I was recently interviewed on LAist 89.3, Los Angeles’s largest NPR station, about the economics of Broadway and London’s West End.
One of the most striking differences is ticket prices. The average Broadway ticket is around $130, while tickets in London’s West End are substantially cheaper (closer to $80). That said, Broadway theaters are still quite full so the problem isn’t simply that people have stopped going to Broadway.
A major issue, and reason for the ticket price differences, is cost. It costs significantly more to mount and operate a production on Broadway than in London’s West End. Broadway productions must deal with more unions, which increases increase costs. The minimum earnings of Broadway performers are almost double those in London. In addition, British theater productions can also benefit from tax incentives that help reduce costs.
That has important consequences. When it costs more to put on a show, producers need higher ticket prices and more successful productions just to recoup their initial investment. It may also explain why some productions, including shows we think of as distinctly American, are increasingly opening in London before coming to Broadway.
The stars of Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York during the curtain all of a July, 2026 show. This show began in London’s West End before transferring to Broadway.
During the interview, we talked about these issues, the role of tourism, Broadway’s post-2018 struggles, and why London may currently have some economic advantages over New York. I hope you enjoy!
Listen to the short interview by clicking play at the top of the screen or through this link (about halfway down the article) for more.
Check out a Wall Street Journal article on this topic.
For a more detailed analysis, check out this report from The Society of London Theatre.
