Broadway Prices Out of Control- Page 2

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 4:42pm

I wish Broadway prices were lower. I mean come on, for people who want to see a show, but really don't have $400 to splurge on seats, how can you see a show? Thank god for TKTS or I'd never see anything.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 5:20pm

melissa, yes, I know several people who have purchased premium seats. My parents have done it several times when there's a show they want to see and the premiums are the only good seats left. Many of their friends who come to the city fairly regularly, 4 or 5 times a year, to see shows, will pay the premium prices to get good seats. The other thing that happens is that businesses, banks, law firms in the city buy up those premium seats to use for clients. For some shows, they've been very successful at selling them.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 5:24pm

Understandable, Erin. I guess I can see how some theatregoers who only see a handful of shows a year would have no problem splurging on $300 to a show. I myself don't think that I could ever do it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 6:29pm

Maybe so many people use discounts because that is the only way they can see shows.

Movies are dying, in part , because of high admission prices, high concession prices & rotten movies. Even with seeing many discounted shows, we have already had to lop off 2 shows we wanted to see but decided to put the money toward other shows. The early casualties are Mr Marmelade & Third

It is GREED pure & simple. We had this discussion recently. At some point, unless you are J Paul Getty, you have to start to reduce your theatergoing. It has happened to us & probably will continue with others added to the list. Regretable but a decision made for economic reasons

Updated On: 11/7/05 at 06:29 PM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 6:36pm

"AS a smoker, I will continue to smoke and go to shows. If I quit, I will do so when I am ready to!"

hopefully before you have lung cancer......

interesting, that you chose to defend a form of suicide rather than see how much you would save.
Be my guest smoke til the cows come home, just nowhere near me

[pndmnd]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 8:00pm

Cheersfface--I'm so glad that you brought some of those things up.

I've said this before on another thread, but I think it's worth repeating:

The economy stinks right now. Plain and simple. Cost of living is ery high in New York, and the producers have to pay, not only the actors and designers and writers, but the scenic painters, carpenters, stitchers, pattern makers, electricians, box office staff, musicians, custodians, etc. There's a lot more to running a theatre than just paying the actors. They all have to be able to live, too. Also, with the increase in heating costs (due to the increase in oil costs--I won't get started on that!), I'm not at all surprised that ticket prices are going up. I would be quite shocked if they hadn't! Yes, I think $300 is a bit extreme, but as long as they have people willing to pay that, they'll keep doing it.

Also, I've never bought ALL full priced tickets on a trip to New York. I usually pick one (maybe two) shows that I REALLY want to see, and get tickets in advance for that, and then I got to TKTS. I've had really good luck, there, and sometime's I've seen things that I wouldn't have been as inclined to go to otherwise.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 8:12pm

To those who use the arguement everything is going up so the ticket prices have to go up think about this. Over the last 20 years, look at the percentage of inflation vs the rise in ticket prices. The rise in the latter is way out of whack vs inflation

In addition, Broadway is a luxury. People need to feed & clothe themselves & their families & must pay the rent. Some have car payments & college payments to make. Out of the above, if push comes to shove, what gets whacked first ?

By the way, the economy does not stink. Despite Katrina & Wilma & high oil prices ( which are starting to come down )the economy is still in relatively in good shape as opposed to what it could be. Cost of living in NY always was & always will be high. Part of the problem here is backbreaking state & city taxes. You figure out the guilty culprits

No matter who wins tomorrow in NYC ( wonder who ) the taxpayers will assume the position again. Santa Claus Bloomberg has given raises to every union ( to buy support ) even though the city is a financial basket case with structural deficits in the budget for years to come. Wonder how the gaps will be closed ? Put your thinking caps on boys & girls . Take 3 guesses & the first 2 don't count

Updated On: 11/7/05 at 08:12 PM

[StandingO]

Posted: 11/7/05 at 10:24pm

I saw RAGTIME many years ago and purchased the "Premium Seat Package." It also included admission to a private lounge downstairs with an open bar and cheeze and crackers both before the show and during intermission. We were also escorted to and from our seats through a private hallway and had use of a private restroom. For that one night, it was great to see (and feel) how the other half lives. On the plus side, the unsold premium seats are usually released (like the house seats)to the general public 24-48 hours before showtime and sell at the regular prices. I have been lucky enough to score great seats at regular prices many times last minute. Mostly through Ticketmaster.

[QMAN03]

Posted: 11/8/05 at 12:18am

Melissa, I actuually recieved premium seats for Spamalot as a birthday present because I could find no other seats. I think they are row D on the aisle. Pretty crazy I must admit.