Broadway grosses show slight increase

Broadway grosses show slight increase

NEW YORK — Even during a recession, Broadway managed to hold its own.

Grosses for plays and musicals during the 2008-09 season were a bit higher than the previous year. That set a new record, although attendance slipped during the 52-week period.

The Broadway League, an industry trade association, says the season’s 43 shows grossed about $943.3 million, compared with $937.5 the year before. It was the highest number of new productions since 50 opened during the 1982-83 season.

Attendance was 12.15 million, compared with 12.27 million during the 2007-08 season.

The League’s figures were approximate after factoring in estimated grosses for the now-closed “Young Frankenstein.” The Mel Brooks musical, which folded in January after a year’s run, did not release its weekly grosses.

Fake vampire blog gets blood boiling

NEW YORK — Is it an ad or a blog?

An attempt by HBO to promote its vampire series “True Blood” has some blood boiling at the popular Gawker Web site.

HBO produced a fake blog supposedly written by a vampire. It’s embedded within the popular Gawker Web site and made to look just like it — with no indication that it’s paid advertising copy.

Gawker’s managing editor objects. Gabriel Snyder says it blurs the line between editorial and advertising. Although Gawker later added a small disclaimer at the bottom of the fake “Bloodcopy” blog, the company’s advertising chief suggests critics such as Snyder should remember what pays the bills.

An HBO executive says it shouldn’t be a hard joke to get, since it’s a blog purported to be written by a vampire.

Today’s birthdays

Actor-director Clint Eastwood is 79. Singer Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary is 71. Actress Sharon Gless (“Cagney and Lacey”) is 66. Actor Gregory Harrison is 59. Actor Tom Berenger is 59. Comedian Chris Elliott is 49. Actress Lea Thompson (“Caroline in the City,” “Back to the Future”) is 48. Singer Corey Hart is 47. Rapper DMC of Run-DMC is 45. Actress Brooke Shields is 44. Country bassist Ed Adkins of The Derailers is 42. Actor Colin Farrell is 33. Trumpet player Scott Klopfenstein of Reel Big Fish is 32. Drummer Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy is 29.