Premium tickets question

[brettystar]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:25pm

Do tickets often rise after a show becomes more successful on Broadway?
For instance, when Wicked first opened were premium tickets always $300, or did it wait to establish it's audience and then raise ticket prices, with supply and demand?
In Australia, there is no way that an audience would accept a show rising it's ticket prices throughout it's season. I figure it might be a little different on Broadway. Or are audiences happy to pay $300 for a show that they know little about when it first opens?

[theatreguy]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:40pm

Yes, ticket sales can go up if a show becomes especially succesful. And/or if it's just been a few years and costs go up.

With Wicked, I believe their premium prices when they opened in 2003 were $240.

And there are definitely a decent number of people out there willing to pay $300 to see Wicked. Many people only know to look for tickets on StubHub (or other similar sites) where the prices can sometimes be $600 or more, so when they find good seats for "half price" they are more than happy to pay it.

[brettystar]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:51pm

Many thanks theatreguy - I appreciate your reply.

[mina3]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 11:01pm

Keep in mind also that the majority of patrons aren't buying premium tickets. For a show like Wicked, I'm sure there are more than a few, but a smaller show might have fewer than 10 premium tickets sold for each performance. Most tourists/casual theatregoers might not even know premium tickets exist, so that minimizes the chance of an audience rebellion against raising the premium prices. I know I certainly have no idea what most shows charge for their premium tickets.