Bradley Cooper already a popular box-office draw on Broadway

Bradley Cooper hasn’t officially opened in the new revival of “The Elephant Man” on Broadway, but the Hollywood star has already proved himself to be a strong box-office draw in the play’s preview period.

“The Elephant Man,” a revival of the Bernard Pomerance drama, is playing to virtually sold-out crowds at the Booth Theatre in New York and has grossed more than $900,000 a week in the last two weeks of previews. Performances began Nov. 7 and the production is set to officially debut Dec. 7.

Last week, the production was the ninth-highest grossing show on Broadway, and was the only show in the top 10 that was still in previews.

Cooper plays the role of John Merrick, an Englishman who suffers from a deforming disease that has made him a social outcast. A sympathetic doctor (Alessandro Nivola) takes him under his care and Merrick gradually becomes a national figure whose admirers include a famous actress (Patricia Clarkson).

The revival, directed by Scott Ellis, was first seen at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2012. The play marks Cooper’s first return to Broadway since he co-starred alongside Julia Roberts in Richard Greenberg’s “Three Days of Rain” in 2006.

In the coming weeks, Cooper is expected to juggle eight performances a week along with promoting his latest movie, “American Sniper,” directed by Clint Eastwood. The Warner Bros. movie is scheduled to open Dec. 25 in limited release.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT