Thursday Matinees

[hamiltonboys]

Hello all,

I'm only in NYC from August 8-10, so I'm looking to see a Thursday matinee on August 9. Phantom really isn't my favorite show so I'm looking for off-Broadway recommendations

 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Broadway.com has Bway & Off-Broadway listings broken down by day

Looks like Desperate Measures or Gazillion Bubble Show would be your Thursday matinee options. Thurs matinees are rare, unfortunately. (I haven't seen Desperate Measures, but I know some people have loved it.)

[Dave13]

I have never understood why more shows do not offer Tuesday or Thursday matinees. Its a gem whenever you can find one. 

[Broadway Bob*]

I would think Friday matinees would also be successful as there might be more people apt to be available to do a matinee that day (tourists in for a long weekend, locals who might take an afternoon off work, and the like).

[macnyc]

The highly praised production of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish has a Thursday matinee at 1 p.m. on August 9, but it's sold out. Maybe you can contact the theater for info about cancellations or standing room. The theater is all the way downtown, though. 

http://nytf.org/?event=fiddler-on-the-roof-in-yiddish

[Emmaloucbway]

Desperate Measures is a lot of fun!

[ACL2006]

Always thought some shows should switch to Thursday matinees just for the summer.

[LarryD2]

Dave13 said: "I have never understood why more shows do not offer Tuesday or Thursday matinees. Its a gem whenever you can find one."

Lots of productions have tried to implement Thursday or Friday matinees over the years, but the concept has never really taken off. Unlike the West End, where midweek matinees throughout the week are common, Wednesday is really ingrained as the "matinee day" here. PHANTOM is the only show that seems to have consistently made a Thursday matinee work for a long period of time.

[TheSassySam]

I would love to see the longer-running shows like The Lion King or Chicago implement a Thursday or Friday matinee. 

Why is Wednesday the "matinee" day on Broadway? 

[Wick3]

I agree on Friday matinees. In the summer, my company let's us leave after 1pm on Fridays.

[Phantom4ever]

I believe Lion King has a special matinee that Friday, August 10

[carolinaguy]

Friday matinees would mean two consecutive two-show days. A few shows do this already with two performances each on Saturday and Sunday, but cast members often complain that this schedule is a killer.

[haterobics]

TheSassySam said: "Why is Wednesday the "matinee" day on Broadway?"

The bigger issue, I think, is if you consider all of the B&T that come to shows, there is an entire industry built around Wednesday matinees. If I were to take the "Shopper's special" bus from where I live 2.5 hours outside of NYC, it is a $25 round-trip. It only runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and specifically mentions catching a Broadway matinee as one of its features. If you go on a different day, it's $45 each way.

So after decades of bus tours and such standardizing on the Wednesday matinee, I don't think they would change it just so people could see an extra show on summer vacations. The bus tours and such are the people who see shows year-round, so they are more predictable business than vacationers.

[SomethingPeculiar]

I'm just remembering: Phantom, Cinderella, and Mamma Mia all partnered on a promotion to advertise their Thursday matinees a few years ago (and Matilda also did some Thurs matinees). Phantom must do well enough with their Thursday matinee to justify it, sort of like the shows that have shows on Monday nights. 


Unrelated, but I think ONCE ON THIS ISLAND has the most bizarre schedule:
Friday night
Saturday two shows
Sunday two shows
Mon night
Tues night
Weds matinee
Thurs dark

[LarryD2]

SomethingPeculiar said: "I'm just remembering:Phantom, Cinderella, and Mamma Mia all partnered on a promotion to advertise their Thursday matinees a few years ago (and Matilda also did someThurs matinees). Phantom must do well enough with their Thursday matineeto justify it, sort of like the shows that have shows on Monday nights.


Unrelated, but I think ONCE ON THIS ISLAND has the most bizarre schedule:
Friday night
Saturday two shows
Sunday two shows
Mon night
Tues night
Weds matinee
Thurs dark"

I actually think that schedule makes a lot of sense. Having only one matinee on Wednesday, followed by a Thursday off day, gives the performers more than 48 hours off between end-of-show Wednesday and call on Friday.

[JBradshaw]

“Chicago” tried Thursday matinees in the past - I enjoyed them - but didn’t sell well. Was like a ghost town inside the theatre. I’m sure tkts not being open didn’t help 

 

TheSassySam said: "I would love to see the longer-running shows like The Lion King or Chicago implement a Thursday or Friday matinee.

Why is Wednesday the "matinee" day on Broadway?"

 

[n2nbaby]

I remember seeing a Thursday matinee of Mamma Mia! a few months before it closed and it was so, so empty.

I was so happy to squeeze in an extra show though! Honestly, that and the $30 rush ticket was the only reason I saw it.

[ACL2006]

Just noticed when looking for tickets, but Moulin Rouge will be having Thursday matinees after it opens.

[uncageg]

Fiddler in Yiddish will be moving their Thursday matinees to Wednesdays in June.

[ACL2006]

The Play That Goes Wrong is also doing Thursday matinees this summer. Quite a few options this summer.

[LizzieCurry]

macnyc, it's not downtown. It's at Stage 42.

[BroadwayGuy12]

macnyc's reply was from July 2018, prior to Fiddler's transfer to Stage 42.

[Broadway Bob*]

For some strange reason "Frankie & Johnny" is dark Wednesday and has an added Thursday matinee the last week of June only. That happens to be the long weekend I will be in town so I am ecstatic to not only get to add an extra show but that one specifically! (Otherwise would have made a return trip to either "Phantom"
 or "Play That Goes Wrong" - probably "Play..."

"Gazillion Bubble Show" has an 11am show on Thursday and on Saturday so was thinking of adding it in too. Anyone seen it? Thoughts? Runt time? THANKS!

[LizzieCurry]

Thanks, BroadwayGuy12!

[Fosse76]

SomethingPeculiar said: "Phantom must do well enough with their Thursday matineeto justify it, sort of like the shows that have shows on Monday nights."

Simply put, Phantom doesn't do any worse on Thursday matinees than it did on Wednesday matinees, so there was no reason to move it back to Wednesdays.