Ragtime Breaks Record With $1.96M Final Gross

Ragtime broke its own box office record with a final gross of $1.96 million in its last week on Broadway, becoming the highest-grossing show in Lincoln Center Theater's history. The show's final eight performances grossed $1,963,666, cementing its status as a top earner.

The musical's success was a highlight in a week that saw the overall Broadway industry experience a 20% drop in grosses and 12% drop in attendance from the previous week. Despite this, Ragtime's closing night performance was a sell-out, with a cast that included Tony Award winners Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz.

Ragtime was not the only show to make headlines, as newcomer Paranormal Activity began previews at the August Wilson Theatre, grossing $422,257 in its first four performances. The thriller, which has an original story despite sharing a name with the film franchise, had strong attendance with 100% capacity across its first four performances.

The week ending August 16 saw 27 shows gross a total $27,003,040, with Hamilton taking the top spot with $2,123,135. The Lion King, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and MJ also ranked highly, with grosses of $1.89 million, $1.7 million, and $1.69 million respectively.

## What it means The success of Ragtime and the strong start of Paranormal Activity are notable in a week that saw the overall industry experience a decline in grosses and attendance. As the summer tourist season winds down and Broadway gears up for the fall season, the industry will be watching to see how new shows perform and whether established hits can continue to draw in audiences.

The current season has seen Broadway gross $412,444,622, down about 5% from last year at this time, with total attendance holding steady at 3,347,484. As the industry looks to the future, the success of shows like Ragtime and Paranormal Activity will be crucial in determining the overall health of the Broadway market.

## Looking ahead Paranormal Activity officially opens on August 25 for a limited 20-week run, and its continued success will be closely watched. With the fall season approaching, Broadway will see a number of new shows open, and the industry will be hoping to see a rebound in grosses and attendance. For now, Ragtime's record-breaking final gross is a highlight in a week that saw the overall industry experience a decline.