"Good Night and Good Luck," a stage adaptation of the 2005 film bearing the same title, has shattered its own prior record of $3.3 million, now standing as the highest-grossing non-musical play in Broadway's storied history. According to Deadline, George Clooney's maiden Broadway voyage saw tickets averaging $303.40 last week for his debut, with premium seats fetching an astonishing $825. Under the adept direction of David Cromer, Clooney stars as journalist Edward R. Murrow, in a production that has outstripped every other play in the Winter Garden Theatre's centenary-plus timeline at the box office.
Previously, the Winter Garden Theatre's crown was held by the 2022 revival of "The Music Man," starring Hugh Jackman, which established a new weekly gross benchmark of $3.5 million for eight regular shows in March of that year. It still maintains the record for a special nine-performance week, racking up $3.9 million.
Penned by Clooney and Grant Heslov, "Good Night and Good Luck" finds Clooney embodying the iconic figure of Edward R. Murrow. Clooney himself also authored and directed the 2005 film adaptation, garnering nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
The official synopsis captivates: "Tune in to the golden era of broadcast journalism, where Edward R. Murrow (Clooney) engages in a legendary, history-reshaping, on-air confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy. As McCarthyism casts its dark shadow over America, Murrow and his news team resolve to confront the burgeoning wave of paranoia and propaganda, even if it means turning the federal government and a nation on edge against them."
"Good Night and Good Luck" marks Clooney's highly anticipated debut on Broadway.
