Is any show worth $100.00+ per ticket?

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 12:57am

Serious Question: Is there any show currently on Broadway that you feel is definitely worth paying $100.00+ for a full-price ticket? When was the last time that you paid full-price for a ticket and said "Now that was worth every penny!", after seeing the show?

[Plum]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:01am

Last time I paid full price and really felt it was worth it was Assassins. But I bought cheap tickets to that. The last time I went for $100+ and felt it was worth it was when I attended Les Miserables.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:03am

Well, I don't get to see shows until they go on tour, so by the time that happens I'm absolutely bursting to see it. Consequently, I'm usually pretty buzzed when I do see it. But the shows I enjoyed the most were "Hairspray," "Les Mis," "The Producers," "Urinetown," TMM and CATS. And I would pay $100 in a second to see "Avenue Q" right now.

Updated On: 9/14/04 at 01:03 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:05am

Okay - before this particular incident, I hadn't paid full price for tickets in YEARS. I made an exception because of something that was very, very, VERY important to me: I paid $100 to go to the final performance of Aida. I have no regrets; it was one of the best performances I've ever been to, and I needed to be there. That, to me, was worth the cash.

Updated On: 9/14/04 at 01:05 AM

[Delphine]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:07am

When I saw Avenue Q I thought it was definitely worth the cash. I also feel that way about Rent, Les Mis, and a select few other shows. But there are cetainly some specific shows I regret buying full price tickets to (not gonna name any names here).

I also think that for someone who hasn't seen any/very many Broadway shows, it's less about the show and more about the experience, and so $100 dollars wouldn't seem like that much to pay.

[bobbysworld]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:09am

I paid full price to see Caroline or Change...and it was worth every penny.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:17am

No. Absolutely not. I don't believe there is any show currently playing nor is there any show from the past that is worth $100 per ticket. It's absolutely outrageous to charge so much and exclude people from attending. The most I would ever pay is $45 and that's if it was something I desperately wanted to see.

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 1:23am

I paid full to see A Raisin in the Sun and Man of La Mancha, my first show. To be honest, I would have given a kidney to see Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad on the same stage. To see Gem of the Ocean, I think I'd give my appendix, perhaps that kidney I saved. And the next time Audra's on stage, I'll go on dialysis for a ticket. Perhaps I'm a bit extreme though.

Otherwise, I go for discounts as much as possible. Updated On: 9/14/04 at 01:23 AM

[Spiritoflaw]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 2:47am

I paid full price for tickets to "A Raisin in the Sun", Audra's concert at Zenken Hall and "Assassins". All of these shows were worth every penny and I'd go again if they were still playing. I also paid full price for tickets to "Sweeney Todd" and "The Frogs" at Lincoln Center. I very much enjoyed these shows as well.

[andyf]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 3:03am

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 3:49am

If any show is worth 100 right now it is closed. Assassins, Big River, and Caroline, or Change were the 3 best shows of the 2003/04 broadway season..damn shame. hopefully Pacific Overtures will fill that void!

[showstopper]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 7:23am

Andy if you're talking about right now with ccr i think you need your head examined!

[sharon1]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:11am

$100 is a lot of money to most of us. I have always paid full price because I realize the vicious circle surrounding any production I want to see. I also know that if I lived in NYC I would probably try to find any bargain I could in order to see all the shows. Everyone needs to be paid and the backers want to make a profit. It is so difficult to produce a show now days. The expenses are only going to rise. The first place to recoup is at the box office and bringing in people to star and be featured that are not necessarily theatre oriented. Like movie and tv stars. Which I realize most of us do not appreciate. But what are you going to do. I am sure this topic could last forever

[cjoyce]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:29am

I like receiving discounts and use them when available, but $100 for a show is okay. Our local touring series is going for about $60 per show and the quality is usually acceptable, but not nearly what you see on the broadway stage. Heck, I think $12 for a movie is outrageous, but if it's something I want to see, I'll pay it. What about $100+ for a concert ticket in a stadium that seats 25000 people. In the scope of things, $100 doesn't seem unfair considering the size fo the cast and crew.

[mominator]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:42am

I think Assassins was worth every penny that I paid.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:51am

Yes, I pay full price to see a show. I wait until I can get the good seats in the orchestra. If I do not like the show, I am annoyed that I paid the money.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:51am

Yes, I pay full price to see a show. I wait until I can get the good seats in the orchestra. If I do not like the show, I am annoyed that I paid the money.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:52am

Matt G: I agree that ticket prices have gotten way out of hand but so have productions and with the cost of mounting a very technical, glitzy show (and it seems most shows feel they have to do that now) and/or a show with big names and lots of advertising...hey, who's going to pay?

Same at baseball games...the fans now pay HUGE money to see a game and buy a hotdog and beer all to pay the salaries of the grossly overpaid athletes.

When they drive their own prices up you will pay for it...no doubt about that.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:53am

The thing is, there is very little need to pay full price to the vast majority of shows. It's only the huge juggernauts that don't do discounts (we know who they are). Most other shows have a wide array of discounts available. The reason, I think, that prices hiked so quickly recently is so producers can offer discounts but still get as much money for the seats that they were a few years ago at full price. It's a false economy for the buyer.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 8:55am

I paid full price to see the first NY performance (preview, I believe) of Man of La Mancha - only because it is my favorite show of all time and my room-mate was in the orchestra. But I don't believe that any show out there today or at any time is worth $100.00. I agree totally with Matt_G - no one should be excluded from being able to have their souls nourished with ART, and that's what Broadway is (or should be) all about.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 9:19am

Oh, SamIAm, I'm disappointed in you. You really think sports ticket prices are that high because of athlete salaries? I know that in baseball, atleast, that isn't entirely the case, especially because ticket prices have been rising much faster than athlete salaries. But who am I to shatter Bud Selig's well-crafted illusions?

[HeartinNYC]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 9:27am

Everything costs more than it did 20 years ago. Look at homes, apartments, cars, books, food, you name it! Why wouldn't inflation be reflected in theater ticket prices? It's a damn shame because the cost of tickets does hurt the industry. My feeling is - let's get an administration in the White House that SUPPORTS THE ARTS and perhaps even subsidizes them!? The arts are crucial to our peace of mind, personal enrichment, etc. (FOUR MORE MONTHS!)

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 9:40am

Since I live so far awawy from NYC, it's harder for me to go see shows so I have to really *really* want to see something. And yes, I pay full price. I don't want to get there and be stuck without a ticket, plus I usually choose shows that are pretty tough to get tickets for and if I'm coming from 3 hours away I want a good seat. Every show that I've paid full price for this year (Producers with Nathan and Matthew, Frogs, Producers with Brad and Hunter) have been completely worth the high cost. I paid full price for my tickets to see Avenue Q in October but I'm sure that will be worth it too.

I guess really it all depends upon your options and how close you are to the shows. If you can go all the time and can hit the TKTS stand all the time or get discounts, then paying full price is annoying. But to those living farther away (at least for me), seeing a show is a huge event so a higher ticket price isn't too bad. Would I like it if shows were cheaper? Of course!

~Jessica

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 9:44am

Ugh. This opens an old wound. I paid $100+ dollars to see Wicked when it first opened. And even worse, I convinced my friend to do the same. So many posters on here from San Francisco had seen it and yammered on about its awesome amazingness I thought it was a sure thing.

I have been trying to make it up to my friend for the last 11 months.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 9/14/04 at 9:53am

Namo - joeyjoe bought us what I think were full price tickets to opening night of Wicked and oh, how I wish he still had the money in his pocket!