the show failed to sustain the level of ticket sales that would cover its weekly operating costs. During the week ending November 5, for example, the show filled just 79% of seats at the Broadway, grossing $768,244.
It's disheartening that a show's weekly nut (weekly operating expenses like salaries and rent) appear to be at more than 80% of capacity. It means that a show has to effectively sell out just to get to the point where investors can even start to make back their capital investment (initial costs like development, rehearsals, set/lighting/sound design and construction and - in the case of Here Lies Love - extensive theatre renovations).
That particular figure of $768,244 in the Deadline article doesn't quite line up with the Variety article on Here Lies Love's closing, which refers to a Washington Post article, stating:
It cost about $700,000 per week to mount “Here Lies Love,” which exceeded its weekly box office take of $500,000 to $620,000, according to The Washington Post.
But the overall point remains. You have to be a hit just to have a chance of breaking even on Broadway, and a smash hit to turn a profit.
The Broadway production of Here Lies Love had a bit of a bumpy ride - I remember that some members of the Filipino community objected to the show's subject matter (claiming it glorified the Marcos regime), and the production also got into trouble over its planned use of pre-recorded music rather than live musicians. Eventually they agreed to use 12 live musicians, but of course 12 live musicians also adds about $25,000 to the weekly nut. (Broadway musicians are paid at least $2143.10 per week.)
It's a tough business.
BTW, I saw the Public Theater production of Here Lies Love back in 2014, and while the style of music wasn't my cup of tea, I loved the immersive staging. It was one of those shows that made me realise what a talented director Alex Timbers is. I remember that I really wanted him to have used the immersive approach on a production of Evita instead. (Cause Here Lies Love is basically the Filipino version of Evita. 😁)