guardian.co.uk: "Theatres will do anything to get audiences through the doors. But, as the New York Times has reported recently, the NYC-based Playwrights Horizons has decided to go one step further than most and is now offering a babysitting service for selected performances. According to Leslie Marcus, the venue's managing director: 'The combined cost of theatre tickets and childcare is the factor most often cited by people with young children as the reason they rarely attend the theatre.'
Friday, January 28, 2011
Theatres babysit for dads and mums
guardian.co.uk: "Theatres will do anything to get audiences through the doors. But, as the New York Times has reported recently, the NYC-based Playwrights Horizons has decided to go one step further than most and is now offering a babysitting service for selected performances. According to Leslie Marcus, the venue's managing director: 'The combined cost of theatre tickets and childcare is the factor most often cited by people with young children as the reason they rarely attend the theatre.'
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3 comments:
This is an interesting service for theatres to provide. It's one I had never thought of before, but a good thing to consider doing. I know a few people who have young children who would absolutely love to go out and do things, but can never find a babysitter, so they always end up just staying at home. I wonder how much they charge for this kind of service though. As the article said, one of the biggest factors holding people back from going to the theatre more often is "The combined cost of theatre tickets and childcare". Although this idea makes it more convenient, it doesn't really take away that reason at all. You're still paying for the ticket and for childcare, so I wonder how much more business it's really producing.
I think this is a great idea. I remember my brother going stir crazy when my nephew was born. Its a nice way to give parents a break to do something they love doing. Its also nice to know where your kids are. It's nice it does that it does that as well as giving artist jobs. i wonder if they could also use this as an opportunity to get children into theater. I also wonder about the pricing and how different it is compared to regular prices.
Like Dev, I see this as interesting because it incorporates the kids into the theatergoing experience in a way that leaving them at home would not: Playwrights Horizons' website said that activities comprised song, dance, arts and crafts and other artistic media, so by going to the venue and doing something out of the ordinary, the kids have an evening linked to that of mommy and daddy.
Reading "Noises Off" made me think this article would be about the classic play, though. I did like the link to the onion at the bottom.
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