freezing in New York, but Broadway’s already got spring on its mind. Two new productions began preview performances on the Great White Way this past week, and theatergoers are already filling the houses. The Audience, starring the appropriately regal Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, appeared in the top five shows by capacity, bringing in 101.08% over two performances. Also appearing in the frontrunners are SRO perennials The Book of Mormon and The Elephant Man and Fish in the Dark—also in previews. The fifth spot was taken by Cabaret, marking a triumphant conclusion to Oscar nominee Emma Stone’s run in the tuner. We will keep in an eye on the production’s numbers as Sienna Miller begins on February 18. Additionally, the Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher-led On the Twentieth Century celebrated its first four preview performances with a house just shy of full at 96.52%.

Here’s a look at who was on top—and who was not—for the week ending February 16:

FRONTRUNNERS (By Gross)
1. The Lion King ($1,726,042)
2. The Book of Mormon ($1,648,502)
3. Wicked ($1,586,692)
4. Aladdin ($1,489,612)
5. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ($1,132,369)

UNDERDOGS (By Gross)
5. Constellations ($491,055)
4. You Can't Take It With You ($412,057)
3. Disgraced ($351,175)
2. The Audience ($331,101)*
1. On the Twentieth Century ($228,661)**

FRONTRUNNERS (By Capacity)
1. The Book of Mormon (102.59%)
2. The Elephant Man (101.74%)
3. Fish in the Dark (101.58%)***
4. The Audience (101.08%)*
5. Cabaret (100.48%)

UNDERDOGS (By Capacity)
5. Honeymoon in Vegas (64.86%)
4. Disgraced (63.28%)
3. The Phantom of the Opera (62.74%)
2. You Can't Take It With You (60.19%)
1. On the Town (49.26%)

*Number based on two preview performances
**Number based on four preview performances
***Number based on seven preview performances

Source: The Broadway League