There’s no business like show business. Broadway proved that once and for all this year with its record-breaking box office take of $1.89 billion, fueled by a superstar-heavy run of shows.
Treading the boards this year were Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal taking on Shakespeare’s Othello, newly minted Oscar winner Kieran Culkin in Glengarry Glen Ross, and George Clooney making his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck.
The trio of shows charged some of the highest ticket prices ever seen on the Main Stem, with premium tickets (when they were available) going for well over $800. But those stars also helped bring millions in revenue to Broadway, and were likely the reason why each of the three productions announced recoupments within just weeks of opening.
It wasn’t just the marquee names drawing crowds. Broadway stalwarts like Audra McDonald, Jonathan Groff, and Jeremy Jordan helped solidify the season’s appeal. McDonald, in particular, cemented her place in theater history with her 11th Tony nomination for Gypsy — more than any other performer. Despite Gypsy’s critical acclaim and history-making achievements, its ticket prices averaged a modest $120, a stark contrast to the Hollywood-led productions that regularly commanded prices exceeding $300.
While the addition of Hollywood A-listers undeniably filled theaters and bolstered Broadway’s bottom line, it has also raised concerns about accessibility. The average ticket price rose by three percent this season, continuing a trend that risks pricing out everyday theatergoers. For example, tickets for Waiting for Godot, an upcoming revival starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, start at $122 but leap to over $700 for premium seats.
This raises a critical question: Is Broadway’s reliance on celebrity power sustainable? Can producers find a balance between maintaining profitability and keeping theater affordable for a wider audience?
From a financial perspective, bringing Hollywood A-listers to Broadway is a no-brainer. The previous highest-grossing Broadway season was 2018-2019, which earned $1.83 billion. Total attendance was 14.7 million this year — showing a strong resurgence in theatergoers post-pandemic — but falling just short of the record 14.8 million theatergoers from the 2018-2019 season. By comparison, the 2023-2024 Broadway season saw a total haul of $1.5 billion and attendance of 12.2 million.
In an enlightening recent statement, Broadway League president Jason Laks appeared to hint that productions would have to continue prioritizing profits.
“As we look to next season, we have to be sober about the challenges Broadway faces. 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,” Laks said.
The 2025-2026 season promises more Hollywood names, including the Waiting for Godot revival starring Reeves and Winter, a new mounting of Art featuring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris, and the brand new play Dog Day Afternoon with The Bear's Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. This trio of productions packs star power, but they're unlikely to garner the same attention as Clooney, Washington, and Culkin.
As for Broadway’s more seasoned performers, Kristin Chenoweth, Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Caissie Levy are just some of the fan-favorite names confirmed to tread the boards during the 2025-2026 season in shows sure to draw the true theater aficionados.
Broadway’s future likely lies in blending the star power of Hollywood with the heart of homegrown talent. On Sunday, the stars will descend on Radio City Music Hall in New York for the 78th Annual Tony Awards. Who Tony voters decide to award might just signal whether the industry’s next chapter will be defined by Hollywood’s influence, a return to its roots, or a delicate balance between the two.
