Raw Numbers: West End edition

Here's a recent piece from the London Telegraph profiling a West End producing team who've had a good run of commercial dramatic (or at least non-musical) hits, like "Art" and "Play What I Wrote." They're currently responsible for the humongous and B'way-bound "Equus"revival.

So, ok, comparison time. Here's the article's breakdown of their expenses on "Equus." Remember the current $/£ exchange rate is basically 2-to-1. (£1=$1.97)

Set-up costs

£100,000 - rehearsals

[the article mentions an unusually long 6-week rehearsal period]

£300,000 - physical production costs (set-design, costumes etc)

£150,000 - marketing/advertising

£150,000 - fees to creative team

Subtotal: £700,000

Operational costs during the run

£90,000 per week (rising post-recoupment in excess of £100,000)

Of which:

£20,000 - theatre "contra" deal (staff costs, theatre running costs)

£10,000 - rent

£60,000 - company costs

Equus recoups after nine weeks

£300,000 - max gross figure of takings for capacity house per week

From gross box-office takings: sundry royalties to creative team

Then, once operational costs have been deducted, net profit divided 60 per cent to the investors, 40 per cent to the producers

Anyone out there familiar enough with Broadway budgets to do a quick trans-Atlantic comparison?