Broadway Grosses: Whoopi Sparks Xanadu; Summer Numbers Steady

Whoopi Goldberg's surprise summertime stint in the Broadway company of Xanadu reaped immediate rewards at the box office, as the musical spoof gained about $75,000 over the previous week's grosses. Otherwise, it was business as usual on the Great White Way, with the top five shows holding steady and several other hit musicals In the Heights, Mary Poppins, South Pacific nipping at their heels. Though not on the leader board, Legally Blonde has made a strong comeback in the past month, jumping more than $200,000 from it weekly grosses in mid-June and playing to more than 90% of capacity—fueled, presumably, by the success of the MTV casting series The Search for Elle Woods.

Here is a look at who was on top and who was not for the week ending August 3:

FRONTRUNNERS By Gross
1. Wicked $1,533,498
2. The Lion King $1,340,586
3. The Little Mermaid $1,128,060
4. Jersey Boys $1,126,630
5. Mamma Mia! $1,038,790

UNDERDOGS By Gross
5. Avenue Q $333,060
4. Xanadu $316,205
3. The 39 Steps $274,310
2. Thurgood $254,973
1. [title of show] $178,183

FRONTRUNNERS By Capacity
1. Mamma Mia! 101.79%
2. Jersey Boys 100.76%
3. The Lion King 100.04%
4. Wicked 100%
5. South Pacific 99.47%

UNDERDOGS By Capacity
5. Spring Awakening 79.71%
4. Gypsy 73.11%
3. Thurgood 69.57%
2. Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy 63.35%
1. [title of show] 54.51%

Data provided by the Broadway League.