What's the most you'll spend ...

[Karen Cartwright]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:23pm

On a ticket to a show?

I suddenly have a hole in my theatre schedule for my trip next week/weekend and I'm trying to decide what to see.

StubHub is asking over $300 for "Hedwig" balcony seats for a sold-out show. "Cabaret" is a little more cost-effective at $173 for a rear-mezz seat.

So. What's the most you'll spend over face for a ticket? And what would you need to justify it?

(Also - help? What should I see?)

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:25pm

i dont wanna play this game, but if your trying to get in for Hedwig put the time aside and do standing room, you get a twentysomething dollar ticket.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:30pm

Both those prices are insane for the quality of seating you'll be getting. But if you have the disposable income, go for it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:30pm

I can't imagine I'd ever pay over face value for any show, starring anybody. But that's just me.

To whom do you need to justify it? It's your money, isn't it?

Which show? I would think that Hedwig is the more special of the two -- and who know how long NPH will be in it.

[Karen Cartwright]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:32pm

See - I'm not SUPER interested in "Hedwig", but I'd hate to miss out on something that could be "once in a lifetime".

I got talked into SRO last year for "Motown" (yeah, I'm an idiot) - and I swore never again. But thanks for the suggestion - maybe I will do that if I can't make up my mind.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:32pm

The fact that someone actually finds $173 "cost effective" is the very reason that we are stuck with $173 tickets.....and rising.

[Karen Cartwright]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:41pm

The "cost-effective" part was a joke.

I was given my Circle Club seat to "Lady Day" as a birthday present, and that's probably the most that I've ever paid for (or had a person pay for) a ticket to any show.

The other shows, I've bought tickets for <$70 and the remaining three, I plan to rush or TodayTix and see what I get.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:56pm

$70 sounds about right to me, but every "discount" flyer I get in the mail seems to be a little bit less of a discount on an overly inflated ticket price. 30% off is the new 50% off and it's off higher and higher prices. Soon 20% off will be the new 30% off. I have to wonder why some of these shows that are playing to ridiculously low capacities don't figure out a way to do seriously substantial discounts, or just lower their prices altogether. Would the producers like fifty dollars per ticket to fill seats at partially empty shows or no dollars at all? Yeah I know, TDF and TKTS and all that but not everyone has access to TDF and when the price point is already do high, even TKTS is often restrictive. I'm well aware that affordable tickets are not a "right", so as prices continue to skyrocket, I guess any of us who are not in the 1% can just go sit in a park and play with dirt instead.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 8:58pm

Stick with TodayTix. They have a wide selection of options on there, and that very often includes more popular titles.

Don't pay $173 for rear mezz of Studio 54. That's masochistic.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 9:07pm

I would guess producers don't lower prices beyond a certain point for the same reason hotels don't do so and are OK letting some rooms sit vacant: price/value anchoring. There is ample consumer spending research that reinforces the important of anchoring the perceived value/cache of your product using price.

Producers want to anchor the perceived value of a ticket to their show at the full price level and not discount it too far beneath that as doing so would risk that lower price becoming the anchor in a purchaser's mind as to the quality of the show and what it is really worth. It's partially why JCP had to drop its "always low prices: and go back to the inflated retail price/weekly sale game: consumers want to feel like they are getting a deal.

[Karen Cartwright]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 9:15pm

Thanks, Kad. I appreciate it.

Maybe I'll just take the opportunity to go see "Here Lies Love" or "Sleep No More" instead.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 9:26pm

Indytallguy, I hear you. Your comparison to hotels makes me wonder if a Priceline type service would work for Broadway. You pick your price and the show's management can accept or reject it. Seems better than seats going empty.

[gstrus2]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 9:36pm

In regards to Motown SRO vs Hedwig SRO. I do not know what happened that made you say "never again" to SRO, but keep in mind Motown is 2.5 hours and Hedwig is 1.5, so if your feet hurt, it's a whole hour less! I loved Hedwig and highly suggest it!

[James885]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 10:54pm

I think anything more than $100 is ridiculous.

[emilyfaye48]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 10:58pm

Don't spend $300 on balcony for Hedwig. If you really don't want to miss it try the cancelation line. I personally think it's despicable to buy or sell tickets for over face value.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/1/14 at 10:59pm

Stubhub sold some Hedwig first previews tickets for $400+

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 12:13am

Not to jump on the price whining but to clarify my original post: I seldom even pay full price to any show I see.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 2:40am

I would never pay over face for a ticket be it theater, concerts, sporting events whatever. There's just nothing I need to attend that badly. As far as what "they" charge for face value, they charge what they charge because they can get people to pay it. When they are no longer able to do so, they will lower the prices. This happens on a daily basis when premium seats are converted to regular seats shortly before curtain when it's clear they will not be able to sell it for premium prices This folks is economics 101 and is the answer to every question on here that starts with "well why can't the producers just lower prices by..."

A very good seat at a baseball or basketball game costs $250-300, same with great seats for a concert. Some of the people on here think theater tickets are the only things in the world that cost a lot. As has been said, if it's too much money, don't go. So you'll only see 60 shows this year instead of 65. So you'll only see Hedwig 6 times instead of the 8 times you'd like to go. But the constant whining that certain people on this board endeavor in is so tiresome to listen to and completely unproductive.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 6:26am

@mattrogers

Your Priceline idea is a very interesting one. I could see a more adventurous producer doing it for "day of" tickets in particular.

[mc1227]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 6:56am

I have still not not seen BOM because I will not pay those inflated prices. However, I feel if it's an artist you really want to see or an exclusive event, you should pay whatever you can afford because it will make you happy and you will always have those memories.

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 7:21am

The only show I have paid over face value for is Book of Mormon during its first six months. We generally mix face value with discounts. But, its your money, your time and your desire. A ticket is worth whatever someone will pay for it. And if you feel you got good value, then you did, and you need to simply ignore what other people paid for their ticket.
If you don't live in NYC, and are making a trip there, and there's a show you want to see, then you likely will pay full price. If there is a "once in a lifetime" event, then pay for it (if you can afford it) and then never regret it - because you only had the one chance and you took it. If you don't care as much, and you have the time, then TKTS or TDF or Playbill or Discount Codes or Rush or Lottery or Day Tickets are for you. People on this Board sometimes forget that few of us have the opportunities residents of the NYC area have for seeing shows.

I do find the fascination with what people are paying for their tickets, well, fascinating.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 8:33am

Everyone has his or her own financial situation so it's hard to compare.

For me personally, I do a lot of lotteries, standing room, etc when I can and I always look for discount codes. Because I am lucky enough to live in the city, I always buy at the theater and don't think I have ever paid the surcharge to order on line.

I think the most I have ever spent on a ticket for something really special is about $160..and that's rare and usually involves getting tickets that are involved with a gift for someone else. I would not consider a $200+ for really anything..


Updated On: 5/2/14 at 08:33 AM

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 9:14am

"I have still not not seen BOM because I will not pay those inflated prices. However, I feel if it's an artist you really want to see or an exclusive event, you should pay whatever you can afford because it will make you happy and you will always have those memories. "

Take the train to Providence and see it for $80 there. Now that we're well beyond the original cast (and it's the bones of the show that make it, not the players), you'll get a pretty damn good version of BOM for half the price of B'way.

Of course there *were* discounts prior to previews on Broadway, but that was a limited time thing

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 9:39am

$ 300 for a balcony seat?

You just have to laugh at something so preposterous. Ticket prices will continue to rise because people will pay this absurd price. Add to that people who see the same show 20 or 30 times. Producers see with examples like these the sky is the limit. Unfortunately, that ruins it for average folks who cannot pay these absurd prices.

I have no desire to see Mr Hedwig and his angry counterpart. Next season the prices will be worse and so on and so on every year. As long as there are enough suckers, producers will keep jacking up the prices ad nauseum.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/2/14 at 9:49am

"Ticket prices will continue to rise because people will pay this absurd price."

Is it really too much to ask Mr Roxy to spell out when it is he ADORES capitalism and when it is he does not?

"I have no desire to see Mr Hedwig and his angry counterpart."

This is no loss for all concerned.

Updated On: 5/2/14 at 09:49 AM