Question about Broadway Show (Wicked) prices

[lynxstch]

I am not a big theater person, don't go to Broadway to see shows, but was just reading an article about Wicked making almost $3 million dollars during 9 performances over the last week. I wondered how on earth they could have made that much for just 9 performances???? ..are ticket prices THAT exhorbitant?..lol It IS one show I would love to see, however, I have a feeling that I might not be able to afford tickets!

[abdmom]

$3 million divided by 9 performances divided by 1933 seats is $172 per seat. Looking at their website, they're charging a minimum of $221 per ticket. We saw Wicked in the West End this past summer and were not impressed. No way would I pay over $200 per ticket.

[WeLoveLilo05]

My husband got tickets for us for our anniversary and I think the 2 tickets in total were a little over $300.
I thought the play was good, different from others that I have seen but good! I would say thats your average cost for a play nowadays for pretty decent seats.

[Mom_Rides]

My mom bought tickets two years ago to the traveling performance and paid about $60 each for them. It's coming back to our area for 2 weeks in August and I can't wait to take DH to it! Soooo good!!!

[tiggger1]

the gerswin this the biggest theatre on broadway with 1933 seats. so 9 shows are 17,397 seats.. so that is $172 a ticket..so that sounds about right!

[Janepod]

Originally Posted by tiggger1

the gerswin this the biggest theatre on broadway with 1900 seats. so 9 shows are 17,100 seats.. thats selling tickets at $525 a piece, I wonder if they also adding in all the money they made from souvenirs?

Your math is wrong. $3,000,000 divided by 17,100 is $175.44 a seat. Totally plausible - we paid that much when we saw it about 3 months after it opened. Tourists/families coming for Christmas probably paid full price (or bought tickets beforehand as Christmas presents) rather than waiting at TKTS.

[lynxstch]

Wow..I didn't think ticket prices were that high! Thanks for all of your replies..better start saving my pennies if I want to see it on Broadway!

[ewalshslp]

Took my DD (7) in the Spring, and I paid about $175 or so. It was excellent. I cried during and she cried when it was over!

[tiggger1]

Originally Posted by Janepod

Your math is wrong. $3,000,000 divided by 17,100 is $175.44 a seat. Totally plausible - we paid that much when we saw it about 3 months after it opened. Tourists/families coming for Christmas probably paid full price (or bought tickets beforehand as Christmas presents) rather than waiting at TKTS.

sorry I realized I typed the number wrong after I pressed send! lol

[Tigerlulu]

EXCELLENT play! I just bought tickets for my daughters birthday--it'll be my third showing and I can't wait!!!!!

[snykymom]

They're not talking just about ticket prices. There's also the glossy color programs at $10 or $15 a pop; alcohol during breaks; candy & other snacks; T-shirts at $25-40; coffee cups, picture frames, wands, witch's hats, and other souvenirs; and the original cast CD, which even on Amazon is $10.

If you have a house full of people in the Christmas spirit, and specifically with kids, you're going to make a fortune on everything that you're selling above and beyond the ticket prices.

BTW, I love Wicked; I've seen it three times, once with the full original cast! And I think that a lot of what they charge shows up on stage. It's very different on Broadway than on the West End (where I saw it once).

[ewalshslp]

Originally Posted by snykymom

They're not talking just about ticket prices. There's also the glossy color programs at $10 or $15 a pop; alcohol during breaks; candy & other snacks; T-shirts at $25-40; coffee cups, picture frames, wands, witch's hats, and other souvenirs; and the original cast CD, which even on Amazon is $10.

If you have a house full of people in the Christmas spirit, and specifically with kids, you're going to make a fortune on everything that you're selling above and beyond the ticket prices.

BTW, I love Wicked; I've seen it three times, once with the full original cast! And I think that a lot of what they charge shows up on stage. It's very different on Broadway than on the West End (where I saw it once).

I am so jealous! I would have LOVED to see the original cast!!! It must have been amazing!!!

[Kewz1]

Saw it in London this past summer and loved it. And did NOT pay $175 per ticket.

Kristen

[ashley0139]

Unless they had a weird week because of the holidays (which is possible), they only do 8 shows a week. But a usual week with 8 shows would not be that much. And during the holidays ticket prices can be higher. Also, usually things like merchandise and alcohol are NOT factored in because it is a completely different company that makes money on those things (the merchandise company and the concessions company).

[JenM]

Prices usually go up during the holiday week, so between that, the usually insane premium seating priced tickets, and having nine performances last week, it seems entirely possible.

Wicked is rarely (if ever) on TKTS and I don't remember seeing discounts for it, so if you're seeing it on a holiday week, you're going to pay a lot for those tickets.

I saw it in 2004 (with the original cast!) for $25. I won the lottery for rush seats in the front two rows. Loved it!