Posted: 8/15/17 at 11:51pm
The $169 for onstage tables and lower row/aisle banquettes at Great Comet is by far worth every penny. Didn't feel the banquettes further up were much different than sitting mid-Orchestra. I mean, they are raked and it beats sitting almost leveled with the person in front of you but it felt no more intimate than the orchestra. That's just my opinion.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 12:50am
I can tell you what wasn't worth it... South Pacific with Laura Osnes (full price in the first few rows) and Bright Star (also full price but with the benefit of a bunch of Audience Rewards points). I have had some fantastic theatrical experiences but I generally tap out around $60 because there are so many grievances with bad audience behavior that will inevitably ruin a show if you've paid over a certain amount for a ticket. The cost of my Shuffle Along ticket was totally worth the show but the audience almost ruined the experience for me.
If I'd paid more to see Sara Bareilles in Waitress, I wouldn't have regretted it at all.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 3:38am
A couple come to my mind. I paid $166 to sit 10th row, center orchestra for the final performance of She Loves Me last summer. It was my big "splurge" show for that trip. I didn't want to miss it, and the afternoon was just flawless. The cast was on fire, Jane did the splits (she had been cutting it out for physical reasons), Zachary broke and started crying in the show's final moments, and Sheldon Harnick came up onstage during curtain call to give a very moving speech.
The other was also last summer and was $99 for 3rd row mezz to Shuffle Along. Seeing a cast of that caliber together, doing a fascinating original idea for a musical AND seeing queen Audra tap dance while very pregnant made the night priceless.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 7:30am
I spent $150 1996 dollars to see RENT at New York Theater Workshop at a benefit performance, and it was magical.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 7:36am
I seldom pay full price and I will never pat premium for any ticket. I've even skipped shows if their regular price is out of reach (Hugh Jackman's last show comes to mind.)
But there are definitely shows that no matter how little I've paid seemed like a waste.
Rock of Ages
Curtains
Story of My Life
All Shook Up
Rent
Posted: 8/16/17 at 8:38am
I paid a lot on StubHub for a 3rd row center balcony ticket to see Neil Patrick Harris in Hedwig. This is really the only time I can remember having buyer's remorse over a ticket. Not because the show was bad, but because it just was not worth the amount I spent.
Updated On: 8/16/17 at 08:38 AM
Posted: 8/16/17 at 8:55am
Kind of an offbeat one, but hear goes...
What I paid: $150 for a private cabaret given by one of my theatre role models for less than 50 people in a penthouse on Leonard Street.
Getting to meet Judy Kaye for the first time (and beyond): Priceless.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 8:56am
I fear this will just turn into "I bought expensive seats and hated the show" but
I was quite unhappy with my seats in the music box, mid orch but they were farther back than I was expecting and the rake is not very good in that theatre. I felt I was constantly shifting to see around heads.
In contrast, I got 2-for-1 tickets to If/Then through a promotion and was quite happy with them. Also mid orch, to the side but significantly closer and a much better rake. People rag on the RR but I always have an excellent view there.
(Most I've paid for a ticket was about $400 to see the New Admin Hamilton cast from a premium seat. Absolutely worth it, even if I wasn't fond of all of them compared to the OBC - the experience of being in the perfect seat at my fav show was worth it)
Posted: 8/16/17 at 10:26am
In 2002 (I was 12) My father paid like $100 for Lion King orchestra seats.
This past April I paid $167 for row 7 at Hamilton =] Show transformed me.
i just paid $370 yesterday for DEH on 9/30 : /
Updated On: 8/16/17 at 10:26 AM
Posted: 8/16/17 at 10:34am
The most I've paid is $180 for HAMILTON with the original cast right before the Tony awards - worth every penny.
My favorite one to brag about is seeing THE BOOK OF MORMON 2 weeks into previews for $40.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 10:53am
Wick3 said: "Got front row tix for Hedwig and the Angry Inch for $299 and Darren Criss kissed me during SUGAR DADDY!!!! Totally made the price of the premium tix worth every penny. lol."
I might've paid $299 for just the kiss. 
Posted: 8/16/17 at 10:54am
$275 for Hugh Jackman -Back on Broadway tickets. Christmas present to myself on 12/23/11. A special memory so yes it was worth it.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 11:06am
I started this thread and it just occurred to me that I didn't answer my own question. For me, the most I've ever paid is a dead heat:
I paid about $360 per ticket for my husband and I to see two Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London (we went both Saturday and Sunday night). It was worth every penny and I have no regrets.
I recently paid $361 apiece for dead center orchestra row E for us to see Come From Away next week; I've seen it already and loved it, but he hasn't. I expect to have no regrets once again.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 11:10am
The most my family has ever paid, I believe, was for the most recent time Wicked was playing in Chicago. We paid 140 dollars for dress circle tickets and honestly, it was the best show experience I've had so far. The cast included Alison Luff, where it basically grew from there.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 11:13am
I totally forgot about paying nearly 200 for dear Evan Hansen. That was totally worth it.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 11:37am
My first time I came to NYC for vacation in November 2012, I was there for ten days and had a limited budget and only saw four shows. The way I saw two of them was via SRO lines. I missed out on rush tickets for Once because I was too far back, but I scored a $27 SRO ticket as those were given out to those next in line. It remains one of my favorite Broadway shows. I pretty much cried through the whole show. It was with the original cast after it cleaned up at the Tony's.
That same trip I stood in line for Book of Mormon. I got there 6 hours before they they started offering the tix in 40-degree weather. I was first in line. Young woman got there soon after and we waited the whole time. So we both got $27 SRO tickets (we entered the lottery too, but no luck there). The show is great (another one of my favorites), but my favorite part is she and I are still Facebook friends. That was a true bonding environment. Anyone who is willing to do that would probably meet the compatibility test for friendship with me. Lol
On the other end of the spectrum, 2 years ago I wanted to see Hamilton. So while in NYC, I made friends with someone (hmmmm...I sense a theme) at the Hamilton lottery. Tried twice. Never won, of course. We ended up going to Times Square Marriott Marquis ticket concierge booth and paid $375 each for (originally $65) seats in highest level of Balcony. Zero leg room, long legs, bad knees, almost constant knee pain. Despite that, Hamilton, remains my favorite Broadway show experience.
i just spent $250 on DEH (w/ Ben) and $413 for Hello Dolly! In November. Hoping they'll be two more to add to the above list.
I have no shows I regret spending money on although some obviously were bound to be better than others.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 1:18pm
Miles2Go2 said: "I have no shows I regret spending money on"
There are two shows that I recall actually thinking, "If I could do it again, I'd skip that and keep my money" as I was leaving the theatre: War Paint and Anastasia.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 6:40pm
Years ago I bought a TKS ticket for a Saturday matinee of Black & Blue. It wasn't alot of money, maybe $50. However, both Linda Hopkins and Ruth Brown were out. They utilized an understudy for one, but not the other. So when there was a song, when all three (Carrie ?) performed, we only had two. On some numbers, when it was a duet, then there was just one. I felt it was a waste of my money. Back then I didn't know you could get your money back for performers, above the title, being out.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 6:40pm
double post
Updated On: 8/16/17 at 06:40 PM
Posted: 8/16/17 at 7:17pm
I paid $500 to for onstage seats for The Great comet as an early Christmas present for my mom and it remains one of the most thrilling theatre experiences of my life that I don't think will ever be topped. My mom ended up being in the seat where she got to go onstage to deliver the letter to Natasha so she refers to the day as her Broadway debut
Posted: 8/16/17 at 8:20pm
I paid $170 for a front-row, center orchestra seat to the first preview of Anastasia.
While I do wish they had stronger book in many ways, I've been a massive fan of Anastasia since I was a kid - it was the first soundtrack I ever owned - and it was nothing but pure magic to see the story performed, on its very first night, from such an incredible vantage point. It was like a first trip to Disneyland, and I don't regret a cent of it!
I was sitting so front-and-center that I was visible on the conductor screens. Didn't think much of it until one of the ensemble recognized me at stage door, and said that backstage they had been enjoying watching my reactions on the screen!!!
Posted: 8/16/17 at 9:00pm
$95 to sit front-end center for "Follies" with Jan Maxwell and Bernadette Peters. That was the first time I'd ever paid more than $40 for any show. Worth every cent. $95 for front row mezz for "Pippin" just after opening. I paid $168 for front row seat seat right in front of the pie counter (and a pie) for "Sweeney Todd" at Barrow St - the side facing the orchestra. I believe it will be worth it!
Posted: 8/16/17 at 9:12pm
Paid $360ish I think for premium seats for Hamilton in November 2015. My friend and I couldn't even sit together but I was in Row D and she was in Row E right behind me. It was life altering for me. She was meh.... I remember getting buyers remorse after I bought them - but not after I saw the show.
This April I spent $250 each for stage seats to The Great Comet. Had 2 friends with me that had never been to a Broadway show (or New York) and we had Josh Groban sitting right across from us. Totally worth every penny.
Posted: 8/16/17 at 9:13pm
I'll also add: all the tickets I ever got for my mom, and that includes Cats. Because while my mom's tastes in musicals is very, uh. unadventurous, going to momsicals several times a year has become a thing for us and something we both look forward to.
