I think Gypsy probably has just run its course, and Hairspray announced its closing before the economy tanked so Spring Awakening and 13 might be the only ones that can be attributed to the lack of pocket money.I think your comments are right on the money here, Mark. With a few exceptions (Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Jersey Boys), shows have a limited life span, and it could be that those shows had either run their course (Spring Awakening, Hairspray, Spamalot), never built up the kind of following it needed (Young Frankenstein) or just never caught on in the first place (13).
I don't know about Spring Awakening, but it appears that the audiences just weren't interested in 13. Playbill lists the percentage of tickets sold and 13 routinely hovered around the 50 percent mark. No show is going to stick around with that record.
Harvey Firestein noted in an article I read today in USA Today that the tickets to Broadway shows are overpriced. He pointed to the popularity of Hairspray's discounted tickets and, when you see that 13's tickets STARTED at $111 each, its easy to see why audiences are starting to slide.
The high cost of tickets is probably directly responsible for the low ticket sales many shows are experiencing, but it's a two-edged sword. To provide the kind of high-end theatre experience with amazing sets, costumes and top talent, the producers must spend a lot of money. The only way to recoup that is for the show to have a long, popular run and charge a high price for the tickets.
Sometimes audiences are willing to pony up the money for a theatre spectacle (The Lion King is a good example), but I think audiences are being more selective these days, and that makes it tough on new, untested shows. The new Shrek musical, for example, may be facing some rough times.
It'll be interesting to see which shows survive this downturn, and which will continue to thrive.
6 comments:
In my opinion, the best shows do survive. Only once in a while does an undeserving show close or a not so great show overcome the critics. Neither Young Frankenstein, nor the most recent Shrek got/has gotten great reviews. And as for Young Frankenstein, it was hubris and greed on the creators and producers' part to hoard the best tickets and charge such outrageous prices for them. They forgot about the little people who love theatre, but just can't afford such arrogant pricing.
Denise,
I certainly agree with your sentiment, but its not just Young Frankenstein that is hoarding the best seats for people willing to pay ridiculous prices. Almost ALL of the shows now have "premium seating" areas where seats cost upwards of $200/each.
Three years ago, because I bought tickets the day they went on sale, my family sat in row 4 center for "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and row 5 center for "Beauty and the Beast". We'll probably never be able to do that again, and that's very sad.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind the seat pricing if there was a reasonable basis for it, or an alternative. Chuck notes the cost of sets, etc., but I paid $110 for a ticket to see "The History Boys" (way overhyped, by the way) even though there was only one set and no costumes to speak of. And last year, we sat in the 2nd balcony for "Mary Poppins" and but for a group rate, we still would have paid $60/seat and couldn't sit in the orchestra level for less than $120.
I don't know what the solution is - heck, we hear complaints locally over $15 tickets. TKTS is a viable alternative, but then you are the mercy of what is available. Through TKTS, we saw the revival of "A Chorus Line" for $50/ticket which was well worth the money, but could not get tickets to see "Jersey Boys".
I think Broadway is trying to figure out what it is -- is it a place where stars can get their start (Sutton Foster, Kristin Chenoweth, etc.) or is it going to be relegated to revivals starring known commodities (if I ever see Tom Wopat in a show again I'll hurl)? Who knows?
Denise: Great to see you and your less-than-better half last weekend, by the way.
Oh, and just for comparison purposes, I checked how much tickets were to see "Wicked" in London. Going rate is $22 - $80 per ticket. Quite a bit lower than Broadway.
Denise and Mark, excellent comments! I think when it comes to Broadway, the answer to: "How much will they charge for tickets?" is always: "As much as they think they can get away with."
Shows seem to be trying to provide a mix of high-cost tickets and "cheap seats," but I do think the high cost tends to drive away quite a few theatre fans. Perhaps the current shutdown of several shows will teach Broadway a lesson.
As if!
Chuck...just got back from NYC. Can not tell you how eerie it was to see half the theatres closed. I know a lot of new shows are going to be opening up but a few rumors have put the hold on some of them....I hope Broadway figures out where they are going or we will see a lot of local, talented people, who want to be there out of work before they even begin! FYI as for Macy, she is doing the workshop of GODSPELL she has been in rehearsals for about a month and you never know!!! Wish her luck.
Thanks Shirlee
Shirlee, that's great news about Macy - we'll keep our fingers crossed! Besides, I'd love to see a Broadway version of Godspell!
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