OMG. My Wallet.

I've noticed that there's a growing plague among theatres to charge upwards of $18 for tickets.
There was a time when I would see a show every other weekend. There was also a time when I would ask 6+ people to join me.

I make a decent income, but I simply don't want to afford to drop more than $30 for (2) tickets. And the people I know can't either.

I don't care what costs the theatre has to cover. That's not EVER an audience's concern, and the audience should NEVER have to know about the "costs" of a theatre. If the shows are worth it, they'll see them. If the shows aren't worth it, they won't.

It is a source of enjoyment and recreation, isn't it?!

Theatre isn't a WATER BILL. You don't HAVE to pay it. I would have to accept "economic" reasons why the Water Department is sticking it to me, because ultimately I have to pay them. But an "economic" reason is exactly why I WON'T do something I can't afford, RECREATIONALLY.

If I think a watercolor class is too expensive, I don't take it. If I think a theatre ticket is too expensive, I don't go.

And Ultimately I HAVE stopped going to theatres that are charging more than $15 for tickets. So, they aren't getting $18 from me, let alone $36 for two tickets or - as I paid today, for my final viewing at Wheaton Drama - $42!!!

I know FSP charges a lot for their mainstage shows, too. Well, guess what? I'm not going to them, either, if tickets are over $15.

I want to see shows all the time, and I know there are PLENTY of theatres who aren't charging so much...and putting on equally good or adequate theatre.

Which brings me to my final point.

Would I drop $60 for a pair of CHEAP tickets to Wicked? Yes. But, the gamble of seeing a good show versus a completely inadequate show is at least in my favor. If these theatres want to charge BIG BOY prices, they ought to be putting on BIG BOY shows. Period.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 09, 2006 10:34 AM: Message edited by: Ann Marie Weinert ]</font>

Incidentally, you know who's doing it RIGHT?

http://soapboxtheatre.com/

They charged something like $10 for the tickets, and they BLACK BOXED it to cut costs.

THAT is how you start a theatre company, when you don't have tons of money.

It's impossible to compare theaters without knowing what kind of overhead Soapbox theater has, but Wheaton Drama has a huge overhead-as well as a near-professional theater and a reputation of delivering quality productions.
It's not ego that raised the ticket prices there-it's the fact that they have bills.
If you find the extra money too much to spend on a night at the theater, that's your choice.
But I think you're limiting your theater experiences by putting the emphasis on ticket costs.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Ann Marie Weinert:
Incidentally, you know who's doing it RIGHT?

http://soapboxtheatre.com/

They charged something like $10 for the tickets, and they BLACK BOXED it to cut costs.

THAT is how you start a theatre company, when you don't have tons of money.

---

<font size="2" face="Times, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Yes, well that's a rather simplistic view. They ARE just starting out and they didn't have to pay for rights to do the show. The directors worked for no pay (although they did receive a check afterwards from the profit), and they staged it in a 36-seat black box that they originally were not going to use. I'm not sure if they had to pay for the venue. I don't think they had to, if they recovered their costs. Their costs were low, so $10 worked.

Now, if you pay for rights for the show, and pay for the director and actors if there is a profit, and run for 6 weeks, you may have to raise your prices to $15...even in the same space. But you know that.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 17, 2006 05:05 PM: Message edited by: See My Winkie ]</font>

My point is that it's all a process. You can't complain that you don't have an audience base, when your first season out of the gate involves paid directors, massive tech, rights, and a space that you feel the audience should pay for.

It's bad business to start a company and expect other people to pay for all the costs. Actual, successful businesses don't succeed by making their customers feel screwed. [img]smile.gif[/img]

My point is - you can't complain about not pulling audiences when you are charging an arm an a leg. I understand all the "philosophy" behind charging so much.

I just don't think any of it will make people who can't afford to go - go anyways.