Broadway is struggling to find its rhythm after the pandemic

Times Sq. is a bit completely different today. Though the ticket touts and Elmo impersonators nonetheless jostle vacationers, one thing is lacking: for the primary time because the Nineteen Seventies, there aren’t any Andrew Lloyd Webber exhibits on Broadway. The musical-theatre titan’s newest Broadway providing, “Unhealthy Cinderella”, flopped (a lot as the unique manufacturing had carried out in London), closing after simply 85 performances. And after 35 years, the chandelier fell on “The Phantom of the Opera” for the ultimate time. Greater operating prices after the pandemic took it to the purpose of no return.

The disappearance of a basic outdated present and a outstanding new one is a part of deeper troubles dealing with New York’s theatre business. The Nice White Manner has been scuffling with rising prices and smaller audiences. Attendance numbers are down by 17% from earlier than the pandemic (see chart), and box-office returns have been down by 27% in actual phrases in 2022-23 in contrast with 2018-19 (theatre seasons begin in the summertime). The Broadway League, the business’s commerce affiliation, doesn’t count on audiences to return to pre-pandemic ranges till subsequent 12 months and even later.

The well being of theatreland is one thing of a proxy for that of New York Metropolis extra broadly. It is a sign of what number of vacationers and suburbanites have been drawn again into the razzle-dazzle—and what number of are massive spenders, prepared to drop a median of $160 on a ticket. Mr Occasions Sq., a veteran midtown ticket-seller who offers solely his nom de guerre, appears to be like crestfallen on the finish of a latest Friday-evening shift. “It’s simply tougher to get folks to spend cash,” he says. “Broadway’s not doing effectively in any respect.”

Vacationers have nonetheless not returned to New York Metropolis in pre-covid numbers and suburbanites come much less usually. Even New Yorkers fell out of the behavior of going to the theatre, says Megan O’Keefe, a producer, and Broadway faces stiffer competitors. “Tv is basically nice proper now—you may get nice storytelling in quite a lot of locations.”

Producers’ profitability has additionally been hit by rising prices. “Hadestown”, which gained eight Tony awards, had an preliminary funding of $11.5m in 2019. Now, one of many producers reckons, it will have to be nearer to $18m. As with many industries, delivery, supplies and labour are all dearer. And in contrast to movie or TV, exhibits can cease spending solely after they shut.

Theatre has by no means been a dependable enterprise. True, some exhibits defy gravity: “Depraved”, a musical that just lately celebrated its twentieth anniversary on Broadway, has to date made $1.6bn in ticket gross sales. However most don’t recuperate their preliminary funding, not to mention make a revenue.

Earlier than the pandemic about 20% of exhibits “recouped” their funding. “I don’t know anybody who’s seemed” on the variety of exhibits recouping now, says Oliver Roth, a Tony-winning producer. “I actually haven’t—largely out of worry.” Moderately than resembling a bell-curve, with most exhibits being middling performers, the business now appears to be like extra like a barbell: productions both thrive or flop. Just one manufacturing that began in 2023, “Prima Facie”, introduced that it had recouped its prices by the top of the 12 months, helped by being a one-woman present with Jodie Comer, who starred within the TV collection “Killing Eve”.

That’s typical of profitable productions. They both have acquainted stars, like Ben Platt in “Parade”, or acquainted content material, like “Again to the Future: The Musical”. Much less formulaic productions stand little probability. “The Inheritance”, which opened on Broadway in 2019, was a two-part play telling the tales of generations of homosexual males in New York. A vital success, it gained the Tony award for greatest play. “It was a threat that was price considering then,” says Lee Seymour, one of many present’s producers. “There’s no manner that present would have even a hope of working now.”

Come to the cabaret

A easy denouement could show elusive. Many within the theatre world are searching for methods to chop prices, for instance by sharing backstage sources. Others are hoping for an growth of state and federal assist, alongside the traces of a New York state tax credit score that awards as much as $3m per present. The magical reply, in fact, can be one other smash hit like “Hamilton” or “The Ebook of Mormon”. These exhibits entice new folks to the theatre, a few of whom catch the bug and stick round.

Many exhibits are attempting to fill that function—with exclamation marks, within the case of “Gutenberg! The Musical!” (pictured). Regardless of the testing local weather, a slate of latest musicals are opening this spring. On Broadway, there’s all the time the hope that one thing’s coming, one thing good. ■

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