Hiddleston’s Much Ado Opens With a Sold-Out Preview

On November 3, Broadway’s 33 productions brought in $29,572,284 for the week ending November 1. Total attendance was 251,700, down 4% from the prior week. Grosses fell about 13%, as Halloween festivities and the New York City Marathon drew potential audience members elsewhere. Twenty-six shows recorded lower grosses than the week before.

The Winter Garden hosted a sold-out initial showing of Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Much Ado About Nothing, with Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell in the cast. It earned $358,262 from the single performance. Its average ticket cost $238.36, the week’s second-highest figure. The production is scheduled to open November 19.

Other Desert Cities led Broadway with $2,347,158, while Hamilton followed at $2,317,475. They were the only productions to top $2 million. Other Desert Cities also had the highest average ticket price, at $301.23. A Few Good Men, whose debut drew divided critical reactions, sold out and grossed nearly $1.28 million. Billy Crystal’s 860 took in $1,353,611 over seven performances, despite three press performances with many tickets given away.

Among shows in previews, Wanted grossed $508,919 at 82% capacity and is due to open November 8. Downstate earned $275,085 across eight performances ahead of its November 15 opening. The Fantasticks brought in $305,307 during its first full week of seven previews and is set to open November 16. Broadway’s season-to-date gross stood at $726 million, about 8% below the same point last season.