Broadway production in NY is about five times more expensive than in London.
The main cost drivers are unions (13 involved), real estate, advertising, and increased post-COVID supply chain costs affecting set construction.
Star actors also command higher fees, contributing to the overall higher production expenses and making creative risks harder to take.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like Stereophonic — which just won five Tony Awards — will create a few big winners. But even the stars of the show will have to go elsewhere to make real money. (Part two of a two-part series.)