The Current State of Ticketing

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:13pm

Oh it just makes me sad how ticket sale are handled nowadays. Back in the day when I was a younger lad, people like us here on the boards were rewarded for our diligence and attention to theatre details with getting tickets when they went on sale to the general public and getting great seats at fair prices. Now with American Express pre-sales, VIP seats (which often are the first 20 center rows) at astronomical costs, it is harder and harder to get decent seats at an affordable price. What is a boy to do but sigh. Are Broadway producers becoming more classist and forgetting about the masses who love live theatre but can't afford these crazy prices?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:27pm

On the one hand, yeah.

On the other hand, what are they going to do? Charge you more for sitting in the back row?

If you have a better seat, you should have to pay more. And if you're not filthy rich, you don't get to sit in the front rows. That's how the world works.

The only thing that SHOULD be guaranteed is that every seat has a non-obstructed view.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:34pm

I feel the ticketing is outrageous.

I went with my school to see WICKED and paid 134 to sit in the mezz, while I could have gone and spent less than that and sat in orchestra for 55. I feel the prices are alittle outrageous. I mean if you have the cash to shell out 110 dollars for orchestra, more power to you, but I dont have that kind of money and I relay heavly on either rush or lotto at times or discount codes to get me into the shows. I feel they should lower it it slightly.

And havent the prices gone up- Wicked went from having I believe what was the highest price was 95 or something, now its 110. (Sorry, I focused so much on WICKED, that was the last ticket I looked up on Ticketmaster)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:36pm

Well, you can't really blame the high ticket prices...

I mean, sure - it sucks - but shows are getting more and more expensive to produce. If producers wish to make their money back, the ticket prices have to be comparable to what they cost to run. It only makes sense.

I will agree that the $250 premium tickets are absurd...and sure, $110 is a lot of money for a show - especially a bad show - but if you were a producer, you would charge the same.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:39pm

"I will agree that the $250 premium tickets are absurd"

I never understood that, what the hell is so premium about them?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:40pm

They're house seats that they will sell to the public.

At some shows, they are front center.

At other shows like THREE DAYS OF RAIN or JERSEY BOYS, they are located ANYWHERE - sometimes even obstructed.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:46pm

Out of the last 20 or so shows I have seen in New York, I only paid full price for three. Got discounts and great seats for the rest.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:47pm

Man, I need to go to shows with you, uncageg
Free August 22nd-25th?

(just kidding.)

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:52pm

What makes them "premium" is that they are supposedly really good orchestra seats. Which is a load of bull crap because you can obtain the same seats for a regular price or even with a discount code. I mean, you might've paid $75 for fifth row center orchestra with a discount code, and the person next to you might've paid $250 or more...it is ridiculous. Besides, don't premium price seats that don't get sold eventually are sold for normal prices in the cancellation line?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:52pm

Yes, that is correct.

IT's a load of crap.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:55pm

Going to see a show is becoming like flying on an airplance. Depending on when, where and how you buy the seat it's a crap shoot. You might have paid 250 for center orchestra while the person next to you paid 75 with a discount code.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:56pm

Yeah. Whats the cheapest you've ever paid for front row?

I paid 50 for ALL SHOOK UP just days before it closed, and I adored every single penny of it.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 1:58pm

I paid 45 for Sunset with Diahann Carrol. Front row center and that was in Canadian dollars. It was heaven for 3 hours.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:05pm

I paid $5 to see WONDERFUL TOWN front row in previews.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:09pm

Wow.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:47pm

it really is too bad that tickets are so high-priced these days, but it costs so much to run a show
i read in an article about THE COLOR PURPLE, for example, it costs them $60,000 to run each and every show, and it is close to half a million dollars to run 8 performances per week
also, it said that if everyone paid full-price tickets to see THE COLOR PURPLE, it would take them a year to pay off their investment. Well, obviously not everyone is going to pay full price, so it will probably take almost 2 years or so for the show to recoup
now these are just numbers and stuff, but that is a look into what it costs to run a show, and why tickets are probably so expensive
just felt like sharing that

:)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 2:51pm

Y'all don't appreciate the situation you're in. For most of the years I've been going to the theatre, there were no discount codes, rush seats, student rates, etc. Once in awhile, for a real flop, you could pick up two-fer coupons around town. And, for out-of-towners, the only way to order was mail order. Unless you gave them a *lot* of dates, it was not uncommon to have your check returned after a few weeks. By that time, other dates that would have been good for you were sold out That's why I never got to see the original production of Gentleman Prefer Blondes On the other hand, since someone asked, I've paid as little as $1.20 for a ticket...once for the original production of Li'l Abner and another time for a revival of Major Barbara with Charles Laughton,Burgess Meredith,Glynis Johns,Eli Wallach,and Cornellia Otis Skinner. Now we pay $110 for people we never heard of

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 3:02pm

Cheapest I've paid was 25 bucks for front row...twice.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 3:36pm

Another thing...I can understand why someone is willing to spend premium prices for hot selling shows, like Wicked or Spamalot. But why do people buy premium tickets where you probably will have no problem getting exceptional seats at normal prices?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 3:41pm

For the exact reason that the $250 are sold - to trick unsuspecting tourists (especially foreigners) into thinking that it's the only way to see a show.

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 3:48pm

The cheapest I've paid for front row was $25 at Spelling Bee. I love lotto.

[sunflower12063]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 4:03pm

It's been a while since I have lived in New York and bought theatre tickets, and about 2 1/2 months ago Without A Trace saved me from buying a $250 premium ticket for a show.

So now I use my knowledge and power to save other unsuspecting suckers...

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 4:23pm

LOL! Clumsydude, I will be back in Oct. or Nov.!!! I was just there last week for the Tonys and 6 shows.

Updated On: 6/22/06 at 04:23 PM

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 4:24pm

bwayondabrain,

The Color Purple's weekly op costs are much more than $500,000, closer to $600,000.

Where exactly did you read that info?
Updated On: 6/22/06 at 04:24 PM

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 7:27pm

Business Week magazine
it was an article like last November

:)