Broadway has seen sustained recovery in the past two seasons, with total attendance approaching 14 million annually and several productions achieving the consistent weekly grosses that indicate genuine commercial success rather than opening-month novelty. The recovery is being supported by a noticeably more diverse production slate that is attracting audiences historically underrepresented in Broadway attendance demographics.
International touring productions of successful Broadway shows have expanded the economics of theatrical production by amortizing creative development costs across multiple revenue streams. The gap between the economics of new production development and the profits available from long-running hits has widened, creating incentives for producers to option proven formulas over genuinely experimental new work. Advocates for American theatrical development argue that subsidized development support is essential for maintaining the creative pipeline that successful commercial theater depends on.
