Is THEATRE Only for the Rich?- Page 4

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 4/1/07 at 5:01pm

"I feel like Broadway is more affordable than ever before."

I agree - you just have to look in the right places. Even if you can't use student rush, there are always lottos, general rushes, discount codes, and SRO.

If you are looking for the best seats in the house, well then, expect the higher prices in most cases. You really have to consider all aspects of the show as well in order to see why prices are so high: actors' saleries, costumes, lighting, theater lease, advertising, promotional events, crew saleries, orchestra members' saleries, the cost of running the show each week...the list goes on. Within 10-20 years time, we'll probably begin seeing $150 priced tickets - and I'm not talking about the lowest level of premium seating.

Even a show like Wicked can be fairly affordable, if you book months in advance. The $55 partial view seats are supposedly one of the better deals on Broadway today.

[notyourself]

Posted: 4/1/07 at 5:23pm

I think it will be sooner than that when orchestra seats are $150. Both Jersey Boys and Grease are $120 now (JB is charging $130 for seats during the month of December when tickets are in higher demand). I'd expect some shows to have non-premium seats for $150 in around five years or so.

The actual base ticket price has little effect on the average price of tickets either. Despite having seats costing $110-120 for almost shows on Broadway, most shows had an average price of $60-80 per ticket last week according to the published grosses. If you look back at the grosses for shows in 2000 and 2001 he average prices were $50-70 for most shows. Even though the top ticket price has increased significantly over the past six years, the amount people pay hasn't.
Updated On: 4/1/07 at 05:23 PM

[siny]

Posted: 4/1/07 at 5:46pm

I used to buy the most expensive tickets but recently I saw "Mamma Mia" from the cheapest seats in the house and the view was perfect. I paid $61 for those tickets and that's pretty affordable. I will never buy expensive ticket again.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 4/1/07 at 6:16pm

Yeah, Mamma Mia doesn't really have a "rear mezz." The mezz overhangs Row O (which is actually pretty close to the stage). The mezz is just rows A-G.