TAMMY, Paper those seats!

[AlmostFamous3]

Posted: 11/27/24 at 2:49pm

I was at Tammy Faye the other day, and the theater was embarrassingly empty. I thought the show was a good time, and the cast was clearly giving it their all, but I felt secondhand embarrassment for them the entire two hours, especially since the cast kept using the center orchestra aisle for entrances and exits and could very clearly see that the orchestra section had maybe 200 people in it.

I don’t know when producers decide to start offering comps for a show, but if they ever need to, it’s for situations like this! Clearly no one is buying these seats, even last minute. At the very least they could make the cast feel a bit better by avoiding an empty balcony, empty mezzanine, and a one-third-filled orchestra. It’s just about showing some respect to your hardworking cast.

Updated On: 11/27/24 at 02:49 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/27/24 at 2:52pm

Post-Covid there seems to be a real aversion to Broadway shows (specifically) using papering sites and so have no idea why. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/27/24 at 3:04pm

Post Covid there are A LOT more “ticketing and revenue strategy” consulting firms being employed (or people in house as with ATG) and those people always advocate for not using a public papering site because it devalues the brand not just of that show but for other Broadway shows too.

When sales are as bad as TF and a closing is already announced, they might as well be papering. Or set a promo of “all seats $15 in the mezz” or something like that. 

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 4:07am

For me, the biggest benefit in papering a show like Tammy Faye, meaning everyone already knows it failed on Broadway, is creating any positive data point. 

The reality is there's a huge percentage of live theater you probably can't get a full house even giving away the tickets. With a project like Tammy Faye, if you can show for the last three weeks, it's playing in a huge theater to completely full audience, that helps pitch the next iteration of the project. Yes, obviously the musical didn't work financially in it's Broadway version, and the story needs retooling, but full houses would speak to underlining interest in the project.

[Wick3]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 6:10am

Let them do what they want.

Personally it is a better theater experience for me (average audience member) when the theater isn’t full. Shorter lines overall especially the restroom line and the likelihood of not having anyone sit in front of me or beside me makes the overall experience more comfortable.

I think providing more comp tickets so friends and family of the cast can see the show before it closes sounds great; or provide a huge Black Friday promo for its fans to come back and see the show from a better seat.

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 6:27am

I was honestly shocked that they haven’t, but to Jordan’s point, most shows have a real aversion to public papering and seem to, if at all, do it privately.

I’ve seen more of the “special limited time pricing!” gimmicks lately (like with Swept Away and The Roommate) instead. 

I feel like Shucked is the current champion regarding building and keeping an audience. The odds were stacked against it, but it discounted tickets all through previews (even so far as to going on TDF three months before opening), ran a relentless ad campaign, and then people built up the rest by WoM. They ended up having a very respectable run as a result.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 9:22am

.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 11:03am

Wick3 said: "Personally it is a better theater experience for me (average audience member) when the theater isn’t full. Shorter lines overall especially the restroom line and the likelihood of not having anyone sit in front of me or beside me makes the overall experience more comfortable.


Think it has to be a happy medium. If the house of a specific section FEELS empty, that can be a vibe kill for the audience. Especially a musical comedy.

Cast also hates to look out and see an empty house.

Updated On: 11/28/24 at 11:03 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 11:10am

i remember when Scandalous was easily giving out comps and they still couldn't get the theater to 50% capacity.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 11:12am

The last few weeks of Flying Over Sunset had very full, heavily-papered audiences. The show was a lot more fun with a younger crowd who was grateful to have free tickets, as opposed to the Lincoln Center subscriber base who were angry they left the house and paid money to see it. The relief from the cast was palpable, and it was definitely a great decision from LCT, who already lost every cent they put into it. Flying Over Sunset will never be truly popular, but for a few weeks it found its niche.

Tammy, on the other hand... I think even if you paid an audience to be there, they would not enjoy themselves.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 5:37pm

It’s such a complicated scenario, and different for each show. Often, producers hate the idea that the only way their sacred show is viable is due to comps. And, there are shows that literally cannot give tickets away. If Tammy put every seat online for $15, it would hardly move the capacity needle. 
 

People get an impression the show is comp’d, and then hold out for said comps OR only seeing the show at a very low price point. And of course, the majority of people singing the show’s praises are influencers and industry folk who saw it for free, which doesn’t help the bottom line. 
 

And yes, casts hate performing to small houses and then feel the need to get involved with producers & marketing trying to solve it—it’s always a very intense dilemma and I feel for all involved. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 8:36pm

It's nice that they kept the show running for a while, if nothing else than for the hardworking cast members right before the holidays.  

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 8:45pm

Impeach2017 said: "It's nice that they kept the show running for a while, if nothing else than for the hardworking cast members right before the holidays."

sarcasm, I hope? 24 previews and 29 performances is not "a while".

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 8:50pm

ACL2006 said: "Impeach2017 said: "It's nice that they kept the show running for a while, if nothing else than for the hardworking cast members right before the holidays."

sarcasm, I hope? 24 previews and 29 performances is not "a while"."

I mean they could have closed immediately following the open. It's not out of the ordinary that shows will announce on Wednesday that they're closing Sunday. It's not like their monetary problems just started or that the show is even so much as paying it's their rent for the theatre from their gross...

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 9:00pm

quizking101 said: "I was honestly shocked that they haven’t, but to Jordan’s point, most shows have a real aversion to public papering and seem to, if at all, do it privately.

I’ve seen more of the “special limited time pricing!” gimmicks lately (like with Swept Away and The Roommate) instead.

I feel like Shucked is the current champion regarding building and keeping an audience. The odds were stacked against it, but it discounted tickets all through previews (even so far as to going on TDF three months before opening), ran a relentless ad campaign, and then people built up the rest by WoM. They ended up having a very respectable run as a result."

It still lost most of its investment, however.  Not sure what to conclude...at least, unlike Tammy Faye, there were a lot of seats filled, even if discounted.  Were I a cast member, I would have preferred to play to respectable audiences any day of the week.

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 11/28/24 at 10:49pm

It must be awful playing to such small audiences because I imagine performers like to "feed" off the energy of the audience. Very sad.

[Ravanne_1]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 1:22pm

At this point, they should just give the tickets away. At least for the final night so that the cast can possibly close out to a full house. It's not like they're going to make up the financial loses at this point, so at least let the cast and crew end on as high a note as possible.

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 2:43pm

Why, are they wet or something?

[Markie27]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 3:24pm

I won the lottery for the matinee last Sunday but lost the evening.  Unfortunately I also won Hills of California that afternoon (well fortunately for this matter as HOC offered center orchestra third row seat!).  So I tried coming to the Palace Box office to see if I can buy a General Rush ticket and they wouldn’t even give me one! They say they only offer student Rush.  I mean seriously?  I’m offering to pay $50 even for obstructed view seat and you’re telling me my money is not good enough and you’d rather have the house empty?  I don’t understand. 

Updated On: 11/29/24 at 03:24 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 3:50pm

I remember hearing that when Scandalous was open, people on the production would stand outside the theater and try to get passers by to come inside just to have some people in the house- even at intermission. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 4:02pm

Markie27 said: "I won the lottery for the matinee last Sunday but lost the evening. Unfortunately I also won Hills of California that afternoon (well fortunately for this matter as HOC offered center orchestra third row seat!). So I tried coming to the Palace Box office to see if I can buy a General Rush ticket and they wouldn’t even give me one! They say they only offer student Rush. I mean seriously? I’m offering to pay $50 even for obstructed view seat and you’re telling me my money is not good enough and you’d rather have the house empty? I don’t understand."

Unfortunately that’s not the box office staff’s decision to make: they’re at the mercy of the producer and GM. Still strange that the producers wouldn’t change the policy at that point in the run when they’re bleeding $$ and have tix to move. 

[dan94]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 5:48pm

When they removed the balcony for sale, they changed about 10 seats in the rear mezz to $60. Their promo code was pathetic. They clearly wanted to price anchor at $80. 

I was interested in seeing this show. Given the word of mouth I was about $50-60 interested. But the bullish pricing decisions made me lose interest. Didn't like the idea I was being forced to upsell, especially when my price was well within their range when they had the balcony up for sale.

I was willing to spend up to $60. They converted me to spending $0. I can't imagine I am the only person who ended up feeling this way.

(I did redeem AudienceRewards points for the show and spent $0. idk how the production makes out financially in those cases.)

[yyys]

Posted: 11/29/24 at 6:38pm

It is on TDF for all remaining dates including closing. $59, plus fees.