Telecharge, StubHub, and, Oh, Mary, The Ripoff

[Strange Lupone]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:04am

I know. I know. But it’s never been so flagrant.

A pal asked me to grab tickets for Oh, Mary! You know, that hilarious sketch that lasts 80 minutes and should never have left off-Broadway. 
 
Specifically, Friday, 11/22.

Telecharge shows four seats on the center aisle, Orchestra Right, Row H. There are only seven seats in that particular row. A scandalous $355.

StubHub shows there are 1-4 seats available in Row H. $487 (before StubHub fees).

Which means Telecharge is hoping to sell the same seats, already wildly overpriced, for an additional $132.

I know all about capitalism, supply & demand, and the free market. But this is nuts, no? Certainly, this isn’t news. This happens all the time and everywhere. But this is pretty nuts, no? I don’t know why I’m particularly shocked (maybe that the play is really a very, very good, extended sketch that only runs 80 minutes and is ALREADY stupid in regards to what it’s charging as it is. Or maybe that is just so flagrant an example of corporate greed.)

And I’m not even sure why I’m bringing it up. We all know it happens. Heck, I’ve sold tickets on StubHub for more than I paid. But Telecharge? Just seems sleepy. Yeah, yeah — it’s show BUSINESS.  But I figured I’d grouse with fellow theatre lovers.

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 10:04 AM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:15am

……………………huh?

On top of your post reading like it was written by a bot, the situation sounds like pretty standard practice dynamic pricing for Telecharge. No one is forcing you to buy premium seats. And StubHub is a third-party resale site where sellers can list the tickets for however much they want and pocket the profits. Not sure what your issue is.

And why shouldn’t it have left Off-Broadway? It’s the hottest ticket on Broadway at the moment, and judging by the reaction last night, transferring was exactly the right choice. If you haven’t even seen it yet, why are you giving your opinion on its worthiness to occupy a more commercial space?

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:15am

Strange Lupone said: "I know. I know. But it’s never been so flagrant.

A pal asked me to grab tickets for Oh, Mary! You know, that hilarious sketch that lasts 80 minutes and should never have left off-Broadway.

Specifically, Friday, 11/22.

Telecharge showsfour seats on the center aisle, Orchestra Right, Row H.There are only seven seats in that particular row. A scandalous $355.

StubHub shows there are 1-4 seats available in Row H. $487 (before StubHub fees).

Which means Telechargeis hoping to sell the same seats, already wildly overpriced, for an additional $132.

I know all about capitalism, supply & demand, and the free market. But this is nuts, no? Certainly, this isn’t news. This happens all the time and everywhere. But this is pretty nuts, no?I don’t know why I’m particularly shocked (maybe that the play is really a very, very good, extended sketch that only runs 80 minutes and is ALREADY stupid in regards to what it’s charging as it is. Or maybe that is just so flagrant an example of corporate greed.)

And I’m not even sure why I’m bringing it up. We all know it happens. Heck, I’ve sold tickets on StubHub for more than I paid. But Telecharge? Just seems sleepy. Yeah, yeah — it’s show BUSINESS.But I figured I’d grouse with fellow theatre lovers."

This has been the price on Telecharge for a while. Last week I was able to snag an odd solo seat in the orch for 229.00

Also I might be confused but I think you mean StubHub is charging an additional 132.00.

If it has become a huge success on Broadway not sure why you think it should have stayed Off Broadway.

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 10:15 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:22am

There seems to be two different gripes here: 1) Broadway ticket prices are ridiculous (fair!) and 2) Oh, Mary! is not worth those high prices because it's a silly one-act comedy (...not really fair).

[Strange Lupone]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:22am

The ticket price jumps to $563 once StubHub fees are added. So Telecharge is listing its own $355 for $487 at SH.

I thought the show was perfect off-Broadway. I’m an idealist and thought, had it stayed down there, it would have brought more attention to off-Broadway shows.

As for sounding like a bot, beep.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:23am

I know it's not an option for people coming out of town and who have to plan their visit, but I've been very successful with snagging Oh, Mary ticket on TickPick, very close to the performance (fees are lower than on Stubhub). The prices normally drastically fall the closer you get to the time of the show. I literally had to hang out near the theater and monitor the prices, bit I've seen this show second time from rear mezz for under $70.

[Strange Lupone]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:24am

Kad said: "There seems to be two different gripes here: 1) Broadway ticket prices are ridiculous (fair!) and 2) Oh, Mary! is not worth those high prices because it's a silly one-act comedy (...not really fair)."

 

A succinct and fair (!) summary. I guess Im a curmudgeon. $355 for an 80-minute show? Bah humbug. 

 

[Kad]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:24am

Strange Lupone said: "I thought the show was perfect off-Broadway. I’m an idealist and thought, had it stayed down there, it would have brought more attention to off-Broadway shows.."

I mean, it did. There was a lot of discussion of a revitalization of commercial off-Broadway thanks to it and other productions like Titanique and Job.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:28am

Strange Lupone said: "Kad said: "There seems to be two different gripes here: 1) Broadway ticket prices are ridiculous (fair!) and 2) Oh, Mary! is not worth those high prices because it's a silly one-act comedy (...not really fair)."

A succinct and fair (!) summary. I guess Im a curmudgeon. $355 for an 80-minute show? Bah humbug."

The worth in capitalism is determined by the demand. If people are willing to pay $355 or more for an 80 minute comedy, then this is its worth. 

 

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 10:28 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:32am

I dunno, I think it's pretty remarkable that a new, very queer comedy that had no big name celebrity attached to it has managed to become one of the biggest hits of post-COVID Broadway and is able to command such prices and have people pay them. It was incredibly risky and I'm glad that the risk has paid off and hope it affects the thinking of what can make it on Broadway.

[Strange Lupone]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 10:36am

Kad said: "I dunno, I think it's pretty remarkable that a new, very queer comedy that had no big name celebrity attached to it has managed to become one of the biggest hits of post-COVID Broadway and is able to command such prices and have people pay them. It was incredibly risky and I'm glad that the risk has paid off and hope it affects the thinking of what can make it on Broadway."


I sincerely thank you for the perspective. Truly. Also, for not going out of your way to make me feel stupid or accusing me of being a bot (and oddly suggesting I haven’t seen the show — I’ve seen it twice!). I genuinely appreciate your graciousness and class. Sending you a ton of joy today. ❤️

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 10:36 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 11:48am

This is not new. Before pandemic a few of us also noticed the same questionable practice happen at sold out shows like Hello Dolly, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Springsteen, etc.

My 2 cents: Those are production seats that they could sell on telecharge or they could also sell them on stubhub for even more $$$. If no one bites, they'll sell them as cancellation tickets an hour before the show starts. We live in a world of capitalism. Tickets are only worth whatever price someone is willing to pay for them. 

 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 12:04pm

I'm all for capitalism but I am aghast at how the fees some of these tack on seem to be increasing exponentially on top of the already eye-popping ticket prices.

I'm old enough to remember when my great orchestra center seats cost LESS than a night at a good quality Midtown hotel lol.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 12:19pm

70+ million voters saw last week as some sort of proletarian revolution. Sad.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 1:00pm

Is it SO remarkable that a very queer show can charge such high prices? Its target demographic (historically) is one with high levels of disposable income.

Actual question.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 1:11pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Is it SO remarkable that a very queer show can charge such high prices? Its target demographic (historically) is one with high levels of disposable income.

Actual question."

It is, because not all very queer shows are treated equally.

A Strange Loop didn’t recoup, Fat Ham didn’t recoup, Some Like it Hot never recouped, and yet this did. It incentivizes producers to bring more daring and loudly queer shows to Broadway because it shows people will still show up for them. 2 of the aforementioned won Pulitzer Prize, but still couldn’t fill seats, yet this tiny show could. 

I’m going to deliberately not address the racial aspect that could be at play (that’s a debate too big for me to tackle, though it’s important), but for every success (20% of shows recoup!) there’s 80% failure, and if minority shows are in that 20% that’s something to celebrate and uplift. 

As for Oh, Mary ticket prices, I totally agree they’re too high. I got rush for $49, but I had to wake at 7:30 am and arrive at 8 for it on a two show day. It felt like peak Mean Girls and Outsiders level of a rush line, and although I elected to do that, I could totally see how that’s not feasible for a family of 4 just looking for a silly night out. I don’t know if telecharge listing their tickets on Stubhub is ethical, but they’re a business looking to please their clients at the Shuberts, and if that’s how they do it that’s out of our hands as consumers.

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 1:33pm

dearalanaaaa said: "Jay Lerner-Z said: "Is it SO remarkable that a very queer show can charge such high prices? Its target demographic (historically) is one with high levels of disposable income.

Actual question."

It is, because not all very queer shows are treated equally.

A Strange Loop didn’t recoup, Fat Ham didn’t recoup, Some Like it Hot never recouped, and yet this did. It incentivizes producers to bring more daring and loudly queer shows to Broadway because it shows people will still show up for them. 2 of the aforementioned won Pulitzer Prize, but still couldn’t fill seats, yet this tiny show could.

I’m going to deliberately not address the racial aspect that could be at play (that’s a debate too big for me to tackle, though it’s important), but for every success (20% of shows recoup!) there’s 80% failure, and if minority shows are in that 20% that’s something to celebrate and uplift.

As for Oh, Mary ticket prices, I totally agree they’re too high. I got rush for $49, but I had to wake at 7:30 am and arrive at 8 for it on a two show day. It felt like peak Mean Girls and Outsiderslevel of a rush line, and although I elected to do that, I could totally see how that’s not feasible for a family of 4 just looking for a silly night out. I don’t know if telecharge listing their tickets on Stubhub is ethical, but they’re a business looking to please their clients at the Shuberts, and if that’s how they do it that’s out of our hands as consumers."

 

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 1:34pm

Huss417 said: "dearalanaaaa said: "Jay Lerner-Z said: "Is it SO remarkable that a very queer show can charge such high prices? Its target demographic (historically) is one with high levels of disposable income.

Actual question."

It is, because not all very queer shows are treated equally.

A Strange Loop didn’t recoup, Fat Ham didn’t recoup, Some Like it Hot never recouped, and yet this did. It incentivizes producers to bring more daring and loudly queer shows to Broadway because it shows people will still show up for them. 2 of the aforementioned won Pulitzer Prize, but still couldn’t fill seats, yet this tiny show could.

I’m going to deliberately not address the racial aspect that could be at play (that’s a debate too big for me to tackle, though it’s important), but for every success (20% of shows recoup!) there’s 80% failure, and if minority shows are in that 20% that’s something to celebrate and uplift.

As for Oh, Mary ticket prices, I totally agree they’re too high. I got rush for $49, but I had to wake at 7:30 am and arrive at 8 for it on a two show day. It felt like peak Mean Girls and Outsiderslevel of a rush line, and although I elected to do that, I could totally see how that’s not feasible for a family of 4 just looking for a silly night out. I don’t know if telecharge listing their tickets on Stubhub is ethical, but they’re a business looking to please their clients at the Shuberts, and if that’s how they do it that’s out of our hands as consumers."

"

I don't think their demographic is for a family of 4. :)

[Kad]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 4:15pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Is it SO remarkable that a very queer show can charge such high prices? Its target demographic (historically) is one with high levels of disposable income.

Actual question."

Reducing an entire demographic into a monolith isn't very helpful. Yes, on average, gay men may have more disposable income. But gay men are a much smaller group of the population, and the percentage of that population that both wants to see a show and has the income to do so is smaller still. This is a Broadway production that has over 7,000 seats per week to sell. It cannot rely solely on gay men with both the money and interest to see it alone. No show can rely on one demographic group to move tickets- that audience dries up.

Oh, Mary's success clearly indicates it has a broader audience appeal and it's getting those audience members without celebrity casting or a recognizable IP while offering something that is, on paper, not typical Broadway fare.

Also, not everyone seeing this show is paying $400 to do so. The average ticket price last week was $165. 

Updated On: 11/14/24 at 04:15 PM

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 4:38pm

I guess Im a curmudgeon. $355 for an 80-minute show? Bah humbug.

Not buying a pricey ticket to a show you have issues with is about the easiest, cheapest and least energy-expending thing one can do. 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/14/24 at 5:04pm

Thanks, dearalanaaaa and Kad - you both make very valid points! I consider my question answered.

$165 is still a lot, though, too high for me personally to consider “reasonable”…