How can you afford seeing so many shows (or the same show so many times)?

[dreaminaret]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:27pm

Okay, I'll admit, that I have seen Rent 5 times since 2000, and 3 of those have been since August. And as soon as I win the lotto I will be seeing Spelling Bee for the 2nd time (though first was student advance).

I see all of these posts about people who saw Lennon 25 times and others who saw Spelling Bee 30 times and the like. I'm just wondering... HOW DO YOU AFFORD THIS? I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but I'm a F/T student and work over 35 hours a week between two jobs and could never imagine having the type of disposable income to see one show 2 dozen times even if I got Rush tix to each performance (or to see 24 different shows over the course of 3 months).

So I'm just wondering - how do you all afford this? And don't get me wrong... I think it's better to be spending like $1000 seeing the same show many times than spending it on cigarettes or drugs or something like that... so PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:28pm

Well, my first thought is that people exaggerate. You see Lennon 4 times, and say, what the heck, it isn't doing well, I'll say I saw it 10 times, 15 times, etc...

Actually, that is my only thought.

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:34pm

Im wondering the same thing. If i had any extra money to spend it would always be on a musical but they are really expensive....how do you guys do it? Any secret discounts you would like to let me in on?

[Katurian2]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:35pm

lol- me too! A lot of people must get lucky in the lottery...

[dreaminaret]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:37pm

but even if you get lucky in the lottery, those $20 or $25 tix add up... like Lennon 25x @ $25 each = $625... if i were an actor who had a fan come up to me 25 times and be like "I loved you in this show... I've seen it so many times because you're just so amazing" I'd be like "why don't you just give me the money then." Okay, I know I'm wrong.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:38pm

Some people really HAVE seen some shows 30 plus times. Maybe they're rich, maybe they get really lucky on lotteries, or at the half price booths...I don't know. There ARE some online discounts for tickets, but even with that you still pay around $50.

But, hey, if I could afford it, I'd probably see the shows I love as often as I can.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:45pm

No one pays full price all the time. And for every time someone wins the lotto, there's probably like 10 times they've lost.

For many people, seeing shows is basically part of their lifestyle, like a hobby, or something. I don't really go to the movies, I don't go shopping on the weekends and I don't eat out very often. This is what the vast majority of my spending money goes towards.

[*MuSiCaLs_FaN*]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:52pm

I have seen shows I really love a couple of times but still I would rather spend my seeing lots of different shows (good or bad) so that I have had the experience and the enjoyment of seeing many shows rather than just a couple!

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:52pm

Well i would much rather see a live musical then a movie any day....(as most of you probably would as well)...if i could see musicals like movies i would be one very happy camper. Ive seen some discounts but your right the lowest they go for a half way decent seat are like $50 or $60. Then again when ive payed $100-$125 for one ticket ive always found myself saying it was well worth the money

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 3:59pm

"Well i would much rather see a live musical then a movie any day"

I couldn't agree with you more! I save my money that would usually be spent on movies and cds and spend it on broadway/off broadway tickets through student rush and TDF. I hardly particpate in lotteries because its not garunteed and then you could get stuck so I always buy them in advance if I can on TDF.

[Gingersnap]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:06pm

I don't know about everyone else...but for me, it was a matter of making a few trade-offs. I didn't need to deal with paying for gas and car insurance and stuff...plus, I don't spend much money on things like movies and cds and other frills...so I was able to afford a few extra trips to shows last year. It wasn't exactly cheap...but it was worth it. I'd rather spend money on something I really enjoy.

[Phantomerik15]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:11pm

i buy the cheapest ones possible...VERY rarely have i paid full priced tickets. i usually wait for discounts.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:14pm

i have been lucky with lotto. very lucky. I've seen DRS 5 times.

1st time: I won lotto
2nd time: my friend won
3rd time: didn;t win but people who did win sold us their mezz tickets for lotto price
4th time: I won and my friend won for my parents
side note: that night we did Rent lotto and there must have been 100 people trying for it. my friend was like 4th and both my parents names were called but we didn;t need them
5th time: I won.

and those have been the only time I have ever done lotto. so, I've been lucky, so lucky. sorry, no little tricks or special deals.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:17pm

I've paid full-price for a ticket about... once in the past three years. There are so many ways to get around it.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:18pm

My greatest addiction was (and is) HELLO, DOLLY!. When the original production was running the top ticket price was $9.90. The rear balcony was about $2.70. Even as a college student I could afford that, although I do remember bringing a brown bag lunch and eating it on the train at one point. Also, the Automat was still around and I could get a decent meal (for supper) for under $5.00. I also recall standing through performances.

More recently, I saw OKLAHOMA! 5 times from their rush seats (1st row--$10).

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:20pm

I wish I had known Oklahoma! had rush seats.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:21pm

Yup. They did. They even sold them to me 'way in the afternoon. At around 3 PM if I remember correctly.

[xrent_headx]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:23pm

I was just wondering why you would see the shows that many times. Sure its probably good, but there have to be other musicals on and off broadway that you have never seen if you have seen a musical a few times why won't you just go and see a new one. I don't get it.24 times is a little to cray.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:25pm

It isn't easy to see show multiple times. As of the end of March, I will have seen "Wicked" in various locations six times (in the last year) at full price. If a show is really good, I feel like the expense is worth it. So far, "Wicked" hasn't played the city where I live (Louisville, KY). When it does, I will see it multiple times and probably be very poor when the show departs for another city!

[suchclumsytime]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:27pm

Wow, Dollypop! That must've been incredible! :0)

Now that I'm finally in a financial position to rush more often (I'm a poor college student, but have started learning how to/being disciplined about how to save/spend more wisely), I'm not in the city anymore! Alas, I go to college in East Bumble...., but plan on seeing some shows during my upcoming break. :0)

[sharon1]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:31pm

Since I don't live in NYC I always have to plan. What I want to see, when, etc. and then I see what is available. A couple of times have managed to squeeze in business but for the most part it is always on my holiday times. I have seen a few shows numerous times and some just once. And I have to say that in recent years I have only seen one show that I wished I had not paid to see. For the most part I love them all in varying degrees. I suppose if I lived in NYC I would be at a theatre every weekend. And yes it is a trade-off. I do without something else to pay for the theatre binges as I have never paid anything but full price for a ticket. I suppose that is because I don't want to waste a moment of my time when I am in NYC waiting in a line to maybe or maybe not see a show. Pathetic but true

[suchclumsytime]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:32pm

Sharon, why not join a discount club? There are plenty out there, and it sounds as if maybe you'd get your money's worth!

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:50pm

"I was just wondering why you would see the shows that many times. Sure its probably good, but there have to be other musicals on and off broadway that you have never seen if you have seen a musical a few times why won't you just go and see a new one."

As many before me have said on this board, just because someone has seen a particular show many times, it does not necessarily mean that he or she has not seen anything else. In the space of one year I have seen more than 30 different shows. I also saw DRS 8 times, Avenue Q 3 times, Sweeney Todd 4 times, The Pillowman twice, Spelling Bee 3 times etc... I see everything, but if I really like something I'll go see it again.

On topic: Like Orangeskittles and others theatre is what I spend money on.
Updated On: 1/22/06 at 04:50 PM

[SirLiir]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:54pm

If you balance your money and keep a little extra here and there, you can easily afford a 25-50 dollar ticket a week. You just need to be smart with your money and plan ahead.
Updated On: 1/22/06 at 04:54 PM

[dreaminaret]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 4:59pm

I agree that seeing a good show for $20 is better than going to a probably crappy movie for $10. If I could see Spelling Bee 10 times for $25 a pop I would love to... but that's still $250 which is a lot for a college students. I'm not talking about seeing a show a bunch of times while paying top ticket price - I'm talking about people who see a show many times AND are paying only rush tix prices. Maybe because I have other expenses to pay (school, food, metrocard, etc) I just don't have that type of disposable income and this is just me ranting because I wish I had a parent's credit card :).