Broadway has drawn near-record audiences, beating the economic downturn that followed the 11 September attacks on the US.

Theatres have concentrated on targeting New York audiences rather than tourists and pulling more first-time patrons.

The move has proved a success, according to figures released on Tuesday by the League of American Theatres and Producers.

Attendance closed in 2002 with 11.41 million theatregoers, compared with 11.39 million in 2001.

Ticket promotion has brought back the crowds

As many as 33 of Broadway's 38 theatres are now showing productions.

A more diverse range of shows, from a hip-hop poetry jam to a dance show set to musical hits by pop artist Billy Joel, have helped attract a younger, more ethnically diverse audience.

Television and movie stars treading the boards have also helped, according to the league, which said 46 shows opened in 2002 - the most in a decade - including the most musicals since 1992.

Mel Brooks' award-winning musical The Producers, which starred Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane during its initial run, also drew large audiences.

And younger audiences were drawn to Def Poetry Jam, which incorporates rap and hip hop, as well as Movin Out, a musical which focusing on young people coming of age.

New strategy

The attacks on the US last year hit Broadway hard, with the number of people buying tickets dropping almost one million to 10.9 million.

Casts at several theatres took cuts in wages and benefits so the shows could go on.

Record high

Cristyne Nicholas, head of NYC & Company, the city's official tourism marketing organisation, said a new strategy had been needed to put Broadway back on track.

"Domestic and international travel to the city was significantly down so we first focused on New York Metro community," she said.

In 2002, for the first time in recent years, New Yorkers and suburbanites accounted for the majority of the Broadway audience instead of out-of-towners, in part due to promotions and discounts, she said.

'Shining strong'

Broadway's collective box office gross in New York, helped by a slight increase in ticket prices, reached a record high in 2002 of $707.1m (�441.49m).

That was up from $664m (�414.5m) in 2001 and $663.5m (�414.2m) in 2000.

And Christmas and Thanksgiving recorded the highest attendance during that period.

"After the dark days of 9/11, Broadway's lights are shining strong," added Ms Nicholas.