La Cage-Substandard? Just to me? — Page 2

If I'm going to put down $132 to see a "Broadway Musical" I want to see a decent Broadway musical with all the bells and whistles irrespective of the subject matter. As it is (production size) it is a $95 show. Just because it is a musical on Broadway doesn't mean you can charge the same amount as say what they might charge for a WEST SIDE STORY, PHANTOM, BILLY ELLIOT,POPPINS or whatever. Go to LA CAGE, you won't see the money on stage.

How much are tickets for SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM? If they are in the same price range they are just as guilty.

Updated On: 5/1/10 at 10:17 AM

Now you are just nominating shows that you don't like for your own reasoning. (I don't care for either WSS or PHANTOM but using them to illustrate my point).

You mention paying for a great production, this LA CAGE isn't a great production and as the original poster (goldenboy) said it is not unlike a dinner theatre production, by saying that I think he is saying what you see onstage is what you get at a dinner theatre - small orchestra, small cast, cheap sets. From all I've seen he is right on the money.

My argument (again) is that just because a show is on Broadway, irrespective of whether there are two people in the cast or forty you shouldn't charge top dollar simply because you can. If a show is small and doesn't cost an enormous amount to run each week producers should structure their ticket prices accordingly. For example, with its small company, small sets and small orchestra I would think LA CAGE should sell at about $95.

How much were the tickets when the show was on at the Menier Chocolate Factory ?Nowhere near $132 I bet. The ticket price for Broadway should be that price plus about 25% to cover transfer costs. If they can't do that then don't produce it on Broadway because it won't run long enough to recoup. As it is it might have done well at one of the larger Off Broadway houses where it would get a decent run and fitted in perfectly.

Updated On: 5/1/10 at 11:11 AM

I understand your point alterego, but that's simply not the reality of the business. Orchestra tickets to a Broadway show, whether it be play or musical, huge cast, small cast, Hugh Jackman, a no-name cast, flashy or pared down, run $110-$130.

You may not have thought it was a great production (why do you use goldenboy's opinion as if it were a fact?), but I did, many others did, and most critics seemed to as well. And as I said, I'd much rather spend my money on a great production with a small orchestra (La Cage, ALNM) than vapid fluff that has a big orchestra and decadent sets (Wicked, Phantom).

I understand your point perfectly fine. And I just disagree.

I just got bought my ticket to see the show for the Wed. June 16th 8 p.m. show. I "hear" what people have to say about the show, pro and con. But, I'll go into it with an open mind. I'm certain to have a very good time. from RC in Austin, Texas

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The good news is that last week the average ticket price (according to the charts on BWW) for LA CAGE was $75.29. Good to see that most people are taking advantage of the discounts available and are not finding the need to part $132 for a full price ticket.

Well said After Eight. Too many people on these boards think because you are expressing an opinion (of your own) that you are attempting to lay down the law for all others to follow. It is just the poster's opinion no one else's.

"No, it was not funny, certainly not as funny as it should be. The final scene, for example, in the original, was hilarious. Here it barely registered a laugh."

Well, both myself and the majority of the audience present at the performance I attended must have been watching a completely different production than you.

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Just why is the show now set in the 1970's ?

Maybe the tickets wouldn't have been so expensive if they had used cheap, synthetic, hard front wigs.

Like I said.

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Nobody's opinion is fact. No one's. Not Brantley's, not goldenboy's, not mine, not anyone's.

HOWEVER, no matter how much you say this production is substandard (your opinion) and isn't worth $132 (your opinion) and isn't funny (your opinion), the VAST MAJORITY of the theatregoers who are seeing this production are coming away feeling as if they got their money's worth and with a smile on their face. And, to add to that, the audience was loving every moment of the show, applauding and laughing hysterically. So no matter how many times you state your opinions that this revival is unfunny, it will be countered with the ACTUAL fact that almost everyone else around you disagrees.

This production is conceptually cheap. Bells and whistles have no place in this musical. If you didn't want to spend $132, you should have gotten a cheaper seat or used a discount code and left the $132 seats to the people who wanted to pay.

neal,
did you even read the post above yours?

"(your opinion)"

"No, this new "La Cage" is not substandard"



It's (his opinion). Can't you respect anyone elses OPINON, or do you always tell them they are wrong?

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Matter of fact: goldenboy's opinion is no more worthy than anyone else's on this thread, and it certainly isn't factual in any way. But it certainly is pointedly 'loud and angry' and seemingly mainly focused on ticket price ('never mind the quality, feel the width' as the old saying goes).

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