La Jolla Playhouse’s Post

Just posted on DCTA, my review of the fabulous BROADWAY EN SPANGLISH by Florencia Cuenca and Jaime Lozano at 54 Below (and here it is with the featured image):

Here’s my review of Broadway in Tucson’s “Hairspray.”

This is for all you Broadway Producers - I used to go to the theater for cheap. I had a ploy but when I say CHEAP I mean $25 bucks and I would go to the theater a lot. Then I got to know stage managers and went for free. That was back in the late 1990s. Today ticket prices are only for rich people but theater was designed primarily for the poor. I blame shows like HAMILTON and shows about creepy old singers no one really remembers except the boomers and when I say boomers I mean people in their 80s and 90s. Broadway and Off-Broadway is so expensive that the idea of paying over $200 bucks a person puts me off even looking at a play - musical or straight. Ticket prices for concerts are astronomical,too. Why? To see PINK perform "tickets Pink Tickets New York - Prices Start At $302". I like PINK but I don't like her that much. Taylor Swift tickets are this: "Aug 15, 2023 — The average resale ticket sold for the concert at the time of publications is $1,619, according to SeatGeek." At least she doesn't lip synch anything but the price for tickets are insane and I refuse to pay that for anyone. The producers ruining Broadway are the same people offering up shows about once famous musicians that the young people don't know nor do they care about them so they aren't going to the theater. This is me being very blunt. I'm not the only person saying this - a Broadway Producer who is now 88 years young is also disgusted with the price of tickets and this is what EMANUEL AZENBURG has to say about the entire thing: Broadway is broken and the only way to get it back is to lower tickets, stop with all these crazy stories about Manilow, King, Diamond - people today do not know these people and they aren't interested in going to see a show about them. Do something innovative like #primafacie and get an actor like #jodiecomer and you'll see the money flowing in like Niagra Falls. Keep putting up the same boring bullshit pieces no one gives a flying shit about - and you will be wasting your money on a flop. Just my 2 cents on the subject -and yeah, I'm disgusted. I'd rather do film & TV. THAT'S WHERE THE $ IS. https://lnkd.in/etDTmEYB

So often the #tracking conversation starts with follow spots. Great article here about how after working with zactrack for a year the creative possibilities have gone so much further.

The next TRU Community Gathering on Zoom: DO ALL THESE MUSICALS BELONG ON BROADWAY? Friday 6/28/24, at 5:00pm ET In the room: FRANKIE DAILY, new works director of NAMT (National Association for Musical Theater); and PETER FILICHIA, former New York-based theater critic for The Star-Ledger, writer and historian of the American musical theater. In 2023-24 season 15 new musicals opened on Broadway, the highest number since the 2016-17 season. Assumptions about what constitutes a Broadway musical have changed over the decades and the financial challenges of off-Broadway have lured some smaller shows into the commercial spotlight. Nevertheless, some musicals have found a level of success without the Broadway stamp of approval. Are there realistic criteria for success other than being a Broadway blockbuster? To make a reservation for this free event, go to the link: https://lnkd.in/e3pBWZN2

'A behind the scenes look at theatre investment' is the title of an article in Spear's Magazine by Suzanne Elliott. It is insightful and well worth reading for anyone interested in taking the plunge in investing in a stage play or musical. One stand-out quote is this, "The arts and culture industry is worth £10.8 billion a year to the UK economy and a whopping $876.7 billion in the US and nearly all producers – even big names on Broadway and the West End – require private investments to help raise the curtain." https://lnkd.in/gngbDjvV #theatre #theatreinvestment #musicals #culture #wealthmanagement

Remember MoviePass? The program that allowed you to see UNLIMITED movies in theaters for free, all for a low monthly fee. In NYC back then, you could see any movie any time for as many times as you wanted . . . for only $35/month. Naturally, I couldn't help but wonder how we could implement this for Broadway, Off Broadway, regional theatre, etc. And I actually introduced The AltarCard on my Off Broadway show #AltarBoyz which allowed super fans to see the show as many times as they wanted in on month for $199. It was like the Unlimited MetroCard for the show! 🙂 To be honest, like MoviePass . . . it was the biggest marketing success - but for a few of our diehards, it was exactly what they wanted. And hey - we tried it. Because when it comes to marketing (and anything), I often ask myself . . . What's the worst that could happen? And then ask yourself: what's the BEST thing that could happen? And if the BEST outweights the worst (which it usually does), you GO FOR IT. Which show would you see over and over again if Broadway had a BroadwayPass? (Like these marketing posts? Look for one every other Monday. #MarketingMonday) https://lnkd.in/euUSZWsK

7 Reasons Why Now Is The Absolute Best Time To See A Broadway Show https://ift.tt/N65SPVR — Courtesy of TodayTix Besides eating bagels, strolls in Central Park, and riding the subway, catching a Broadway show is a quintessential New York City rite of passage. And in 2024, the theatre is more exciting — and more within reach — than ever before. Whether you’re a city dweller who rarely makes it to Midtown, a visitor who’s on the fence about making room in your itinerary, or a never-been dreaming of your first trip, here are seven reasons why it’s a better time than ever to give your regards to Broadway. 1. You’ll Be Struck By The Singular Experience That Is Live Theatre Turning on the TV doesn’t even begin to compete with the enchanted hush that comes over the theatre when the lights dim — let alone the electric energy exchange that occurs between the performers and the audience in real-time. Plus, in an era marked by remote work and lots of time spent on your phone, you get the opportunity to engage in a collective, emotional experience, whether you’re being awestricken by rows of tap dancers while seeing a classic adaptation like The Great Gatsby, witnessing an exploration of friendship and personal reinvention in a play like The Roommate, or treating yourself to the legendarily great Chicago. — Courtesy of TodayTix 2. It’s Easier Than Ever To Score Tickets — & They Don’t Have To Cost A Lot A 2024 poll found that Gen Zers routinely had the impression that Broadway show tickets cost 50% more than they actually do. Fortunately, seeing a show is within closer reach than many of us might think (regardless of generational status) and buying them is a simple process, too. The digital app TodayTix is one foolproof method for getting New York theatre tickets without any hassle (as well as tickets to shows throughout North America). It’s well worth downloading the app and joining the platform’s new rewards program (it’s free). Members of the tier-dependent program get additional benefits, like 10% off automatically, surprise seat upgrades on eligible orders, and access to week-of deals that can drop prices by up to 50%. (Of course, like any rewards program, all benefits are subject to the TodayTix Rewards terms and conditions.) 3. The Shows Are More Creative & Groundbreaking Than Ever When you hear “Broadway,” you might automatically think of the classics, like Les Miserables and Carousel, but today’s offerings are even more wide-ranging (no shade to those shows — they’re some of the best Broadway musicals of all time). Illinoise has turned indie musician Sufjan Stevens’ seminal 2005 album into a dance-forward musical, replete with Tony award-winning choreography and heart-squeezing themes. And Oh, Mary, written by and starring Cole Escola (Search Party, At Home With Amy Sedaris) brings delightfully irreverent cabaret comedy to the stage (read: Mary Todd Lincoln as a booze-loving, stagestruck First Lady — no, it’s not hist...

Going back a little, to December 2023, an article was published which began, "If only you'd invested in Phantom... or Matilda... or Hamilton. Peek behind the curtain: the tricky art of investing in theatre productions." Things are already moving on since that was written, but it is still insightful. https://lnkd.in/gM3iZzQX #theatre #musicals #theatre #theatreinvestment

Are Broadway shows moving to earlier evening start times? That seems to be a trend as some shows address the post-pandemic decline in audiences, especially from suburban areas. Historically, evening performances started at 8:30 p.m., but have since shifted to 8:00 p.m. More recently, shows have been moving start times to 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. and adding more matinees, catering to families, tourists, and older audiences who prefer earlier shows. Matinees, particularly on Thursday afternoons, have become more popular than Saturday nights. Shows like Disney’s “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” now feature 6:30 p.m. performances on Sundays. Some productions, like “Oh, Mary!,” are opting for two evening performances instead of a matinee. The ongoing adjustments aim to get theaters back to capacity. #theater #broadway #onstage #tickets #boxoffice https://lnkd.in/e3z7Pgyd