‘Whatever the West End costs, add a zero and that’s Broadway’ – Why so many Broadway shows close early

Broadway just wrapped up an incredible year! With major anniversaries, successful shows moving from other locations, and viral moments like those from ‘Death Becomes Her’ on TikTok, the 2024-25 season was a huge success. It was the second most-attended season ever, only surpassed by 2018-2019.

Despite nearly full houses – 91.2 percent of seats were filled across 77 shows – the theater is facing financial difficulties, internal conflicts, and some shows are closing sooner than expected.

The Broadway show Cabaret will close a month sooner than planned this weekend. Star Billy Porter is unable to continue due to a severe infection called sepsis.

It’s easy to see why the show is ending, considering it heavily depended on the popularity of its stars. Even before the lead actor got sick, this well-known musical – which has been running in London for over four years – was already scheduled to close on Broadway after a short run.

The show has struggled financially from the beginning. Despite high weekly costs of $1.5 million (as reported by Broadway Report), it only earned around $2 million in a good week, largely thanks to its original star, Eddie Redmayne.

Simply put, the show has become incredibly costly and is now lacking what Eleanor Lloyd, a theatre producer, believes is essential: a dignified conclusion.

Lloyd, a producer of successful Broadway and West End shows like Prima Facie and The Collaboration, says that New York City has become prohibitively expensive for theatre.

Producing a Broadway play is significantly more expensive than doing the same show in London’s West End. A rough estimate is to take the West End cost and multiply it by ten, but even that might be an underestimate, according to her.

As a theatre fan, I’ve noticed a big difference between what works in London’s West End and what works on Broadway. There are plenty of West End shows that make good money but just wouldn’t translate to Broadway. I was involved with a play in London called ‘Shifters,’ and it did really well – it was profitable and we had a great run. But honestly, our two lead actors weren’t huge names in Hollywood, and that’s a big deal. I think that’s why it probably wouldn’t have worked over here – Broadway often relies on those big stars to sell tickets.

Naturally, movies with major stars tend to have very expensive tickets.

Lloyd notes that London’s West End operates much more smoothly. In contrast, Broadway’s strict rules and union regulations make it more challenging, particularly for new plays and musicals. Additionally, because ticket sales are constantly tracked, shows need to succeed quickly – there’s little room for a gradual increase in popularity.

Lloyd acknowledged that the biggest challenge with a long-running show is consistently creating new content. He explained that you need to keep reminding people it exists, but just because something is popular on weekends doesn’t guarantee it will stay popular throughout the week.

Live performance is always fragile, and successfully pulling it off often feels like a delicate art. That’s why so many shows, like Cabaret, unfortunately end on a disappointing note.

So, why do Broadway shows close early?

Low ticket sales

Generally, theaters close early because of poor ticket sales. Shows with no set closing date will continue as long as they’re profitable. Therefore, if an open-ended run ends, it’s usually because ticket revenue wasn’t enough to cover the costs of putting on the show.

The Stop Clause

Broadway has a rule called the “Stop Clause” that allows theatre owners to end a show early if ticket sales are consistently low – typically for two to four weeks. Both on Broadway and in London’s West End, theatres are privately owned, meaning producers need to demonstrate to the owners that their show will be successful and worth the investment of theatre space.

Poor critical reception

What critics and the public say still greatly impacts whether a show succeeds. People might risk seeing a bad movie for a lower price, but they’re much less willing to spend a lot on a disappointing theatrical experience. A recent example is Elton John’s musical ‘Tammy Faye,’ which closed quickly in 2024 after receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews.

Broadway League research shows that personal recommendations are the biggest influence on people when they decide to buy tickets to a Broadway show.

Lack of awards

The same issue affects awards shows, as demonstrated by recent closures like those of ‘BOOP! The Musical’ and ‘Smash’ after they didn’t receive Tony Awards.

The 2024 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design went to Cabaret, but the show didn’t win any awards for acting or directing.

Failing to keep up the buzz

Creating excitement for a new Broadway show takes significant effort – lots of marketing, social media, and being at the right place at the right time are essential to fill seats. However, keeping a show running for a long time is even harder. Beyond social media and online promotion, you need to be strategic about how you price tickets.

According to Lloyd, their goal is to maximize revenue by filling every seat and charging whatever price is possible at any given time, avoiding any empty seats.

High running costs

I’m really passionate about this show, but putting it on is incredibly expensive! Like with ‘Cabaret’, it costs between $600,000 and $1.5 million *every week* to cover things like the theater itself, paying the amazing cast and crew, advertising, and building and dressing the sets – not to mention the costumes! It’s a huge risk, and if ticket sales don’t cover all those costs, sometimes the producers unfortunately have to close the show.

Most Broadway shows don’t earn back their original costs. While many eventually become profitable through touring versions, licensing deals, and things like album sales, it’s not uncommon for a show to lose money initially.

More competition since COVID

As a seasoned theatre-goer, I’ve been hearing a lot about the current Broadway landscape from industry insiders like Lloyd, and it’s a real scramble out there. Apparently, there are far more shows vying for limited theatre space than there are actual theatres available. So, getting your production seen isn’t just about quality – you really have to *sell* it. With only 41 Broadway houses, and literally hundreds of shows in the works, competition is fierce. Everyone’s chasing that golden ticket, and it’s a tough fight to get your show on stage.

Losing their main star

As a theater critic, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial a major star can be to a show’s success – it really impacts ticket sales. Take *Cabaret*, for example. Eddie Redmayne *was* that Emcee; his performance was iconic and practically defined that run of the show. It’s always fascinating – and often frustrating – to watch productions try to replace a headliner. They almost always want another big name, but finding someone who fits the role *and* brings in the crowds? That’s a tough ask, and sometimes the new performer just doesn’t have the same pull.

Broadway shows that have closed early in recent years

Redwood (2025)

Redwood, a play starring Idina Menzel, followed a woman’s journey into a redwood forest. Though it began performances in February, the show closed after just 127 shows and didn’t receive any Tony Award nominations, likely due to opening during a busy Broadway season.

In a statement, producers Eva Price and Caroline Kaplan expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share their story, even though they had hoped the show could have run longer.

Let me tell you, “Redwood” wasn’t just a project, it was a passion. From day one, everyone involved – the actors, the crew, the whole creative team – truly poured their hearts and souls into making this film. I can honestly say I’m incredibly impressed with the dedication and care that went into every single frame.

Tammy Faye (2024)

Though it opened just last year, the Broadway musical *Tammy Faye* is already being remembered as a notable failure. Many had high hopes for the show, especially with such a talented creative team – the music was by Elton John, the lyrics by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, and the story was written by James Graham, who also penned *Dear England*. The musical told the story of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, but unfortunately, it didn’t achieve the success everyone anticipated.

Despite a very negative response from audiences, the musical premiered in November but closed quickly on December 8th, 2024, after only 29 official shows and 24 previews.

Bad Cinderella (2023)

Honestly, *Bad Cinderella* really surprised me. I mean, it had Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s name – and money – behind it, so expectations were high. It actually ran from March to June of 2023, racking up 85 regular performances and 33 previews. But the biggest shock? It ended a 43-year run of Lloyd Webber having a show constantly playing on Broadway – it all started way back in 1979 with Patti LuPone in *Evita*. It was a bit sad to see that streak end, even if the show itself wasn’t a huge hit.

Here Lies Love (2023)

The Broadway musical *Here Lies Love*, a show about the life of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines, closed in November 2023 after a limited run of 33 previews and 149 performances. According to industry reports, the show didn’t sell enough tickets to cover its significant weekly costs, which were made even higher by the extensive renovations needed to the theater to create the show’s setting.

The show’s producers explained they initially questioned whether it was possible to create a new kind of Broadway production. They wondered if audiences were ready for something truly different and who those potential viewers might be. They were essentially asking: How can we innovate on Broadway, and what would that even look like?

We’ve discovered a lot about what it takes to succeed on Broadway. While innovative approaches and high-quality artistry are possible – and can be achieved – ultimately, success depends on building an audience for your show, not just creating a great production.

It takes a significant amount of time to locate and cultivate new audiences, which doesn’t align with the quick turnaround times often needed for growing an audience and increasing brand awareness.

2025-09-19 10:06