The Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” starring Lea Michele is now officially a hit: It has recouped its capitalization costs, completing a remarkable box office turnaround of the sort rarely seen in the commercial theater.
The show’s lead producers, Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis and David Babani, announced on Monday that the production had made back the $16.5 million it cost to mount.
That milestone not only gives the production bragging rights, but also means that “Funny Girl” can generate a profit during the last few weeks of its run, which ends on Sept. 3.
Only a handful of Broadway productions have announced the recoupment of their capitalization costs since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as higher expenses and smaller audiences have made the always challenging economics of Broadway even more difficult.
Critics were underwhelmed; the show won no Tony Awards (it was only nominated for one); and by summer its sales had drooped.
Persons:
Lea Michele, Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis, David Babani, Barbra Streisand —, Beanie Feldstein, Critics
Organizations:
Wilson Theater