Movie studios aren't the only ones raking in dough hand over fist this summer. Broadway receipts totaled $261.8 million between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a near 10% increase over the same period last year. Tourists flocked to newcomers Grease (which appeared impervious to poor reviews) and Spring Awakening, but the real moneymakers were the established blackbusters.
Top earners were the usual array of perennial Broadway hits, including "Wicked" ($21.8 million for the summer), "The Lion King" ($18.9 million) and "Jersey Boys" ($18 million), plus an entry from last season, "Mary Poppins" ($17.4 million).
It appears Broadway has learned to succeed without really trying.
