Broadway box office was mostly in a holding pattern last week as the industry gears up for a busy fall season, but some shows broke from the pack to do very well indeed for the late-summer dog days.
Purpose, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ brilliant exploration of the turmoil within the family of an iconic Civil Rights leader (directed by Phylicia Rashad), closed out its run at the Hayes Theatre, taking $1,020,309 and breaking the house record of $950,927 set by the playwright’s Appropriate for the week ending March 3, 2024.
As Purpose left the stage, Art was arriving. The revival of Yasmina Reza’s acclaimed play, starring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris, sold out its first three previews at the Music Box for a gross of $668,504. Average ticket price was an impressive $223.06. Opening night is September 16.
Mamma Mia! had its best weekly gross ever, closing out the week ending August 31 with a take of $1,787,105 at the Winter Garden Theatre, with all seats filled. The limited engagement runs through February 1.
Other sellouts for the week were Hadestown, Hamilton, John Proctor Is the Villain, Just In Time, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat, The Outsiders, Wicked and Oh, Mary! The Top Five earners of the week were Hamilton, $2,264,454; Wicked, $2,005,197; The Lion King, $1,875,700; Mamma Mia!, $1,787,105; and Maybe Happy Ending, $1,567,740.
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Lowest earner of the week, by far, was Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride, the comedian’s autobiographical solo show that hasn’t gained traction with audiences. With only 40% of the Nederlander’s seats filled, the show grossed just $137,574, and that with a bargain average ticket price of $36.70.
In all, Broadway’s 28 shows grossed a total $30,631,166, up 7% from the previous week and 21% from last season at this time. Attendance was 237,539, holding even from the previous week and up 12% year-to-year.
Season to date, Broadway, in the 14th week of the 2025-26 season, has grossed $491,321,351, up about 8% over last year at this time, with total attendance of 3,842,585 up 7%.
All figures courtesy of The Broadway League. For more box office information visit the League’s website.
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