Solid Sales for ‘Pippin’ and ‘The Nance’ on Broadway

Two of the highest-profile Broadway shows this spring, the musical revival of “Pippin” and the new Nathan Lane play “The Nance,” had solid ticket sales during their first weekend of performances, according to data released on Monday by the Broadway League, a trade association of theater owners and producers.

“Pippin,” which has not been on Broadway since the original Bob Fosse production ended its five-year run in 1977, grossed $199,935 for just two performances â€" 87 percent of the maximum possible amount - a very strong start for the show, which had a critically acclaimed run this winter at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. The musical, by Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked”) and Roger O. Hirson, follows the title character on his journey to find purpose in life; the revival, directed by Diane Paulus (“The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess”), blends circus acts and acrobatics with some of the signature Fosse choreography.

“The Nance,” a play about 1930s burlesque starring the two-time Tony Award winner Mr. Lane (“The Producers”), grossed $199,627 for four performances, or about 53 percent of the maximum amount - a healthy number for a play in its first weekend.

Another new play, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” meanwhile, opened on Wednesday to some of the worst reviews of the theater season. Usually such notices would kill a show quickly, but a spokesman said that ticket sales have been relatively steady; the play grossed $357,127 last week, or about 40 percent of the maximum possible.

The new musicals “Cinderella,” “Motown,” “Kinky Boots” and “Matilda” all had strong ticket sales last week, a positive trend compared to last fall when musicals like “Scandalous,” “Chaplin,” and “Bring It On” struggled at the box office and ultimately closed.

The five top-grossing shows on Broadway last week, in order, were “Wicked,” “The Lion King,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Lucky Guy,” and “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.”

The mega-hit “Book of Mormon,” which has been repeatedly breaking box office records in New York and on tour, set another one last week after the musical opened in London on Thursday night. Despite receiving some mixed reviews, “Mormon” broke records for the highest single day of ticket sales in the history of both the West End and Broadway, grossing about $3.2 million on Friday, according to a spokesman for the musical.

Over all last week on Broadway, musicals and plays grossed $21.7 million, compared to $20.8 million the previous week and $23 million during the same week last season.