What You Paid vs. What You Got
What You Paid vs. What You Got
#1What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:44am
As anyone in sales will tell you, cost and value are not necessarily equivalent.
What is the most you've ever paid for a theatre ticket when you felt that the actual experience was worth it?
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#2What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:49am
I think $350 for second row aisle for JCM's final Hedwig was the most I ever paid. Instead of tossing the sheet music into the crowd, JCM walked right over to me and put it in my hand, and he also sang one line of Wig In a Box to me while pointing right at me. Then again, a week earlier, we did have a randy car wash together?
#3What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:50am
In November of 2004, I paid $180 to see Idina Menzel (and Megan Hilty) in Wicked-- totally worth it.
In February of 2017, I paid $220 for Hamilton-- not really worth it. Very much enjoyed the show. LOVED the cast (Brandon Victor Dixon and Mandy Gonzalez were improvements for me). The show itself just didn't leave me feeling like it was worth over $200.
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
#4What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:57am
I paid $189 for an orchestra DEH ticket and it was absolutely worth every penny. One of the most emotional nights I've ever spent at a theater.
Also paid $169 to see Sara Bareilles as Waitress -- again, totally worth it. Her Jenna was amazing.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#5What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:58am
I donated $300 to the Public to skip the line for Mother Courage with Streep and Kline in the Park. Worth every cent.
Updated On: 8/15/17 at 09:58 AM
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#6What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:19am
I think I paid like $120 for second row Sara B. in Waitress seats. And I loved it. But I knew going in I loved the show. It was just an awesome experience.
On the flip side, I bought an actual mezz ticket to the recent WSS revival - paid around $100 - and hated every second of the show and the experience - the woman behind me kept telling me if I leaned forward, she couldn't see, so I spent the whole second act uncomfortable.
#7What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:29am
I paid $380 for two center orchestra row M tickets to the Hello, Dolly! revival. I brought my best friend from college as thanks for letting me stay at his place.
Him going, "Now I get why you love Broadway!" after the show, was worth every cent to me!
We then went to Cats because he wanted to see another show with me. 
Jazzman714
Chorus Member Joined: 7/5/16
#8What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:31am
Paid almost $400 total for two orchestra seats to see Bette this past April. Not a single regret.
Slightly off-topic: I paid $220 for a seat at the Barbra Streisand concert last August and felt a little bit of buyer's remorse. I was quite far away from the stage and basically relied on the diamond screens to watch the performance. I could have had the same experience watching a video at home.
@z5
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
#9What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:45am
Pretty sure most expensive broadway ticket I've bought was Book of Mormon in January 2015 for $210 each, in the second row of the orchestra. Definitely loved it.
Paid only $180 for Hamilton though last year!
I typically end up paying more for concerts instead of Broadway shows.
#10What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:47am
Jazzman714 said: "Slightly off-topic: I paid $220 for a seat at the Barbra Streisand concert last August and felt a little bit of buyer's remorse. I was quite far away from the stage and basically relied on the diamond screens to watch the performance. I could have had the same experience watching a video at home."
That's one of the only concert purchases I slightly regret. I paid $177 a ticket for the Back to Brooklyn show at Barclay's in 2012 for total nosebleed seats. Had to travel and get a hotel room and all, and she ended up bringing the show to a city half hour away from me. I'm glad I finally got the chance to see her, but the whole situation left me a bit peeved.
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
#11What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 11:59am
The most I've paid is $189 for Dear Evan Hansen in November. I'll let you know if it was worth it.
broadwayliz22
Swing Joined: 8/4/17
#12What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 12:14pm
paid $275 to see dear evan hansen. ticket was in row g mezz side and was worth every single penny!!
#13What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 12:31pm
Most I paid was for SUNSET BOULEVARD this past June (about $180 total) and it was worth every penny.
mullein
Understudy Joined: 8/23/16
#14What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 12:44pm
Paid $199 to see Hamilton this summer and it was totally not worth it lol... Still a great show but does not justify the price of the tickets anymore. (Ironically the first ticket I bought to see Hamilton in September 2015 was $89 and the experience was worth a million.)
#15What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 12:44pm
The most I've paid for a show I've actually seen was $375 for a nosebleed seat (literally top row of Balcony) to see Hamilton. Friend and I got our tickets through Marriott Marquis concierge in Times Square. Originally, I think the ticket was priced at $65. I was in almost constant agony with zero legroom, long legs and bad knees. But totally worth it. My favorite Broadway memory.
I just spent $413 on a Hello Dolly! ticket for November 10th. I'll let you knowing if it was worth it. At least this time it's Orchestra (Row J) - not an aisle seat, but hopefully more legroom.
#16What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 12:51pm
$199 + 8 hours of waiting for Hamilton. Worth it!
#17What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 3:06pm
I think the most I paid was about $180/person for both parts (in one day) of Harry Potter in London (center orchestra). Totally worth it. Stanley Tucci was across the aisle from us, so it was like spending all day with him. LOL
I've never paid for "premium" seats nor purchased tickets scalped in person or online. I've yet to find anything worth being scammed. For both Harry Potter in London and Hamilton on Broadway, I made whatever plans I needed to make to be available as soon as they were on sale online at face value.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
dev101
Featured Actor Joined: 8/31/14
#18What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 3:28pm
Probably the most I've ever paid was in the neighborhood of $160-170 for the recent Sunday in the Park with George. It was hands down my most favorite broadway experience. The show was phenomenal, and to top it off, I got to thank Jake for his performance and got a selfie with him at the stage door. The show was practically a religious/transcendental experience for me and I would've paid even more.
Stage Door Sally
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/4/09
#19What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 3:57pm
Paid $375 each for four super premium, and $275 each for four premium tickets to Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler.
In retrospect, buying the moment tickets went on sale turned out to be a GREAT deal.
A day doesn't go by that someone in the group doesn't talk about the amazing experience they had that night. Worth.It.
#20What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 4:26pm
<enter I bought amazing tickets for real cheap but actor didn't stage door joke here>
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
#21What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:30pm
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.
#22What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 9:59pm
Paid $275 for last row of the balcony to see Nathan and Matthew in THE PRODUCERS. It actually cost $100 more because I had bought a ticket to CONTACT but at the last minute bailed on that show and bought the Producers ticket from a broker. No regrets as I was in NYC on the company dime so I had extra personal cash to play around.
#23What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:05pm
The most I've ever paid for anything is 160.00. And that was alot to me. Luckily I've never missed any of the must see shows or performances because of connections, discounts, amazing friends and stuff like that. 160 was for Hedwig with JCM and I kinda regretted it not because of the performance but because that night I wanted to score an extra ticket so I tried for the lottery and everyone who entered won seats- that were right by me. Lol. So I could have saved a lot of money.
Darreyl with an L!
@z5
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
#24What You Paid vs. What You Got
Posted: 8/15/17 at 10:05pm
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.
"...awkward because I remember spending $89 for those same seats..
#25What You Paid vs. What You Got
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.
