LOS ANGELES:

The Broadway box office continued its lateAugust deflation last week as nearly every show on the boards saw sales decline — except for a few productions including “Finding Neverland”, which got a surge of last-minute sales before it shuttered Sunday.

“Finding Neverland” ($720,603) climbed by some $90,000 (or about 15 percent) compared to the prior week, playing to houses that averaged about 80 percent of capacity. The production didn’t recoup before it closed Aug 21 — in May, it had reportedly made back about 60 percent of its $15.2 million capitalization — but producer Harvey Weinstein has an ambitious plan in place to move the property into profitability. There’s a national tour, a West End run, an Asia engagement and an in-the-works movie version all on the way.

Among the very few other shows not to take a fall last week was “Hamilton” ($2,065,377), which rose only a little — but enough to push Broadway’s newest megahit into the No. 1 spot in the Top 10, edging ahead of “The Lion King” ($2,048,009). Like other big-name musicals including “Wicked” ($1,575,605), “Lion King” registered one of the steepest drops of the week, since it’s those now-declining tourists audiences who have helped propel sales so strongly over the busier hot-weather weeks.

Meanwhile, “Les Miserables” ($1,039,755) held steady, helped along by theatergoers looking to catch the show before it shutters Sept 4. Ditto “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” ($470,403), also closing that day. “Fun Home” ($374,432) and “Act” ($300,226) will also both close early next month, and last week each downticked just a bit. (RTRS)