Celebs Seeing Shows as Ads

[mitchern]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 6:51am

I feel like I noticed this first w/ Mincemeat using Josh Gad backstage in social media ads, and now I see Chess doing the same w/ Neil Patrick Harris. 

Does this actually help sell tickets? 

[Ensemble17591322022]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 6:58am

Maybe. I think anyone who knows Josh Gad and the Harris family already know Chess and Mincemeat and will be seeing the shows or not. But just like sticking Cynthia Erivo’s name on a CATS post, they’ll try anything these days. 

[Merkin2]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 9:08am

Bad Cinderella had some housewives endorse the show lol. This paid promotion has been happening over the last few years, but I’ve noticed it happening less recently, presumably because producers know it doesn’t sell tix. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 9:55am

Unless a celebrity posts it on their accounts, it’s kinda pointless for a show to post it as fans of the show are following the show’s account - an audience you don’t need to make aware the show exists. A celebrity posting is bringing attention to the show they just saw, which CAN generate interest from their followers AND indeed generate ticket sales for that show. 

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 10:14am

What BrodyFosse said. If a celeb posts organically to their own page about the great experience they had at the show, it generates incredibly valuable engagement. But this type of "ad" that says "look who came to see us" does nothing and is just a way for the team to post something. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 10:38am

The weirdest example I can think of was Teeth using Lupita Nyong’o’s visit to the show’s opening dressed as Storm as an ad campaign across social media for what felt like months. 

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 10:42am

The Teeth one was very weird. That show should've had better marketing, the windowcard aside. 

 

I feel like this really started with everyone wanting people to know when Lin came to their show and endorsed it in some way. 

[suzcap]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 12:09pm

I don't see why it is any different than any other endorsement by a celebrity.      If it helps who knows but it doesn't hurt anything either.   

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 12:35pm

 

Anyone with a following can use their platform to convince people to see a show if they give their endorsement - hell, that’s the entire career of an “influencer”. Does it work? Mileage varies. Someone like me, who sees everything anyway, is not going to be swayed to see a show by a celebrity who saw that show. 

To that end, I honestly love when shows use Lin-Manuel Miranda’s posts to advertise. He is a very heavy hitter in theatre and also film, but his posts are genuine and purely organic theatre kid joy - which is what he is in real life (having run into him at a few shows). 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 1:50pm

“Unless a celebrity posts it on their accounts, it’s kinda pointless for a show to post it as fans of the show are following the show’s account - an audience you don’t need to make aware the show exists.”

I disagree. The fans and followers of said celeb (or just people who engage with content related to them) will likely have it appear on their algorithm or through tagging & collaboration posts, all of which are very common nowadays. The celebrity doesn’t actually have to post more than agree to the collaboration or tag for it to reach their followers/audience. 

Updated On: 3/3/26 at 01:50 PM

[Merkin2]

Posted: 3/3/26 at 1:53pm

Broadway needs to get back to good old fashioned word of mouth and reviews to sell a show. Rebuild the New York and suburban audiences, can’t be too dependent on visitors.  The only way this is going to happen is with new exciting shows of quality coming to Broadway.  It has to be an event, that’s the only way you’re gonna get people to shell out $100+ to see a show.  Enough with the gimmicks.