George Clooney is currently making his Broadway debut in the play Good Night, and Good Luck, which set a Broadway box office record last week. It took in $3.3 million, the most money ever earned in a seven-day period by a non-musical stage production, breaking the record ($2.9 million) set earlier this month by Othello starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Not only that, but the play is still in previews, which means it only has seven performances per week, not the eight that Broadway shows offer after their official opening.
Usually musicals are the big money makers on Broadway -- Wicked brought in $5 million in a week last December, but it offered nine performances due to the proximity to Christmas.
The inclusion of Hollywood stars in plays is now bringing in big dollars, with the revival Glengarry Glen Ross starring Oscar-winner Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk grossing $2.1 million last week.
Good Night, and Good Luck is based on the 2005 critically acclaimed film of the same name, directed, co-written by and co-starring George Clooney. In the film, Clooney played TV producer Fred Friendly but in the play, he takes on the starring role of Edward R. Murrow, host of the weekly 1950s TV news program See it Now.
Audiences are also playing more for the star power -- top ticket prices for Othello are $921, while Good Night, and Good Luck's top price is $799.
When was the last time you saw a play on Broadway? What were ticket prices at the time? Would you go see one of these plays on Broadway? ~Alexandra Heilbron
Those prices are crazy. I wouldn't mind seeing the play, but I can think of a lot better ways to spend that amount of money.
Lets be clear the prices vary. The media is telling you the HIGHEST prices. I am sitting in orchestra. I paid $138.
i wouldn't pay those prices 2c the originial 2000 years ago cast of "Jesus Christ Super Star,"