Beloved Esteemed Broadway Influencers,
I write today with a broken heart and a light pocketbook. I’ve seen articles and Tiktoks from some of you upset that not even more real fans got tickets to Broadway shows that have actually because announced their closings.
Please accept my sincerest apologies for not single-handedly maintaining your preferred Broadway program open. I now understand that by failing to acquire a full-price ticket to that show, I directly caused its premature closure.
You see, I failed to remember that Broadway is a capitalistic business and for that reason not beholden to foolish things like accessibility or target market diversity. No, no. It’s survival of the wealthiest, and I fell short the test.
I must have known much better. If I actually loved theatre, I would certainly’ve dropped $ 400 on a premium seat in the back mezzanine, or even better, sold a kidney to get orchestra facility. I would certainly’ve called off work, flown to New York, booked a resort, and sat obediently in Row L.
You’re right. That’s what a real follower would certainly’ve done.
And while I despise to make reasons, I do really feel forced to describe what was taking place in my self-seeking little world while Broadway was shedding.
Rent. Groceries. Medical care.
Also, I’m unsure if you have actually seen(due to the fact that you get to see some of these programs totally free), yet the ordinary Broadway ticket currently sets you back between $ 120 and $ 133 And those are average numbers. A few of the hottest programs are pressing 3 to four to ten times that.
Certain, there are rush tickets, but have you ever attempted intending a weekend journey to New york city wishing to grab one? It’s a full time job, a roll of the dice, and a test of confidence. And when you live numerous miles away, that wager isn’t charming. It’s costly and laborious.
Yes, I know TDF exists. Yes, I understand about lotto games. Yet let’s not act those programs are the standard or that they guarantee access for individuals outside of the tri-state area. I would certainly need a spreadsheet, a metro pass, and the reflexes of a ninja to make those systems function accurately.
And here’s the thing nobody wishes to say out loud.
There’s a difference in between being a theatre follower and being somebody who can manage to see Broadway shows. They are not the exact same.
Some of us grew up on actors cds, bootlegs, Tony clips, and fantasizes. Not box seats. We like theater deeply. We just can not go down hundreds bucks whenever somebody restores Gypsy.
Meanwhile, dynamic pricing ensures that any kind of show with buzz becomes instantaneously hard to reach. And when a star is introduced, the ticketing robots come faster than a Sondheim line of gab tune.
So I’m sorry. Really. I failed you.
Next time I’ll just be richer. Or closer. Or luckier.
In the meantime, I’ll more than below supporting my neighborhood theater, streaming cast albums, and questioning what theater might resemble if it welcomed greater than just the top five percent of income earners.
Yours in pity,
A Let down Fan That Did Their Best