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Tuesday, April 01, 2025
$921 to see Denzel Washington’s Othello? How Broadway tickets got so expensive
Broadway | The Guardian: How much would you pay to be in the same room as Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, watching them work? Is that price in the mid-hundreds of dollars? And would you double it to nearly a thousand for a slightly better seat?
7 comments:
Reigh Wilson
said...
I honestly think this is ridiculously crazy. I understand that it takes a lot of money to put on a broadway show as a lot of the news comment articles I responded to last year had to do with why ticket prices are so high and what initiatives different organizations are taking in order to help reduce those prices. I personally love Manhattan Theater Company’s 30 under 30 program they do, and all the lottery and rush tickets available. I understand up-charging prices for famous actors, as they probably cost much more money to employ within the production and bring a lot more people into the theater than the traditional broadway actor, but close to $1000, more than many peoples rent for the month is absolutely ridiculous. I would like to see the show but I am not paying that much money, which is a shame that such an absurd price tag is accompanying these shows now.
How do we distinguish between the impact of actors on a play’s pricing, and how does that change who directors are willing or looking to cast? I am sure there are roles that actors don’t get because the production teams don’t want to deal with the publicity of the actors. I am positive there are also casses of actors getting a part just so that the production gets the free press that comes with havig famous actors even if they arent the best candidates for the part. While I appreciate that a lot goes into a production, these rising prices are just another thing driving a wedge between those who can afford to pay hundreds for a ticket and those who are just able to buy their groceries. Theater used to be for everyone, but if the prices keep rising there will be many more who are unable to scrape together enough to buy a ticket. I hope that more lower priced options will be available for theater goers and that the smaller theaters will continue to be able to keep up with the demand for good showings.
I really loathe how prevalent stunt casting has become on Broadway. Sure it would be amazing to see this production of Othello, but there is no reason it should be anywhere near this price. There has been a huge increase lately in celebrity casting, which just drives up the prices higher and higher. Not exactly on the same standard, but I kind of connect this to the Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor Romeo and Juliet. The ticket prices for that were high too, and frankly, I really don’t think any Shakespeare production should be able to charge anything greater than two hundred dollars. Shakespeare has been around for hundreds of years, and suddenly people will just pay a thousand dollars to see some famous actors do the same old production. The problem with the stunt casting though, is that it works. There are always people who are dumb enough to pay absurdly high prices to see stars in these roles. The problem with this is that it really is making Broadway into that “exclusive club” and furthering the idea and reality that going to the theatre is only for wealthy people. The most obvious example of this tragedy is Chicago. I personally think there is no reason that Chicago still needs to be on Broadway, the only reason anyone goes to see it is because of whatever celebrity is in it at the time. There are so many new and inventive works that could be staged on Broadway, but instead are kept off in the name of these big stars and shows that are barely surviving. The greatest point that I think this article made, is that shows can still be wildly successful without stunt casting. Using the example of Hamilton was great, and well Hamilton was known for some pretty pricey values for a while, they earned those values through hard word, talent, and just an overall great production. If your show isn’t good enough to survive without stunt casting, I think maybe you should look inside and evaluate if your show is really worth being on Broadway at all.
It is such a tragedy how unaccessible some forms of art are nowadays and it's truly so sad. I understand how the prices of tickets jump up like this in the efforts to pay all of the performers and the designers but it gets to a point. At what point are you paying to have a big name actor in a performance just for the sake of it, rather than the benefit it gives the show? I feel like Othello might have crossed that line for the sake of it because theatre should not be so inaccessible that tickets could cost nearly one thousand dollars, that is so excessive. I would rather a show cast newer named performers that I know are out there waiting for a chance to succeed and pay for a cheaper ticket that pay exorbitant amounts of money just to see a big name performer. Why does one performer cost that much more than the others? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
Yikes! That’s pricey… What is the point of making theater if the majority of people can’t see it? Has Broadway after all this time become just a money-making tourist trap? Broadway ticket prices are a double-edged sword: On the one hand, morally speaking, I want things to be accessible to the most people. But… on the other hand, the higher the ticket prices the more money my friends and collaborators and eventually myself get. I suppose there's a healthy balance that can be struck. you want there to be a high demand, so we all have jobs, high demand means high prices. but to help counteract this theaters should have programs that help get people in the theaters, who may not normally be able to go. Programs such as student matinees, touring community shows, and other programs make theater more accessible to the masses while also having opportunities to make money.
Quite a while ago if I ever saw this article my take would’ve been that it’s never reasonable to charge over 900 dollars for a ticket of anything even broadway but as I’ve gotten a bit older I’ve developed a little bit more of a nuanced take regarding ticket prices in theater. Im still always down to advocate for accessible theater everyone deserves to have the opportunity to enjoy theatre regardless of the amount of money they have in their pockets and there should never be a precedent for the type of prices that othello has since in the long run that would push lower income people entirely away from theatre. But theatre I’ve come to realize is dependent on funds and cash before anything else, that money needs to come from somewhere but I still think they are ethical ways to get that money besides charging 200 bucks for a row seat I think that as long as theatres mix expensive and inexpensive seats in their audiences than that’s ok
Broadway ticket pricing is something that is very difficult to grapple with. We’re paying hundreds of dollars to see a couple hour show. This is more than most of our rent, our groceries, anything. It’s a lot of money to shell out for one event not to mention if you’re not someone who’s lucky enough to live within travel distance of NYC you have to also pay for travel, hotel, and food. At which point it’s a whole vacation for just one day and one show, which leads you to want to see a second show so your trip out is more reasonable because at least you saw a couple things. Broadway is important both for our industry and for New York’s economy and culture. Yes there’s rush tickets and resales and lotteries but they’re not reliable and often still expensive. People wait outside the lobby doors for hours each morning to hope for rush tickets. It’s good that there’s an option but when it’s not even a guarantee it’s really hard to call it a good option
7 comments:
I honestly think this is ridiculously crazy. I understand that it takes a lot of money to put on a broadway show as a lot of the news comment articles I responded to last year had to do with why ticket prices are so high and what initiatives different organizations are taking in order to help reduce those prices. I personally love Manhattan Theater Company’s 30 under 30 program they do, and all the lottery and rush tickets available. I understand up-charging prices for famous actors, as they probably cost much more money to employ within the production and bring a lot more people into the theater than the traditional broadway actor, but close to $1000, more than many peoples rent for the month is absolutely ridiculous. I would like to see the show but I am not paying that much money, which is a shame that such an absurd price tag is accompanying these shows now.
How do we distinguish between the impact of actors on a play’s pricing, and how does that change who directors are willing or looking to cast? I am sure there are roles that actors don’t get because the production teams don’t want to deal with the publicity of the actors. I am positive there are also casses of actors getting a part just so that the production gets the free press that comes with havig famous actors even if they arent the best candidates for the part. While I appreciate that a lot goes into a production, these rising prices are just another thing driving a wedge between those who can afford to pay hundreds for a ticket and those who are just able to buy their groceries. Theater used to be for everyone, but if the prices keep rising there will be many more who are unable to scrape together enough to buy a ticket. I hope that more lower priced options will be available for theater goers and that the smaller theaters will continue to be able to keep up with the demand for good showings.
I really loathe how prevalent stunt casting has become on Broadway. Sure it would be amazing to see this production of Othello, but there is no reason it should be anywhere near this price. There has been a huge increase lately in celebrity casting, which just drives up the prices higher and higher. Not exactly on the same standard, but I kind of connect this to the Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor Romeo and Juliet. The ticket prices for that were high too, and frankly, I really don’t think any Shakespeare production should be able to charge anything greater than two hundred dollars. Shakespeare has been around for hundreds of years, and suddenly people will just pay a thousand dollars to see some famous actors do the same old production. The problem with the stunt casting though, is that it works. There are always people who are dumb enough to pay absurdly high prices to see stars in these roles. The problem with this is that it really is making Broadway into that “exclusive club” and furthering the idea and reality that going to the theatre is only for wealthy people. The most obvious example of this tragedy is Chicago. I personally think there is no reason that Chicago still needs to be on Broadway, the only reason anyone goes to see it is because of whatever celebrity is in it at the time. There are so many new and inventive works that could be staged on Broadway, but instead are kept off in the name of these big stars and shows that are barely surviving. The greatest point that I think this article made, is that shows can still be wildly successful without stunt casting. Using the example of Hamilton was great, and well Hamilton was known for some pretty pricey values for a while, they earned those values through hard word, talent, and just an overall great production. If your show isn’t good enough to survive without stunt casting, I think maybe you should look inside and evaluate if your show is really worth being on Broadway at all.
It is such a tragedy how unaccessible some forms of art are nowadays and it's truly so sad. I understand how the prices of tickets jump up like this in the efforts to pay all of the performers and the designers but it gets to a point. At what point are you paying to have a big name actor in a performance just for the sake of it, rather than the benefit it gives the show? I feel like Othello might have crossed that line for the sake of it because theatre should not be so inaccessible that tickets could cost nearly one thousand dollars, that is so excessive. I would rather a show cast newer named performers that I know are out there waiting for a chance to succeed and pay for a cheaper ticket that pay exorbitant amounts of money just to see a big name performer. Why does one performer cost that much more than the others? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
Yikes! That’s pricey… What is the point of making theater if the majority of people can’t see it? Has Broadway after all this time become just a money-making tourist trap? Broadway ticket prices are a double-edged sword: On the one hand, morally speaking, I want things to be accessible to the most people. But… on the other hand, the higher the ticket prices the more money my friends and collaborators and eventually myself get. I suppose there's a healthy balance that can be struck. you want there to be a high demand, so we all have jobs, high demand means high prices. but to help counteract this theaters should have programs that help get people in the theaters, who may not normally be able to go. Programs such as student matinees, touring community shows, and other programs make theater more accessible to the masses while also having opportunities to make money.
Quite a while ago if I ever saw this article my take would’ve been that it’s never reasonable to charge over 900 dollars for a ticket of anything even broadway but as I’ve gotten a bit older I’ve developed a little bit more of a nuanced take regarding ticket prices in theater. Im still always down to advocate for accessible theater everyone deserves to have the opportunity to enjoy theatre regardless of the amount of money they have in their pockets and there should never be a precedent for the type of prices that othello has since in the long run that would push lower income people entirely away from theatre. But theatre I’ve come to realize is dependent on funds and cash before anything else, that money needs to come from somewhere but I still think they are ethical ways to get that money besides charging 200 bucks for a row seat I think that as long as theatres mix expensive and inexpensive seats in their audiences than that’s ok
Broadway ticket pricing is something that is very difficult to grapple with. We’re paying hundreds of dollars to see a couple hour show. This is more than most of our rent, our groceries, anything. It’s a lot of money to shell out for one event not to mention if you’re not someone who’s lucky enough to live within travel distance of NYC you have to also pay for travel, hotel, and food. At which point it’s a whole vacation for just one day and one show, which leads you to want to see a second show so your trip out is more reasonable because at least you saw a couple things. Broadway is important both for our industry and for New York’s economy and culture. Yes there’s rush tickets and resales and lotteries but they’re not reliable and often still expensive. People wait outside the lobby doors for hours each morning to hope for rush tickets. It’s good that there’s an option but when it’s not even a guarantee it’s really hard to call it a good option
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