Hadestown prices — Page 3

dwwst12 said: "Again, I don't disagree with you about the "Hottest Ticket" issue. But agree to disagree on how affordable theater is around the country to the average American, and how much it's not even on their radar as a result.

Would you say $160 is a lot for a family of four to see Peter Pan? How many American families are going to shell out for that? I use this as an example because here in Pittsburgh, we recently had the good fortune to have Jenn Colella star in Peter Pan in the CLO Summer Series. It's obviously a family-oriented show, and that's how it was marketed. It was performed at the lovely but cavernous Benedum Center, where 90% of the tours perform. Tickets in the orchestra -- for basically a 90 minute kids show -- were $70-$90. My kids are 3 and 6, and the youngest could theoretically still have a meltdown during the show, so I'm not dropping $300 for the four of us to sit close. The $40 seats we bought were so far away that, if placed in a Broadway theater, would be approximately In The Apartment Building Two Doors Down.

Not-so-shockingly, there were a crap ton of empty seats, and we were able to move down to where we could *kinda* see Jenn's facial features.

I get that maybe this is just what things cost, and that's life, and people just won't see things like this very often. But it's a shame."

But $160 for a family of 4 is not any more than you'd spend to take your family to a Pirates game or a Penguins game or a concert or Kennywood Park or any other major form of live entertainment. It's just what things cost and it's unfair to constantly single theater out as the one form of entertainment that is "unaffordable". And for some families that is a lot of money, so you don't do it every week or even every month. You do it a handful of times a year which makes the experience even more special but it doesn't mean they don't get to experience it at all. And surely there are some solid regional theater companies in the Pittsburgh area that have tickets in the $20's and $30's for professional productions using some if not most/all equity actors. There are tickets on Goldstar for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall doing music from E.T. tomorrow night for $25. There are plenty of opportunities for parents to expose their kids to cultural activities but yeah, if you want to take them to the hottest Broiadway show of the season, you'll pay a lot.

Updated On: 10/2/19 at 03:58 PM

"There are so many ways to obtain discounted theater tickets (secondary market, rush, lottery, TKTS, TDF). Flexibility and patience will allow the majority of people to experience it. On the secondary market, everything but TKAM could be had for as low as $55 + fees for orchestra level tickets.

If you are patient and play the lotteries, that drives the price down further. Moulin Rouge and DEH are the only online lotteries I haven't won in the past 6 months.I see shows here in NYC decidedely cheaper than when I lived in the midwest and probably on average havepaidjust under $40/ticket.

If you are someone who feels they have to plan ahead, or must see a certain show when they come to NY, you may have to pay a premium for the assurance of getting the ticket and the seating location that you want. But I find theater to be decidedly cheaper than going to a rock concert or a sporting event both of which offer roughly the same length of entertainment.

If one hasto think about dropping $100 for anything the reality is you shouldnt be doing it as that money would be better used elsewhere. But if thats within a persons means, there are plenty of ways to obtain tickets at affordable prices."


Agreed. Once I learned about the options to get discounted tickets (shout out to Broadwayforbrokepeople.com, r/Broadway & BWW) being close-ish, I prefer traveling to NYC vs waiting to see when they come on tour in my city (DC). All things considered even with the extra added cost of transportation, food, lodging I actually break even (if not slightly less) to see shows on Broadway in NYC vs cost to see at Kennedy Center in DC where equivalent tix range $99-$150. I've calculated it and on average spend $100/show ($45ish tix + travel costs) but with trade offs of better seats for a show in a more intimate theater and with OBC.

Specific to Hadestown, I've been monitoring prices and since it is dynamic pricing you can get decent prices tickets IF you are flexible (flexible being key word). For example I looking at weekend of Nov 15 and there are a bunch of Mezz seats at $149 tier. $149 is the lowest I've seen for direct sale/standard admission. Then there's StubHub if you really want play the system & wait last minute for inexpensive seats. For example tonight 7:30PM show, tix currently starting at $62 for balcony seats on StubHub.

I do question what arrangement the product/theater has with ticketing company and selling to resale platforms. If you look far out enough, certain dates have over 500+ available on StubHub when Kerr Theater is only a 900 seat capacity theater meaning over 50% tickets were flagged to be sold on resale platforms which seem incredibly high ratio. I get they are trying to maximize profits but blocking 50% of your seats on resale (assuming w/ intent to sell above standard admission) is when it starts to feel "wrong" for me.

Rosette3 said: "I do question what arrangement the product/theater has with ticketing company and selling to resale platforms. If you look far out enough, certain dates have over 500+ available on StubHub when Kerr Theater is only a 900 seat capacity theater meaning over 50% tickets were flagged to be sold on resale platforms which seem incredibly high ratio. I get they are trying to maximize profits but blocking 50% of your seats on resale (assuming w/ intent to sell above standard admission) is when it starts to feel "wrong" for me."

I think you're confusing two things. StubHub is typically not where the show would mark up its tickets. They just make them premium on Ticketmaster to sell them above standard admission. StubHub is usually (although conspiracy theories to the contrary abound) where third-party resellers that have purchased a good chunk of the house list their tickets, and the show is no longer involved.

There were reports from the DEH cancellation line where a group of people with a stack of cash were just making a line at the box office, buying the max number of tickets with cash (to avoid the limits they can more easily enforce with online sales), and then after the purchase, that person got in the back of the line, and bought the max number again.

There was even a story where Rudin or someone got flowers and a fruit basket at the office from someone they didn't know, and it turned out to be the main reseller who had purchased the majority of Book of Mormon seats during its original run, thanking them, since they had just purchased a house outright with the money they made...

dwwst12 said: "But I can't quit the idea that theater is simply more worthwhile to both the individual patrons, and all of us as a collective. Again -- an opinion, but it's what I believe."

Ironically, if you truly believe theater is more worthwhile than almost any other form of live entertainment, the fact that it is priced competitively with those other less worthwhile entertainment types means that not only is it not overpriced, it's a downright bargain. LOL.

Yes Melissa25, I find it crazy too.

Today I called in to the Ticketmaster Arts Line & was able to exchange my Friday evening ticket for the Friday matinee. Since June, the same seat jumped $40 but since it was more than 30 days ahead there was no change fee. Found good advice on a Ticketmaster thread on here before I proceeded. Remember you need to call the Arts Line, which can be found on most show websites ticket info page.

I feel sorry for the staff at the call center as they are in Texas & dealing mainly with New Yorkers doing exchanges etc for Broadway shows most working there will never see. The operator I got said they do exchanges while the xall center in West Virginia does sales.

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