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

[goldenboy]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 3:43pm

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.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 4:35pm

For the record I am the only one who complains about high ticket prices. While I agree. Re a straight play. A musical should be $125.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 4:39pm

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.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 4:42pm

yesterday, I paid $35 for Chaplin, 20 minutes before curtain on their closing performance.

The box office sold me a general rush ticket. my seat was in the balcony, but for $35 I cant complain.

the show was lovely.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 4:56pm

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.

[April Saul]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 5:20pm

I paid $35 for a front row center rush ticket for Grace, and I don't think they were hard to get...I would have gone to the box office for one of those before I'd have hit the half-price booth. With so many ways of getting (relatively) inexpensive tickets these days--rush, TDF, papering organizations, Audience Rewards, discount codes, volunteer ushering--I've found that almost nothing I really want to see costs much more than $40.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 5:48pm

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.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 6:47pm

I do belong to gold club and get discounts all the time. I was just taken aback at how much more the one half price booth was. And the price of a play.
I'm talking about charging 150 bucks for a play ticket.
I won't pay it. I won't even pay $72.50.unless I really really want to see something.

Updated On: 1/7/13 at 06:47 PM

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/7/13 at 7:15pm

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!

[MickSeven]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 10:25am

I agree, I did see the Heiress TKTS for around $73.50 (50% off), but it was 9th row center Orchestra, great cast, and was longer than your average play.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 11:53am

^ 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.

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 4:53pm

Plays now days will never be cheaper than a musical (except a few), due to the star that is hired to be in the show. If a star or actor is contracted to make 50,000 + a week, the tickets are going to be expensive. The producers have to make their money back for their investors and keep their cast happy. :)

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 1/12/13 at 5:34pm

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