Common wisdom will tell you that Broadway is fueled by the “traditional theatergoer”; the 45+ female who is in charge of the entertainment dollars in her household.

So, extrapolating that wisdom to the development of Broadway productions will tell you that in order to give your show a shot at success, you best be sure that it appeals to that 45+ female.

Product development 101, right?

But something is happening this year that is tossing a wrench into that wisdom.

Lombardi, a show about football (!), is the only play that opened in the Fall that is still running.  Get that?  The only play still running.

Spider-Man, a spectacle about a comic book hero, is selling a million plus a week, despite receiving the biggest press pounding ever in the history of the theater.

And the hot ticket so far this Spring is Book of Mormon, a show by the creators of South Park, who might be the exact negative image of the 45+ female.  (The “C” word is in the show, for C’s sake!)

Three shows that are using what I call “The Spamalot Syndrome” and appealing to a non-traditional demographic.

It’s too early to tell the long term effects that any of these shows will have on the Broadway theater, or even if any of them will recoup.

But something is happening that’s worth shouting about.

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