Broadway, the most professional form of theatre in the United States (US), is struggling economically and failing to maintain its cultural relevance for extended periods of time. After the pandemic, theatre attendance dropped, which caused original works on Broadway to close earlier due to financial failure. As a result producers are focusing more on adaptations because of their financial reliability. Additionally, Generation Z (Gen Z) lacks a sense of urgency to attend shows, instead opting to take advantage of fleeting opportunities for entertainment, according to prnewswire.com.
For decades, Broadway has been the pinnacle of American theatre. It is a cultural space where the most ambitious productions take the stage, and audiences expect the very best in storytelling and spectacle, according to newyorktheatreguide.com. However, Broadway consistently hinders its own success by frequently discarding shows that critics celebrate as groundbreaking, according to The New York Times. For example, critics showered Kimberly Akimbo with acclaim, and the show won five Tony Awards in 2023, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. Yet, it closed on Broadway in April 2024 after just 612 performances, failing to recoup its initial $7 million investment, according to insidehook.com. Similarly, The Band’s Visit, which won the Tony for Best Musical in 2018, ended its run after fewer than two years, despite critical and cultural recognition, according to forbes.com. These examples illustrate how Broadway sometimes struggles to support its most innovative productions, which may impact its status as a cultural leader in performing arts.
The premature closing of acclaimed shows contributes to a broader trend of assimilation on Broadway. Instead of supporting original work that pushes artistic boundaries, producers increasingly rely on revivals, jukebox musicals, and adaptations of well-known films, according to thetimes.com. These safer choices shape Broadway into a space of familiarity and routine rather than experimentation. The result is fewer opportunities for audiences to encounter diverse or challenging perspectives. Consequently, Broadway risks narrowing its identity into a formula that relies on recycled material, elevated with high production value, according to manhattan.institute.
Many of these issues are rooted in economics. Staging a Broadway musical now costs between $13 million and $15 million on average, and the chances of earning back that investment are increasingly slim. Production costs, ticket prices, and dependence on tourists combine to make investors cautious, according to onstageblog.com. As a result, producers tend to favor revivals and celebrity led-shows, which appear safer to investors, leaving little room for untested original works.
Furthermore, investors and analysts judge shows almost immediately by their opening-week grosses rather than their long-term cultural or financial potential, according to businessmodelanalyst.com. In such a system, even promising productions rarely get the time they need to build momentum through word of mouth recomendations. Mr. Jimmy McNicholas, Senior Creative Director at SpotCo, is a live theatre marketing expert who has marketed commercially successful and long-running shows, such as Cats and Hamilton. Mr. McNicholas shared his insight on marketing techniques that are crucial for Broadway success, according to amanewyork.org.
“One of the most unique things about marketing a Broadway show is that the biggest driver of ticket sales is actually word of mouth,” Mr. McNicholas said, according to amanewyork.org. “So everything we do has to amplify that, all of our advertising efforts [and] social media efforts […] all have to essentially say the same thing that word of mouth is saying. If there’s a disconnect, the ticket buyers can pick up on that.”
Broadway’s current financial approach also creates a disconnect with younger audiences, particularly members of Gen Z. Broadway’s most influential figures often emphasize the importance of attracting younger theatregoers, but many of the shows that resonate with this demographic are the first to close, such as Be More Chill in August 2019. This musical built a passionate fanbase online, with its cast recording going viral on platforms like Tumblr and YouTube, according to cbsnews.com. However, when it transferred to Broadway in February 2019, it closed after just 177 performances, despite a sold-out Off-Broadway run, according to The New York Times. Closures like this suggest that Broadway fails to support productions that excite younger audiences, according to americantheatre.org.
At the same time, high ticket prices continue to alienate young theatregoers. A recent Playbill survey showed that 72 percent of Gen Z and Millennials consider Broadway tickets to be too expensive. Yet, many respondents also indicated that they would be willing to pay more if they better understood the high production costs that drive prices upward, according to playbill.com. The challenge is not just affordability, but also audience perception, according to broadwaynews.com. Without addressing both issues, Broadway risks losing the generation it claims to be trying to attract.
Despite these challenges, recent productions reaffirm Broadway’s position as a thriving multi-million dollar industry. Six, a unique musical reminiscent of a pop concert, tells the stories of Henry VIII’s six wives. It has cultivated a devoted Gen Z fanbase by embracing social media and contemporary music styles. It has thrived on Broadway since its October 2021 debut, according to playbill.com. Similarly, & Juliet, features hit songs by songwriter Mr. Max Martin in a reimagining of Shakespeare’s story. The musical has grown in popularity with younger audiences by aligning itself with current pop culture and encouraging online engagement, according to amny.com. These productions suggest that when Broadway leans into affordability, social-media virality, and pop-culture crossovers, Broadway can bridge the generational gap.
What remains uncertain is whether Broadway will treat these shows as isolated anomalies or as a model for the future. If Broadway continues its reliance on costly revivals and box office models, it may lead to cultural and financial stagnation. On the other hand, if producers and investors are willing to see younger audiences as long-term partners rather than short-term risks, Broadway could reclaim its role as the start up for genuine innovation.
Sacred Heart Greenwich alumna Ila David ’24 is currently studying at the New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts in the New Studio on Broadway. She is also an avid theatregoer and performer. Ila shared her unique insights into how Broadway’s rejection of innovative shows impacts its ability to attract Gen Z audiences.
“Broadway shows are closing faster than ever, and the root of it all is money,” Ila said. “It costs millions to put up a show, and most can not recoup their investment. That’s why producers rely on the revivals of classics as opposed to original pieces. When Gen Z inspired shows like John Proctor is the Villain close, it is sad for the community, but without profit producers are unable to keep them alive. Classics and Disney productions survive because they draw audiences from across generations and can afford longer runs, while everything else gets cycled in and out.”
Featured Image by Catherine Ononye ’27
