Othello regained the top spot in the industry last week, as the play, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, grossed $3.179 million and saw its average ticket price increase to $382.92.
The production, which is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, slightly edged out its nearest competitor, Good Night and Good Luck, starring George Clooney. That play brought in $3.135 million, close to $150,000 less than the prior week, but the lowered grosses came during a week that included an entirely comped opening night for the production. The show opened April 3 at the Winter Garden Theater to mixed to positive reviews, including from The New York Times, which gave it a critics pick. Good Night and Good Luck still had the second highest ticket price in the industry last week at $250.68.
Several shows had opening nights last week, including Glengarry Glen Ross, starring Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr, which opened to mixed to positive reviews, but still brought in $1.8 million across eight performances at the Palace Theater, as well as The Last Five Years, starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren, which opened to mixed to negative reviews at the Hudson Theatre.
The comped openings, which also included Boop! The Musical at the Broadhurst Theatre, and largely comped press performances contributed to an overall lower industry gross down about 3 percent from the prior week, but still up 19 percent from last season to date.
Several other shows are gearing up for opening before the Tonys eligibility cutoff on April 27, including Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which played four preview performances at the Marriott Marquis Theatre last week, playing to 100 percent capacity, and brought in $676,923. The play is scheduled to open April 22.
John Proctor is The Villain, starring Sadie Sink, is gearing up for an April 14 opening and brought in $370,701 last week at the Booth Theatre, where it played to 100 percent capacity.
Following Othello and Good Night and Good Luck, the top grossing shows last week were Wicked with $2.5 million, The Lion King with $1.98 million and Hamilton with $1.96 million.