While movie theaters are still trying to lure back post-pandemic audiences, Broadway is having a record-breaking moment. According to The Guardian, the 2024–2025 season has already grossed $1.85 billion, making it the highest-grossing Broadway season of all time. That beats the previous pre-pandemic record of $1.8 billion set during the 2018–2019 season.
“There is so much to celebrate about the 2024–2025 season,” Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League, said in a statement per Deadline. “Looking back, it was never a given that audiences would return to their seats or that every theater’s lights would come back up [post-Covid shutdown]. It has taken the hard work and imagination of thousands and thousands of dreamers and doers to bring the magic of Broadway back.”
Star power is part of the momentum. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal led a sold-out run of Othello, while George Clooney made his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck. Laks told The Hollywood Reporter that these A-list appearances helped break box office records—even as ticket prices hit eye-watering highs.
Othello recently clocked the highest average ticket price on Broadway at $387. Meanwhile, Glengarry Glen Ross set a new record at the Palace Theatre, bringing in $2.4 million in a single week. Both Glengarry and Good Night, and Good Luck have reportedly recouped their investments—no small feat on Broadway, where production costs often run into the tens of millions.
And it’s not just the star-studded shows pulling crowds. Over Memorial Day weekend, legacy musicals like Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked played to nearly full capacity, alongside newer hits like Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Purpose, and Just in Time. In total, 77 productions hit the stage this season—43 of them new.
Broadway’s resurgence isn’t just about nostalgia or celebrity. Many industry insiders credit the boom to an evolving mix of content that speaks to a broader audience—from genre-defying musicals to ambitious political dramas. But even with the wins, there’s reason to stay grounded.
“As we look to next season, we have to be sober about the challenges Broadway faces,” Laks said. “We can’t be satisfied with 2019’s definition of success anymore. With rising costs hitting every facet of production, it is becoming harder and harder to bring live theatre to the stage. Shows today have an ever-shorter window to get on their feet. The investment that fuels Broadway is something we can’t ever take for granted.”
In other words, Broadway is having a main character moment—but the encore will take serious hustle.
