The Lion King Musical Named Broadway’s Biggest Earner
The Walt Disney Musical was named Broadway’s biggest earning show in 2013. With a record $97 million The Lion King seems to be a truly ageless story, one that is still growing in popularity according to the figures.
The show is in its 16th year and has become Broadway’s biggest grossing show ever , passing the $1 billion earned mark earlier this year. The show is also setting records for its longevity with only three other shows, Cats, Chicago and The Phantom of the Opera having had longer runs in New York City.
The second highest earner on Broadway was The Book of Mormon, taking in $90.4 million in 2013. Wiked, managed to set a record as well, earning an impressive $3.2 million over just nine performances.
Another show that managed to impress over 2013 was The Wizard of Oz musical, now in its 10th year running, setting a record of $3 million in a single week.
The higher than usual numbers registered on Broadway in 2013 are due to higher ticket prices, a growing demand, renovated and reconfigured seating arrangements and the introduction of premium-priced seats in most theaters.
The success of The Lion King is made even more impressive by the fact that the Minskoff Theatre, the home base of the show, is surpassed in size by no less than five other Broadway theaters.