I think it's gross Broadway shows boast about their "record breaking" grosses

Mike, there's more to theatre than what happens in a few square block box.

There is another thread on this page about the next best thing. Whatever that turns out to be, it's gonna originate somewhere outside the box, it's gonna be cheaper and it's most likely gonna be financed by money made inside the box.

What would be gross would be if we were making theatre and no one came.

It's the commercial... theatre... industry... making money is (more often than not) the point.

It's a free market, too. If consumers think a ticket price for a show is unreasonable, then they won't buy those tickets. Then market fluctuations follow. It's almost like magic! If producers recognize a willingness in the public to pay a premium on tickets for their show, as ridiculous as the premium may be, it would be wrong to prohibit them from charging that premium.

Also, yes, while the records generally mean that prices are going up, it's a good thing that people are actually buying these tickets (versus people opting to just not see Broadway shows).

They can charge more and more but if they can't get anyone to pay the higher prices, it doesn't do them much good. As has been discussed here hundreds of times, how many butts are in the seats is not a good measure of success if they're paying $30 each. So the ability to draw huge crowds to see it and get them to pay high prices for the privilege is a legitimate accomplishment and a valid datapoint to brag about. If it was so easy to do, every show would do it.

The Premium Seats were born in 2001 when THE PRODUCERS opened on Broadway and it became an overnight colossal hit. People were easily paying $1,400 for tickets from ticket brokers without a blink of an eye. The producers of the show saw this and quickly created $480 Premium Seats with their rationalization that these would be a bargain and revenue would go directly to the box office whereas those $1,400 ticket broker tickets were purchased at their regular box office price of $100.

The point is, the boasts are misleading marketing at best; a close cousin to false advertising.

As for the larger arguments about the price increases -- that it's capitalism at work (they charge what the market will bear); that they're fighting scalpers -- I cannot buy into any of that. It's simply short-sighted. I see an analogy here with the housing market in New York City. There are people who argue that the landlords should be able to charge whatever they want; there's always somebody from Dubai who can replace a lifelong New Yorker driven out. But the city government doesn't see it that way. It imposes rent regulation on (a dwindling number of apartments) and also has programs to subsidize affordable new apartments as an acknowledgement that the city would be worse off, in tangible ways, if it served as a residence only for rich people. Few newcomers with their fresh energy and new ideas would be drawn here. As it is, there are all sorts of reports that artists no longer see New York as the mecca it once was.

Updated On: 1/2/18 at 08:14 PM

NewYorkTheater said: "The point is, the boasts aremisleading marketingat best; a close cousinto false advertising.

As for thelarger arguments about the price increases -- that it's capitalism at work (they charge what the market will bear); that they're fighting scalpers -- I cannot buy into any of that. It's simply short-sighted.I see an analogy here with the housing market in New York City. There are people who argue that the landlords should be able to charge whatever they want; there's always somebody from Dubai who can replace a lifelong New Yorkerdriven out. But the city government doesn't see it that way. It imposesrent regulation on (a dwindling number of apartments) and also has programs to subsidize affordable new apartmentsas an acknowledgement that the city would be worse off, in tangible ways, if it served as a residence only for rich people. Few newcomers with their fresh energyand new ideas would be drawn here.As it is, there are all sorts of reports that artists no longer see New York as the mecca it once was."

Housing is a necessity, Broadway is not. Living on Park Avenue is also not a necessity.

And I call BS on that mecca nonsense you're selling.

HogansHero said: "Housing is a necessity, Broadway is not. Living on Park Avenue is also not a necessity.

And I call BS on that mecca nonsense you're selling."

This x1000.

I thought the same thing. Is this guy really comparing the government not wanting people to have to live on the street to being able to see Hamilton or Hello Dolly? That's being so utterly tone deaf, it's just sad.

And this "the good people are being priced out of Broadway" argument is so ridiculous when at least 80-90% of Broadway shows can be seen at a very reasonable price thru TKTS and rush/lotteries/TDF etc. Because you can't see Dolly, Evan Hansen or Hamilton for under $100 doesn't mean you can't see 30 other Broadway shows at that price point. And that doesn't even include dozens and dozens of great Off-Broadway shows. Just stop it already.

NewYorkTheater said: "1. Exactly true, Broadway is not a necessity; that's why their pricing is short-sighted."

Makes no sense. I won't hazard a guess what you mean.


2. Please elaborate on why you call me on my "mecca nonsense." You haven't read the articles on the exodus of artists from the city? I can hunt some down fairly easily if you missed them."

I've read lots of articles, but I also see what I have always seen, some folks leaving and others waving at them as they arrive. Unless you mean Manhattan when you say the city, let's go for a hike in Brooklyn sometime and then you'll be able to write your own article. I bet I'll like it. To quote an artist who was quoted in one of those articles you want me to read, "where exactly would you have me go?"