$111.00 for Pajama Game?!?!

[CaroleeFan]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:44pm

So I'm getting my tix for my NYC trip and Roundabout is charging $111.00 for tix to Pajama Game. Last week when I looked at these tix they were 100.00. Are all the shows intending to raise prices this high?

[Steve2]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:49pm

Yes, I just noticed this yesterday.
And besides that, the best seats were were not available.

Anyone tried to get tickets to "A Color Purple", "Tarzan", "Chita", "Sweeney" lately? No good seats available unless you are willing to pay for the premium seats (at the more expensive price).

I have been resorting to buying single tickets even there are several of us going to shows. This seems to be the only way to get good seats without paying the premium price.

[CaroleeFan]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:58pm

I'm going solo so I haven't had much of a problem, but even for March, I can't find anything closer than row E for Color Purple.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:59pm

Do you want to be closer than Row E?

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 2:05pm

Aren't the tickets for $19.54 just wonderful?

[CaroleeFan]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 2:13pm

No Row E is fine, but usually when I'm by myself I can find at least one ticket in row A for that week. I also have bad eye sight problems, so the closer the better for me.

Updated On: 11/12/05 at 02:13 PM

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 2:23pm

I'm sure there will be discounts for Pajama Game

[MusicalMan2]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 2:57pm

Don't worry... Pajama Game will be at TKTS before it even opens.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:01pm

Just say no to $110.00 tix.

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:23pm

I just paid $110 for wicked in july

ROW E!!!!

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:30pm

I paid 25 for wicked, original cast front row center, right behind he conductor. I'll be damned if I pay more than $60 for a theatre ticket.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:46pm

Yeah, there's just too many discounts out there to pay 100 + dollars. I hope Pajama Game does well, but I agree with those who believe that there will be discounts before long. And students, a membership to TDF is well worth it!! Join now!

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:47pm

I just paid $95 for a Rent ticket. I'm insane, I know, but I wanted to be guaranteed a good seat.
Updated On: 11/12/05 at 03:47 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:53pm

But why not use a discount? You can get GREAT seats -- especially to something like RENT which isn't a hot ticket anymore -- for 30% off. I mean, that's the point of discount offers. Check out Broadwaybox.com if you don't know about it.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:55pm

Yeah that was kinda stupid.

You can get tickets for 45% off most of the time.

[CaroleeFan]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 3:55pm

Does Roundabout give discounts often?

Updated On: 11/12/05 at 03:55 PM

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 4:00pm

My mom and I were going through some of her old theatre papers from college a couple of months ago. She was given a research project, she had to pick a show, explain it, ticket price, cast, etc. Well she chose 1776 ( a show I would later be featured in ((crazy huh?)), the TOP ticket price was $7.50, balcony seats were $2.50....

When we went to see it in the fall of 1999 my mom and i each paid $95 for our seats Orch Row M


Seriously, I'm wondering if ticket prices will EVER level off? I mean okay 1970s 1776 was (at top) 7.50, 1990s ($95-$100), 2026 (say there is another revival) ...what, $300 for balcony?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 4:01pm

Roundabout usually has discounts available for most of their shows. It depends on how well a given show sells (I don't remember discounts for ASSASSINS, for example).

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 4:51pm

Its just because shows are getting bigger and bigger and more spectacle and technology is getting better and everyone wants their show to be have the best everything. I mean, you pay for what ya get, ya know? If you want to pay $15.00 for tickets, then go see a community theater production of Pajama Game? I think it will be worth your money, ya know?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 5:25pm

No, it's because producers are greedy and know they can get away with it. The rate at which tickets have increased has FAR outsripped the rate of inflation or any additional costs of technology. It's all GREED. Period.

I remember that when I saw EVITA back in 1980, the top price for an orchestra seat was $30. The biggest cost for any show comes from salaries -- the Equity minimum was roughly $725 and the minimums for stagehands and musicians were slightly more than that and yet the show was able to make quite a healthy profit.

Today, the Equity minimum is $1428 and, again, musicians and stagehands make slightly more. In 25 years Broadway salaries have doubled and roughly speaking, costs due to inflation have doubled. So, how to explain ticket prices -- going from $30 to $111 -- nearly quadrupling? GREED. Corporations produce shows now, not people and corporations expect profits to be maximized any way possible. Thus we have have a $111 top price, so-called "cheap seats" in the rear mezz and balcony going for as much as $65 at some shows (25 years ago balcony seats never cost more than $5 to 10 -- do the math for exponential price increase on that) and premium seating for $250 to 480 per seat.

People want to get rich doing theatre now -- which wasn't the main motivation before -- and ticket buyers, as well as the future of theatre itself, are suffering because of it.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 5:32pm

A $30 ticket then should be roughly $75 (a little more) today.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 5:53pm

TDF or this joins a growing list of shows I wanted to see but won't. Oh well

To Margo, try $ 81 for the last row of the mezzanine ( formerly balcony ) for Jersey Boys

Updated On: 11/12/05 at 05:53 PM

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 6:02pm

It's worth noting that you can sign up to be a volunteer usher for any of the Roundabout shows and see it for free. You just have to go to the theatre in person during the week and sign up with the security guard for a time slot. Call the theatre every week or so and ask when the list will open, because once it does slots go fast.

All you have to do is dress up a bit and seat people and you'll avoid the ridiculous $111 ticket price. I've been doing it for a while.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 6:05pm

I refuse to pay anymore than $60 for a musical or $35 for a straight play under any circumstances (And I don't think I would see "The Pajama Game" even if it were free!).

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 6:27pm

This is so upsetting. I love theatre, and I love supporting theatre. But really. $110 bucks for a seat is rediculous. I've paid a hundred dollars to see broadway shows. But it's for special occasions that only come around once and a while. I would never pay full price to see the Pajama Game. Ever.