During previews, Suzan-Lori Parks' drama Topdog/Underdog was one of the poorest box-office performers on Broadway. For the week ending April 7, it took in only $81,941, with audience capacity standing at a paltry 27 percent.
The good reviews which greeted the show's April 7 opening—and, more importantly, the play winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama that same day—have changed all that, at least for now. For the week ending April 14, Topdog took in $242,981, roughly three times the box office draw of the previous. Attendance figures hovered close to 70 percent at the Ambassador Theatre, which boasts 1,125 seats.
Topdog stars Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def as brothers and is directed by George C. Wolfe.
The Ambassador Theatre is at 219 W. 49th Street. Tickets range $35-$75. For information, call (212) 239-6200 or (800) 432-7250.
