Why is theatre so much more expensive nowadays?- Page 4

[Theaterfan555]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 1:25pm

I was scrolling through this thread reading the back & forth with interest until I was stopped in my tracks by this post:

"There are so many ways to discount tickets now. I wonder if some of this isn't taking that into account Yes, I just paid with shipping $360 for FH tickets. A friend goes to shows mostly for free or through contests, and she goes to a lot of shows."

What the hell is FH???? After reviewing upcoming Bway shows, I figured it is Fun Home -- a SEVEN-LETTER title. Really, that's too difficult to type? I hate these stupid acronyms everybody uses on this message board. "Les Miz," "Fiddler," this is how you abbreviate a show title...in a way that's recognizable and unique. I hope someday soon half the shows on Bway happen to have the same initials. I guess people will just have to stop posting because god forbid they type an actual word.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 2:06pm

Ha! FH is a ridiculous abbreviation. "Fun Home" is a terrific show.

On topic:

Never pay retail. Look at broadwaybox or Playbill.com for discounts. Almost every show has a lottery which can be as cheap as $25 for a prime orchestra seat.

Other ideas:

Sneak in. At New World Stages, I saw "Heathers" twice for free by claiming I went to go have a smoke outside and left my ticket in my coat.

Second acting used to be a usual practice, but is harder now. Back in the day, I saw the second act of "Dreamgirls" over a dozen times by holding a playbill from the one performance that I paid for. To second act these days, you need a ticket. But honestly, if you flash a ticket from anything, they don't check. Go find an empty seat in the balcony.

The thing is you can't do any of these for sold-out shows. It won't work for "Book of Mormon."

The best one I ever saw? Some lady claimed that Loni Ackerman left her tickets for "Wonderful Town". There were no tickets, and Loni Ackerman is a very obscure actress, but the woman got house seats by insisting. That's nerve.

I once claimed I was a critic for a defunct newspaper and got into the Tony Nominations announcements at Lincoln Center.

Use your imagination, and shows can cost nothing.



Updated On: 2/22/15 at 02:06 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 2:10pm

Sigh.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 2:39pm

Sigh.

Why?
?
Corporate idiots are paying $400 a ticket for "Book of Mormon"?

I think actual theatre lovers should be able to see shows at a reasonable cost. Or free.

One last tip: make friends with Stage Managers. Don't stand at the stage door wanting Idina's autograph, make friends with the Stage Manager. Learn their names, bring them gifts, and see what happens.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 2:45pm

^ Glad you have cringe in your screen name cause that's exactly what your post made me want to do. You forgot to add find people with tickets to the show you want to go to approaching the theater, hit them on the head from behind when no one's looking, dump them in an alley and grab their tickets. That would work too, right?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 2:59pm

And entitlement rears its ugly head again.

[JayG 2]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 8:25pm

The answer is producers allowing their stars to play twelve weeks and bail out. And since that's the case, they have to hike up prices to try to pay off their backers , and of course every show without a star is going to follow the lead.
When Night of the Iguana's producer asked Katerine Hepburn to do the play, she said she woul do it for six months. She was told, no thanks. Not long enough.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:18pm

I think that working people in the NYC Metro area should have reasonable property and sales tax, or none at all.

How do I get started on this?

I think that you were on firm ground with "never pay retail."

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:46pm

Exactly JayG

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 4:46pm

Exactly JayG