Broadway Makes Big Bucks

Even though the film industry did not do so well in 2005, Broadway shows hit it big. According to the League of American Theaters and Producers, Broadway shows raked in a record breaking $825 million, which is 10.2% more than last year. This year's numbers also gave the Great White Way the highest attendance in 20 years with 11.98 million people. Over eighty percent of the theaters' seats were filled which is the highest figure since 1997. Four new musicals, "Spamalot," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," and "The Light in the Piazza" opened during the year bringing people to the seats. Big names like Billy Crystal, Denzel Washington, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick also helped rake in the dough with their performances.