Broadway Grosses: Hits Hold Steady; Chorus Line Strong

Broadway shows both new and old showed strength at the box office last week. In addition to perennial top dogs Jersey Boys, Wicked and Mamma Mia!, recent arrivals A Chorus Line and The Vertical Hour, the latter now previewing at the Music Box Theatre with Julianne Moore and Bill Nighy, made it into the top five for capacity. Fueled by a 12-show-a-week schedule at the 1,829-seat Hilton Theatre, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! made it into the top five for grosses, pulling in $931,348 for the week. Though not in the top five, newcomers Butley, Les Miserables and The Coast of Utopia all drew more than 90% capacity for the week, and Grey Gardens was not far behind, drawing 85.49% at the Water Kerr Theatre. Saying good-bye to Broadway was The Times They Are A-Changin', which continued to run TV ads in its final week at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and drew 73.90% of capacity.

Here is a look at who was on top and who was not for the week ending November 19:

FRONTRUNNERS By Gross
1. Wicked $1,386,066
2. Jersey Boys $1,169,548
3. The Lion King $1,025,444
4. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! $931,348*
5. Mamma Mia! $924,408

UNDERDOGS By Gross
5. The Little Dog Laughed $191,181
4. The Coast of Utopia, Part I Voyage $181,448**
3. Losing Louie $149,102
2. Spring Awakening $135,496***
1. Jay Johnson: The Two and Only! $40,616

FRONTRUNNERS By Capacity
1. Jersey Boys 100.68%
2. Wicked 99.11%
3. The Vertical Hour 98.64%****
4. A Chorus Line 96.92%
5. Mamma Mia! 95.74%

UNDERDOGS By Capacity
5. The Wedding Singer 55.75%
4. Losing Louie 54.35%
3. Rent 54.04%
2. The Little Dog Laughed 46.50%
1. Jay Johnson: The Two and Only! 20.14%

*Number based on 12 regular performances.
**Number based on three preview performances.
***Number based on five preview performances.
****Number based on eight preview performances.
Data provided by The League of American Theatres and Producers.