As promised, here's the follow up to yesterday's post re: the top 10 grossing domestic films of 2008.
Since the film industry produces so much more product than we do, I thought it best to compare the top 10 grossing films domestically with the top 5 grossing shows (interesting to note that there isn't an off-Broadway in film - pretty much everything gets lumped together - that's a subject for another post).
Before I name the Top 5 Grossers . . . can you guess what they are?
Go on. Give a shot.
When you've got them in your head, scroll down.
scroll . . .
scroll . . .
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Almost there . . .
scroll . . .
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Here we go . . .
1. Wicked $75,641,794
2. The Lion King $61,014,194
3. Jersey Boys $58,871,925
4. The Little Mermaid $49,184,168
5. Mamma Mia $47,580,493
Well? Think we have the same trends as the film industry?
I'm not so sure if the trends are as strong, but there is certainly something there. 3 out of 5 are the same big budget "fantasies" that the film audiences love. And the other two are jukebox musicals.
And all based on pre-exisiting material - either a book, a movie, or a songbook.
Curious about the 2nd set of 5? Here's where we start to mix it up a bit:
6. Mary Poppins $42,743,618
7. The Phantom Of The Opera $39,044,221
8. South Pacific $35,817,950* (partial year)
9. In The Heights $34,001,301* (partial year)
10. Spamalot $32,386,699
Or do we? Once again . . . all are based on pre-existing material, except for one.
Now which shows do you think will make the Top 5 next year?
Special thanks to Beverley D. Mac Keen and New World Stages for the research and for allowing me to borrow their cool spreadsheets.