Why don't they make cheep family friendly musicals anymore?

[Oldies m]

High school musicals are like the only way a lot of people experience the art of theater and it is nice if there was a cheaper and more family-friendly musicals being made so high schools can do them.
same for community theater

[JSquared2]

Because they're for the birds!

(Cheep --- get it???)  

 

[dramamama611]

They exist, but they are pretty terrible and not very challenging for the student actors. Additionally, selling tickets for musicals that no one knows is difficult.

On one hand, it sucks that they are so expensive, but I can't begrudge the artists being paid for their work.

 

When were they ever cheap?

[SomethingPeculiar]

Your question doesn't really make sense. 

If your complaint is about the costs of producing, there will always be licensing fees so the authors can rightfully be paid, determined by the number of seats in your theatre. But your physical production costs aren't fixed: there are ways to work around expensive sets/costumes/orchestras (unless you're trying to do something like Beauty and the Beast). Companies like MTI also offer resources.

If your complaint is about ticket prices at the amateur level, they've probably been strategically priced to cover the above expenses. But I bet ticket prices are still a steal -- what are they, $25?

[dramamama611]

25 bucks to see a high school show?  You're kidding, right?

 

I think he means rights and royalties being more affordable.