Strong Sales for ‘Lucky Guy’ With Tom Hanks

Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times

Several new Broadway shows are off to good starts at the box office, none more so than the Tom Hanks vehicle “Lucky Guy,” which last week became the rare play to make more than $1 million for a week of performances.

“Lucky Guy,” a bio-drama by the writer and director Nora Ephron about the New York City columnist Mike McAlary, grossed $1,109,678 for seven preview performances last week (one less than the standard eight), according to ticket sale data released on Monday by the Broadway League of theater owners and producers. “Lucky Guy” was the fourth top-grossing show for the week behind the msical blockbusters “Wicked,” “The Book of Mormon,” and “The Lion King.”

Two other big-budget musicals, “Cinderella” and “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” were just behind “Lucky Guy” - a reminder that Hollywood stars like Mr. Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner, can be as mighty a draw for theater-goers as brand-name princesses and superheroes.

Another highly anticipated Broadway show, the imported British musical “Matilda,” also had solid ticket sales for its first week of preview performances. “Matilda,” which has no big-name stars but considerable advance buzz due to its hit status in London, grossed a respectable $634,789 for six performances, or about 73 percent of the maximum possible gross.

And the new musical “Kinky Boots” showed some strength at the box office, grossing $637,690 for seven per! formances, or 51 percent of the maximum possible.

A third new musical, “Hands on a Hardbody,” has been having a tougher time during previews: It grossed $170,194 last week, or only 16 percent of the maximum possible gross.

Among plays, meanwhile, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” had decent ticket sales in their first week. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” grossed $349,270 for seven previews last week, or 44 percent of the maximum possible,” while “Vanya and Sonia” grossed $305,840 for eight performances, or 43 percent of the maximum.

Overall Broadway musicals and plays grossed $18.1 million last week, compared to $17.2 million the week before and $18.6 million during the same period last year.