Does/can a marquee affect your choice to see a show or not?

[winston89]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 8:46pm

This past Saturday my friend and I were planning to catch an evening performance of something ( wound up seeing in the hights and he loved it. Was stoked by the fact that we had front row seats via lotto to boot.)

That being said, I had him meet me outside the Majestic when Phantom let out because I was seeing it that afternoon. I had showed him the marquee for gypsy as a suggestion for something to see. He took a look at the marquee and made this comment. He had said that it wasn't the fact that that it looks as if Patti LuPone and Gypsy are one word. He said that he didn't like the fact that it looked like it was written as if it were in lights. He said that he would have wanted to see the show if it were actually written in lights a la (his example) the sign that says St.James.

He then saw a photo of the Tyne Daly production of Gypsy that played there and said that that marquee would have gotten him to want to see the show.

That being said, do you think that a marquee is something that can get people to buy tickets or not. And have you ever decided on seeing a show based upon its marquee/ theatre artwork?

I know most of us here decide on if we are getting a ticket to a show or not based upon the word of mouth here and the reviews. But, I am talking about someone like your jo theatre goer or a tourist visiting NYC.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 8:49pm

When I'm in NYC, I determine what shows I see based on how many pigeons are sitting on it at any given time. 3 and 5 are my lucky numbers.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 8:53pm

I <3 Lizzie.

As long as it didn't have a picture of a woman's vagina (can I say that here?), I'd probably wouldn't notice.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 8:57pm

Ben- I think ...being a regular poster here and a theater afficionado..It is your responsiblity to educate your friend regarding Brodway shows. You gotta tell them what's good and what's not and should not base their opinion on the marquee alone.

J*



Updated On: 3/28/08 at 08:57 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:04pm

^ But Jay...what one person thinks is good another might not. Goodness/badness are matters of taste, and much as you might like to, you really can't dictate someone's taste.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:06pm

well then... I should not be hanging out with a person like that....That's why I hang-out with BWW posters when I go see a show!


(just kiddin')

J*

[greybaby231]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:13pm

Some of the best shows have the crappiest marquees.

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:23pm

^
Case in point: Caroline, or Change. I for one thought that the poster was mysterious and intriguing, but I just don't think that it sold this amazing show well.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:24pm

Ben- Your friend should go see a Las Vegas show.. he would love it! there's tons of well-lit marquees there!

J*
Updated On: 3/28/08 at 09:24 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 9:37pm

Jay, he never said that he wanted a lit marquee or that he has to have one. He thought that the way it was written out to look like it was written in lights was a tacky approach. It didn't make him want to go "ooo I should see this show." I guess what I am saying is that he took marquees to a different point then I had ever thought of before. He thought of them as billboards for a show as well as a sign saying that a particular show is playing in that particular theatre.

I was just wondering if anyone else thought of Marquees as print ads for a given show. And as a print ad would they get you to see the show or not.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 3/28/08 at 10:13pm

Well, when I was younger, I saw the Cosette logo on a Les Miz poster, and that made me want to see the show...