AP

Broadway’s ‘MJ’ gets a box office bump after the Tony Awards

Jun 21, 2022, 11:13 PM | Updated: Jun 22, 2022, 3:36 pm

Myles Frost accepts the award for best leading actor in a musical for "MJ" at the 75th annual Tony ...

Myles Frost accepts the award for best leading actor in a musical for "MJ" at the 75th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

(Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)


              Jennifer Hudson, left, co-producer of "A Strange Loop," winner of the award for best new musical, poses in the press room with Myles Frost, winner of the award for best leading actor in a musical for "MJ" at the 75th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
            
              Myles Frost accepts the award for best leading actor in a musical for "MJ" at the 75th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
            
              Myles Frost and The cast of "MJ" perform at the 75th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — “MJ,” the hit-filled Broadway musical about the King of Pop, got a huge bump at the box office after nabbing four Tony Awards and getting valuable exposure in front of millions during its electric telecast performance.

The Michael Jackson show may have lost the best new musical crown to “A Strange Loop,” but it won the best actor in a musical trophy for Myles Frost and pulled in $1,661,000 during the week after the Tonys. That’s the biggest box office jump last week on Broadway and a new high for the show.

“That’s one of the benefits of being able to be Tony nominated is that you have the opportunity to perform on the Tonys and to be able to put our show in front of so many people who are avid theater lovers,” said Lia Vollack, the lead producer.

Another show that got a post-Tonys bounce was “A Strange Loop,” which grossed $845,313 for the week ending June 19, a jump of $168,998 over the previous week and a new high for the show.

Others musicals saw more modest gains, like “Six” and “Paradise Square,” with a show-stealing performance by best actress in a musical Joaquina Kalukango.

“MJ” is set during Jackson’s 1992 “Dangerous” tour prep and melts back in time to explore his youth, with songs like “ABC,” “Black or White,” “Blame it on the Boogie,” “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Off the Wall” and “Thriller.” It also won Christopher Wheeldon the Tony for best choreography.

“MJ” plans a national tour kicking off in Chicago in July 2023, with a stop in Charlotte, North Carolina, that September. Vollack spoke from London, leading to speculation a West End production might be mounted. On Broadway, the show been sold out every performance since the Tonys and advance sales are said to be booming.

Because “MJ” is not a star vehicle, Vollack hopes to be able to replicate finding someone as talented as Frost to lead other companies. “I do think that there is amazing talent in the world, and we’re looking forward to finding people for years to come and in different companies hopefully to perform the role,” she said.

The Tony Awards reached 4.22 million viewers on June 12, a bounce-back for Broadway after last year’s show in September was seen by 2.75 million people. Many took to Twitter in amazement after seeing Frost moonwalk during his performance of “Smooth Criminal.”

Vollack was gracious in her Tony wins, saying “any show that managed to perform in this last season actually deserves a Tony.”

“I was so proud to be a part of this season and be a part of this community because this community is so resilient and dedicated and wanting to create,” said Vollack, whose other Broadway credits include “Shuffle Along,” “Tootsie” and the forthcoming “Almost Famous.”

Exposure on the Tony telecast usually translates into higher box office numbers the following week ,but that was definitely not the case with “The Music Man,” which lost $1,631,334. Star Hugh Jackman was not performing because of a second bout with COVID-19.

___

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Image: A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after ...

Associated Press

Authorities identify 2 bodies recovered at site of Baltimore bridge collapse

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

9 hours ago

Photo: Mountaineer Jim Whittaker has died at 95....

Gene Johnson, The Associated Press

Lou Whittaker, among the most famous American mountaineers, has died at age 95

Lou Whittaker, a legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, has died at age 95.

9 hours ago

File photo: Former Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks in Washington on Jan. 18, 2024....

Associated Press

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000, has died.

9 hours ago

islamic state attack...

Vanessa Gera, The Associated Press

What we know after the Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow massacre

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people.

4 days ago

Moscow shooting...

The Associated Press

Russia: 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility

Assailants burst into a concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100.

6 days ago

Photo: Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge visits 282 (East Ham) Squadron, RAF Air Cadets, Cornwel...

Associated Press

Kate Middleton announces she has cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, says she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer. She has been out of view since Christmas.

6 days ago

Broadway’s ‘MJ’ gets a box office bump after the Tony Awards