Are Wednesday matinees still useful writ large?

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 5:26pm

I’ve been thinking about some of the new shows this season and questioning their choice to schedule a Wednesday matinee - specifically for CATS: TJB and ROCKY HORROR.

Both are not typically shows I would associate with a typical Wednesday matinee crowd, which skews older and more conservative in their taste. I think specifically about CATS because it’s a ballroom environment and to be in such a vibrant and lively atmosphere on a Wednesday afternoon strikes me as odd. Why not have a Sunday and/or Monday night show in its place - since an evening show would lend itself more to the nature of the show.

(This is the stream of consciousness I’m on at the moment)

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 5:51pm

ROCKY HORROR only has Wednesday matinees through June 3. Roundabout may have subscribers who gravitate to the weekday matinees (and that crowd will LOVE Rocky Horror!)

I don't know why CATS is doing one now, but in July they switch to a Monday-to-Saturday schedule (dark Sundays), which makes a weekday mat necessary. Maybe with the thinking that most tourists leave town on Sunday and they could get a good market share on Monday? CATS is also taking off Juneteenth, which is great.

Sometimes a weekday matinee is a Tony voter strategy. I don't know if it's a GOOD strategy, but it gives a daytime opportunity to those who have the flexibility to go then.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 6:09pm

I know out of town voters that go to matinees while there to get everything in.

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 6:13pm

Those are good, salient points. I do love that Roundabout has some later night performances too. (They also have a 12:30 student matinee tomorrow but…what?)

I guess I’m just thinking about how Oh Mary and Titanique, both shows of a queer interest, have bucked that trend, but these two haven’t. Though I would assume it would work out for CATS since they seem most poised to win Revival at the moment 

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 6:40pm

Rocky having matinees won’t be as much of an issue since it’s a less participatory production. I can only remember ONE matinee of Rocky in twenty-three years in Pittsburgh’s scene, and it was a mistake not to be repeated.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 8:24pm

quizking101 said: I guess I’m just thinking about how Oh Mary and Titanique, both shows of a queer interest, have bucked that trend, but these two haven’t."

Well, if we're talking about older audiences, both Cats and Rocky Horror are titles that would ring a generational bell to a lot of folks in their 60s and 70s in a way the others obviously would not.

[JT2030]

Posted: 4/28/26 at 9:08pm

I think they're useful in being the 'expected' performance schedule for both locals / domestic and international tourists, especially group sales --- during the summer, weekdays are usually a bit busier so a weekday matinee fits into a visitors' schedule (especially as hotel rates are frequently less expensive during the week.)

I do believe we are seeing a bit more schedule experimentation, mostly successful it appears --- Oh, Mary! having the late afternoon Thursday seems to be quite popular as well as having a multi-show weekend in lieu of a Wednesday matinee.

I also recall Thursday matinees becoming popular with tourist-focused shows --- Phantom would sell very well, and I believe The Great Gatsby still runs them.

And Monday nights are, again, very popular with tourists --- since so few shows play on Monday, there's vastly less competition. (I recall from a friend who worked in ticketing that Chicago would consistently sell out on Mondays being one of only a handful of shows to play.)

I hope for Jellicle Ball has similar success, and that we continue to see shows add more non-traditional performance times to give people lots of opportunities to fit one into a trip.