Paying Customers + Empty Theaters = Stupid Producing — Page 2

The problem is that the people who post on this board are not indicative of the general public. Your average person won't see a show at $10 if they don't want to see it any more than they would at $100. Your average theatergoer might, but there aren't enough of them to fill every Broadway house every night.

"Your average person won't see a show at $10 if they don't want to see it any more than they would at $100."

Sorry but that's ridiculous. As far as tourists go and people who don't regularly go to the theater, you can't honestly tell me that if you receive an email or an offer to see "33 VARIATIONS starring JANE FONDA for only $25!" that the box office wouldn't see a significant rise in sales. Combine that and papering to get good word of mouth out about shows and more buzz and you have more people spending their money. It's not rocket science.

Lowering the price brings more people in.

It also means losing money. This will be a smart risk if it was a new show that has to build a reputation, but not so good with a play that has got every single award and rave review it could.

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Until I see on paper how it loses money, I can only go by my own experiences.

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I agree with Blaxx. Cry-Baby charged $50 a seat for every seat in the house during previews at the very high-profile Marquis theater (which means tourists were very aware of it) and it still didn't get anywhere near full.

When people hear from their friends that they "have to see" a show, they find the money to see that show. I know "starving actors" who drop $40 on a bar tab without thinking twice. They spend it cause they REALLY WANT those drinks even though they say they're expensive.

Make a show that gets great word of mouth and the people will come. Charge $20 for "33 Variations" and some people on this board would see it who normally couldn't afford to, but the house would still be 50% empty because most people have little desire to see the show (even at that price).

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Yero you are right. I wasn't thinking about the royalty pool.

Let's lower it to $60. Then, you may have 1200 seats filled with $60 tickets ($72,000) instead of maybe 600 seats filled with $100 tickets ($60,000).

Ha ha, yes, lowering tickets to $60 will bring in an extra 600 people a night.

Bottom line: People don't go because they don't want to. For whatever reason.

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"Ha ha, yes, lowering tickets to $60 will bring in an extra 600 people a night. "

I'm glad you agree!

Because I'm sure you're not being sarcastic nor snarky.

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OK.

This is an apple:


Back in AUGUST this apple was popular, everyone wanted to buy apples! The critics said you should eat that apple!

So, these apples were very popular for a while.

But, now, not many are interested in buying the apples:



Everyone was trying very hard to sell these once popular apples, even lowering apple prices, giving discounts, even stunt apple casting!



Unfortunately, nothing happened. The truth is that as cheap as these apples went on sale, no one was interested



And though apples will be always remembered as a good product, they are no longer on sale.


Better?

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Updated On: 5/15/09 at 10:37 PM

Sure, love.

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I hate to wish a show to close before it opens, but... Spider-Man. WTF

I have issues with this show already and I think it will be a shame when tickets for it are overpriced. There is hardly a way for it to recoup in these economic times.

Does anyone else feel like the "Open Casting" they had for it was a publicity stunt? You can bet they got press at every stop, and I HIGHLY doubt they will pick up anyone from the open auditions for the leads (understudies, maybe). But still, I think it was a total PR move.

good thread.

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There's a reason tickets for the $41.50 section of Billy Elliot or the $36.50 back row of Next to Normal are hard to come by. There is a core audience of theatre lovers who don't have the money to attend as many shows as they would like to. If prices were lowered, it would give these people an opportunity to see more theatre.

That being said, ticket prices would have to be significantly lower to make a difference. The top seat for Irena's Vow is $98, about $20 less than other new plays, but last night it was basically empty.

Musicals can't follow the limited engagement with a big star recoup two weeks before the run ends model, but high upfront costs prevent prices from lowering. Even Rock of Ages, which originally touted itself as not having a seat above $100 now has a base price of $111.50.