1/2 half price for a play at TDF $72.50. Are producers shooting themselves in the pocket book?

I am an avid theatre goer. When I pay for a ticket, it usually ahead of time on TDF for $35-40 bucks. I don't mind paying top price for a Wicked or a Book of Mormon but boy did I get a surprise.

I found myself left with a night with nothing to do. I have seen most of the shows I want to see on Broadway so I thought.. what the hell... I will go see Grace.

When they told me a half price ticket for Grace -- a play was $72.50.... my mouth hit the floor. They are charging 150 for a play? Half price is $72.50? Really? Are they insane?

I have money but I won't pay that.

Needless to say, I went to see Donna McCechnie at 54 Below instead. For the same price, I got a show dinner and a drink.

Plays should not be $150... musicals with large sets, casts and orchestras fine but a five character play??? Be real.

Yesterday I paid $70 for Chaplin and $80 for Glengarry Glen Ross at TKTS. You are talking about the booth?

I would understand the star power demanding a higher price but yes, it is highway robbery for a play. With the two cheap looking sets, no wonder Glengarry already recouped. Stage door was a hoot with Al Pacino.

I was offered those $35 seats for the Actors' Fund performance at 8PM but I really wanted to see the matinee, and also I detest sitting far away for musicals - first eight rows orchestra or first four of front mezz or I don't connect with the show. My seat was orchestra Row F center, and with Rob McClure's wonderful performance and the show just being great in general, I got more than my $70 worth.

I don't qualify for student rush or TDF, and I don't volunteer usher, so I take what discounts I can get. Refreshing the papering organizations websites is always exciting.

I've avoided TKTS for ages for the high prices. Producers know we're savvy about discounts so they jack everything up. I can't afford to do what I did this weekend until next year but it was fun!

^ The producers should pay $73:50 for their patrons to sit in the mezzanine of that god awful theatre.

Plays should be cheaper than a musical.

I don't really want to nitpick math on here, but if the ticket at TKTS was $72.50, the face value of the ticket was probably $135 not $150. TKTS charges a per ticket fee ($5?), so the show got $67.50, which results in a face value of $135.

I've never understood the argument that musicals should cost more than plays because it has an orchestra and potentially more sets. If what you need to have a richer theatrical experience is music and different things to look at, more power to you. To me though, something like the current production of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF or RED from a few seasons ago will be more rewarding an experience than a glitzy musical.

Updated On: 1/12/13 at 05:34 PM