'Spider-Man' beats 'Wicked' at Broadway box office

[January 12, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The Spider-Man musical has beaten the top-grossing show "Wicked" at the Broadway box office -- but by only $58.

The Broadway League says "Wicked" and "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" both boasted full houses last week, but the webslinger tale took the box-office crown from the Oz musical.

Eight preview performances of "Spider-Man" took in $1,588,514, with an average paid admission of $102.86. "Wicked," which debuted in 2003, snagged $1,588,456 over eight shows with an average paid admission of $109.76.

One difference is that the Foxwoods Theatre, home of "Spider-Man," has 1,930 seats, while the Gershwin Theater, home of "Wicked," has 1,809 seats. Much of the rest of the box-office numbers comes down to their different premium ticket prices.

[Associated Press]

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