Entertainment

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child helps Broadway to a record-breaking season

Figures released by the Broadway League show box office receipts were up nearly a fifth over last season.
Figures released by the Broadway League show box office receipts were up nearly a fifth over last season.

Broadway enjoyed a record-breaking season grossing 1.7 billion dollars (£1.28bn) thanks to hits such as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.

Box office receipts were up 17.1% over last season while attendances were up 3.9%, according to figures released by the Broadway League, the national trade association for the industry.

For the 53-week season, beginning on May 22 2017 and ending on May 27 2018, total attendance reached 13,792,614, according to the figures.

As well as Harry Potter, the bumper year was fuelled by other big-hitters such as Tina Fey’s Mean Girls, Dear Evan Hansen and Bruce Springsteen’s Springsteen On Broadway.

Charlotte St Martin, President of The Broadway League, said: “It’s been a remarkably diverse season with a wide variety of outstanding musicals and plays on Broadway that have attracted a record number of theatregoers proving once again that there really is something for everyone on Broadway in a wide range of price points.

“Over 80 per cent of the shows on Broadway had an average paid admission of under 130 dollars (£98) and more than half of the shows that played this season (60 per cent) had an average paid admission of less than 101 dollars (£76).”

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child has helped Broadway to a record-breaking year (Manuel Harlan/PA)
Jamie Parker as Harry Potter in the stage play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child (Manuel Harlan/PA)

She added: “Since our last 53 week season, our attendance has grown 10 per cent or 1.26 million theatregoers. It’s not surprising that so many have been coming to experience the best of live theatre.”

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, based on the books of British author JK Rowling, has been a critical and commercial success since its debut in London’s West End in 2016.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
The script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child went to No 1 in the charts when it was released (PA)

Earlier this month it was announced the two-part production had been nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including for best play.

Three of its stars, Jamie Parker, Noma Dumezweni and Anthony Boyle are up for acting prizes while its director John Tiffany is also up for an award.

The 72nd Annual Tony Awards will take place on June 10.