Are preview performances worth it?

[Unknown User]

Are preview performances worth it? #1

Posted: 3/26/10 at 7:44pm

"Last Thursday night, “Billy Elliot the Musical” began previews at the Oriental Theatre. And my mailbox immediately began to fill up with stories of computer malfunctions, restarted dance numbers and holds for technical problems leading to missed trains....
Just how long shows remain in previews is often a point of contention in Chicago. When we're seeing an out-of-town tryout, producers prefer to keep critics out as long as possible. On the other hand, readers are often confused as to why shows have been selling tickets here for weeks and there are no reviews to guide them on whether they should be spending their hard-earned money. In the case of “Billy Elliot,” which has its official opening on April 11, we're talking a $95.50 top preview price.

One growing problem is that producers and presenters don't like the word “preview,” lest it negatively affect their ticket sales. So they don't say it. Readers have written to say they had no idea they were buying tickets to previews until they read the Tribune.

And as for ticket discounts, they're very small. According to my Ticketmaster search, you are saving a grand total of $2 on a full-price Saturday night seat if you go to a preview versus a regular performance, or versus a more typical discount of $5 to $10 in New York. That's about 2 percent. Not enough, to my mind, especially when you are talking about early previews. And therein lies some advice. Previews right before opening of a big show are often the best performances to attend. The opening-night countdown is on. Nobody is missing a show. Anticipation is in the air. The bosses are still in the room, raising everybody's game. There is that almost spiritual sense of creativity. So if you are planning to see “Billy Elliot,” think hard about that April 4-10 window. You still save two bucks, and you may well see the best performances of all."
The Theater Loop

[aasjb4ever]

Are preview performances worth it? #2

Posted: 3/26/10 at 7:48pm

I saw the 2nd preview of 9 to 5, and nothing went wrong. Mainly I chose that performance because I wanted to ensure not seeing understudies, but more than less, previews are just regular performances

[Katurian2]

Are preview performances worth it? #2

Posted: 3/26/10 at 7:58pm

Interesting article. But ditto to not ever having anything seriously go wrong in a preview. I'd say I've gone to at least a bit over a dozen shows in previews as well. The biggest issue I've ever seen was in the out of town previews of "Little Mermaid" where a piece of set fell off during "Under the Sea." But the number didn't stop- the actors just worked around it.

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

[winston89]

Are preview performances worth it? #3

Posted: 3/26/10 at 10:23pm

I have seen tons of shows in previews before. I saw American Idiot last night and even though it was its second preview, it ran so smoothly as if it had been open for awhile.

And I saw a performance of Billy Elliot that was long after it had opened that was stopped for a few moments due to them having to clean off some dry ice residue. So, I mean tech problems can happen regardless of when you're seeing a show. But, previews are generally used for the show to work out its kinks prior to the critics seeing it.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Are preview performances worth it? #4

Posted: 3/26/10 at 10:28pm

Unless it's a substantially different form than it was in New York, does it really require a month of previews? I mean, I get that shows is complicated and all, but it just seems like the show needs to get into the corporate mindset if it's gonna start taking over the country. How long does Wicked preview when it sets up shop?

[ColorTheHours048]

Are preview performances worth it? #5

Posted: 3/26/10 at 10:35pm

The BILLY ELLIOT set is totally superfluous and completely unnecessary. The technical problems are with that stupid bedroom tower that, besides being an ugly burden on an otherwise simple set, serves no real purpose other than to create some lame stage pictures. The month of previews is to work out the kinks in that single set piece and the dance numbers.

[angelplays]

Are preview performances worth it? #6

Posted: 3/26/10 at 11:44pm

Actually when I saw it in New York (well after its opening), the spiral bedroom piece worked fine. It was the simple lift for the kitchen table that malfunctioned and stopped the show for about 15 minutes.

[Unknown User]

Are preview performances worth it? #7

Posted: 3/27/10 at 12:50am

AS I understand it, the issue with Billy is half technical and half getting all four Billys comfortable on stage.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Are preview performances worth it? #8

Posted: 3/27/10 at 10:52pm

I think with Billy Elliot it's sort of a different situation in terms of the previews...the show had a very long preview period in New York as well, and it took them a while to actually get up to doing 8 performances a week. I don't think a month is ridiculous because they probably need that amount of time to get the boys who are playing Billy comfortable.

Also I've seen many shows in previews, and none of them have had major issues in terms of technical things, at least not that I noticed. The only times I've seen technical things go wrong to the point that they had to stop the show were when the shows were long out of previews.