If everyone is going one way, sometimes it’s smarter to go the other.

The July 4th holiday week on Broadway is always a nail-biter. While there is usually an infusion of show-seeing tourists at the last minute, advance sales for this week are always in the crapper (which is why you probably noticed a bunch of July 4th emails in your inbox promoting several shows for this one week only).

Since the majority of people in the US are interested in fireworks on the night of the 4th, most shows cancel evening performances that fall on that date, and schedule a replacement matinee on a Thursday or Friday or some other odd time.

This year, the 4th fell on a Sunday, which made for an easy decision for all of those shows that didn’t have a performance on Sunday night to begin with.  They just proceeded with their usual schedule.

All the other shows with Sunday evenings cancelled.

Except for one.

Next to Normal did their Sunday night show . . . and they ended up being the only Broadway show with a performance on Sunday evening.

While I have no idea how they grossed, I’d bet that they did better on Sunday night than they would have if they replaced that performance with an odd matinee, wouldn’t you agree?

I know when I plan a performance schedule, I look at exactly what the rest of the field is doing . . . and then sometimes, I do the opposite.  I don’t care what day it is, there are always people who want to see shows, just maybe not enough to fill every theater.  So whether it’s Flag Day or World Naked Bike Ride Day, if you can end up being one of the only shows available, well, then, you may end up raising the curtain without a single ticket available.

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