Kit Connor, Rachel Zegler to star in Sam Gold-directed ROMEO + JULIET on Broadway, Fall 2024- Page 8

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 4:27pm

I'm 100% sure I'm missing something, in part because I had never heard Kit Connor until this production was announced, but how does a show have this successful of a presale for a play starring a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old with ticket prices this high? 

How many teenagers and people in their early 20s can afford (at this point) tickets that cost at least $199?  

I get a bunch of tickets are being held back, and there will be cheaper ways to get in, but this is still kind of surprising. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 5:07pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "I'm 100% sure I'm missing something, in part because I had never heard Kit Connor until this production was announced, but how does a show have this successful of a presale for a play starring a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old with ticket prices this high?

How many teenagers and people in their early 20s can afford (at this point) tickets that cost at least $199?

I get a bunch of tickets are being held back, and there will be cheaper ways to get in, but this is still kind of surprising."

Debt. Birthday gifts. Asking family. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 5:22pm

I think teenager specific-oriented shows may not do as well at the box office (I'm thinking Be More Chill), but this is a classic play that has just been aimed at teenagers.  So parents might feel more inclined to go because it's a famous work of theater and has more prestige, and could turn it into more of a family trip situation.  Also Rachel Zegler's Broadway debut has seemed inevitable and long-awaited (even if it's only been a few years) ever since she came onto the scene, and she's certainly made a splash with more people than just the Gen Z/Alpha demographics, and Heartstopper was also a highly acclaimed show, which translated to extremely enthusiastic fans for Sweeney Todd when Joe Locke was in the show as well.  I don't know that it would be enough for the run to recoup its cost at this point, but it's enough to clog up the Telecharge waiting room for hours.

[ElizaSchuyler]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 6:23pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "I'm 100% sure I'm missing something, in part because I had never heard Kit Connor until this production was announced, but how does a show have this successful of a presale for a play starring a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old with ticket prices this high?

How many teenagers and people in their early 20s can afford (at this point) tickets that cost at least $199?

I get a bunch of tickets are being held back, and there will be cheaper ways to get in, but this is still kind of surprising."

I mentioned this yesterday (or the day before?), but I looked Kit Connor up after the casting for this was announced. He is, as has been mentioned, very popular with Gen Z. He has 6 million followers on Instagram. But also has some appeal among the broader LGBTQ+ community. He came out as bisexual in a pretty sad way when he was 18 because he was bullied and accused of queerbaiting. His coming out tweet amassed a million likes and got a lot of coverage in the media. He also won an Emmy, deservedly so if this was him at 19. I see the appeal.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 6:25pm

I’d add that Joe Locke was a successful draw in ST, but Kit Connor is the one more of them love, so more will run out to see him. With these two in the cast and Jack Antonoff as music director, I’d be shocked if they didn’t sing, if even for a moment.

[FLarnhill]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 7:04pm

DramaTeach said: "I’d add that Joe Locke was a successful draw in ST, but Kit Connor is the one more of them love, so more will run out to see him. With these two in the cast and Jack Antonoff as music director, I’d be shocked if they didn’t sing, if even for a moment."

Zegler doesn't always sing in everything. Seen Shazam 2?

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 7:24pm

FLarnhill said: "DramaTeach said: "I’d add that Joe Locke was a successful draw in ST, but Kit Connor is the one more of them love, so more will run out to see him. With these two in the cast and Jack Antonoff as music director, I’d be shocked if they didn’t sing, if even for a moment."

Zegler doesn't always sing in everything. Seen Shazam 2?"

Of course she doesn’t sing all the time (she’d be boxing herself in), but with the focus this production seems to be putting on music, it’s my prediction. I’m not talking about them belting out a duet. I’m saying it could even be him or her humming a piece of song. Just my guess.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 8:46pm

It seems really unlikely to me that they’d get Antonoff onboard and give him such prominent billing just for writing incidental scoring. 

[CJRochester]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 11:07pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "I'm 100% sure I'm missing something, in part because I had never heard Kit Connor until this production was announced, but how does a show have this successful of a presale for a play starring a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old with ticket prices this high?

How many teenagers and people in their early 20s can afford (at this point) tickets that cost at least $199?

I get a bunch of tickets are being held back, and there will be cheaper ways to get in, but this is still kind of surprising." 

People in that same age group have been paying those prices and higher for Taylor Swift tickets. I don't get it either. 

 

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 11:48pm

Kad said: "It seems really unlikely to me that they’d get Antonoffonboard and give him such prominent billing just for writing incidental scoring."

I generally like Antonoff's music, but if the idea was the tell a Romeo & Juliet story with singing and have it star Rachel Zegler, there just might be source material checking those boxes without having to bring on a new composer.    

Having your work compared to Bernstein and Sondheim seems like a no-win proposition.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 5/23/24 at 11:56pm

I heard a rumor that Rachel Zegler will be singing some part of the Shakespeare text to Antonoff's music. The fact that Sonya Tayeh is involved also makes me think this will be more musically integrated than a usual play (though probably still not as much to consider it a musical)

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/24/24 at 8:24am

CJRochester said: "Jonathan Cohen said: "I'm 100% sure I'm missing something, in part because I had never heard Kit Connor until this production was announced, but how does a show have this successful of a presale for a play starring a 20-year-old and a 23-year-old with ticket prices this high?

How many teenagers and people in their early 20s can afford (at this point) tickets that cost at least $199?

I get a bunch of tickets are being held back, and there will be cheaper ways to get in, but this is still kind of surprising."

People in that same age group have been paying those prices and higher for Taylor Swift tickets.I don't get it either.

"

Among maybe 16+. now that they've sort of grown up with social media, it feels like they're in a contest. Who can get shoutouts from their favorite actors, singers, performers in general. It's maybe 30% appreciation. 70% wanting content to prove "look how they know who I am!" 

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 12:11am

I am older than 55 and Kit Conner would get me in that theater. I also wanted to see Locke in Sweeney (Even though I wasn't crazy about the production itself). I, and a lot of people my age (gay, straight, male and female) are big Heartstopper fans. I also love that song that they are using for the R&J promo. Went right on a playlist.

Updated On: 5/25/24 at 12:11 AM

[Voter]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 7:27pm

Stopped by the box office today. The attendant said there will be definitely tickets less than $100 at some point and the production was discussing rush, 30under30 and lotttery policies

[incomesabby]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 8:48pm

Voter said: "Stopped by the box office today. The attendant said there will be definitely tickets less than $100 at some point and the production was discussing rush, 30under30 and lotttery policies"

Are you able to buy R+J tickets at the Circle in the Square box office already?

[Penna2]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 9:45pm

South Fl Marc said: "I really don't care to see Rachel Zegler in anything."

She'll probably argue about Juliet dying at the end because what young girl would die over a man.

[Voter]

Posted: 5/26/24 at 7:55am

incomesabby said: "Voter said: "Stopped by the box office today. The attendant said there will be definitely tickets less than $100 at some point and the production was discussing rush, 30under30 and lotttery policies"

Are you able to buy R+J tickets at the Circle in the Square box office already?"


 

Yes you can. Tickets for Romeo+Juliet are available for purchase at CITS box office already until June 26. Box office will reopen on or about August 26

[incomesabby]

Posted: 5/31/24 at 12:49am

Some new seats have been added to the map for all shows including first preview ($350-459 range). At least I think they're new because they're all similar spots from date to date. There's also more interesting disclaimers like "not on aisle" and the previous "no extra legroom" — I wonder what this says about the staging.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/16/24 at 6:15pm

For performances from November 4 on, tickets now start at $99, including fees.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 10:51am

They just sent an email about the $99 tickets. Seems like it’s sold well up until that point, so maybe they’re hoping the rest can be Christmas gifts for those Zegler/Connor fangirls. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 11:05am

FYI, for some reason, Telecharge is only offering Wil Call now for this show, but, if you buy through Broadway Direct, the fees are a few dollars cheaper, and they're using e-tickets.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 11:35am

I have to admit to being surprised about the advanced sales for this show, at usurious prices yet.  I have reached the following conclusion: the interest is not based on Shakespeare, Sam Gold or Rachel Zigler.  (If she had been announced to play Juliet with an unknown Romeo, would there be any interest?). 

That leads me to conclude that the driver for these sales is solely Kit Connor, based on his TV show, Heartstoppers.  So, who is buying all these tickets?  I figured that well-to-do parents were purchasing tickets for their daughters, but at those prices?  I assume that there is a sizable gay contingent, based on the goodwill from Heartstoppers, a really terrific show. 

So...do those two groups comprise the lion's share  -- like 95% -- of ticket buyers?

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 12:18pm

Yes, I’d guess those are the two biggest groups of tickets buyers, and Kit Connor does seem to be a big draw. He has movies coming out and another season of Heartstopper, so he’s a star on the rise. Zegler seems to be a name too, but she comes with a little more controversy (although nothing actually scandalous).

[inception]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 12:43pm

I think scalpers probably purchased most of the cheaper seats hoping to make a profit.  Closer to performance dates they'll probably be on stubhub etc.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/18/24 at 1:45pm

Jarethan said: "I have to admit to being surprised about the advanced sales for this show, at usurious prices yet. I have reached the following conclusion: the interest is not based on Shakespeare, Sam Gold or Rachel Zigler. (If she had been announced to play Juliet with an unknown Romeo, would there be any interest?).

That leads me to conclude that the driver for these sales is solely Kit Connor, based on his TV show, Heartstoppers. So, who is buying all these tickets? I figured that well-to-do parents were purchasing tickets for their daughters, but at those prices?I assume that there is a sizable gay contingent, based on the goodwill from Heartstoppers, a really terrific show.

So...do those two groups comprise the lion's share -- like 95% -- of ticket buyers?"

Rachel and Kit represent Gen Z in a pretty massive way, are both known for many pop culture things, are both talented, attractive, and have active social media presence. That's really all you need to make a show successful.

Kids are asking their parents for tickets for this. And since the "average" theater goer makes over $300,000 a year, it's just a drop in the bucket to make their kids happy. They are trying to make Shakespeare relevant and cool to that generation and I think it's wonderful. Also, there are legit Shakespeare lovers who may want a fresh take. Tickets are expensive and selling incredibly well. So, it's working.