Upon visiting Broadway.com’s web site, I noticed they had redone their homepage. Included in this revamp is this handy-dandy way to buy Broadway tickets:
While I understand that the goal of broadway.com has moved over to the dark side of commercialism (selling tickets), this tabbed feature just seems overtly blunt. I mean, “Celebs On Stage?” It’s like choose your carnival ride.
I believe this screenshot illustrates how the average theatregoer thinks when buying a ticket to a show. Not that I blame them, as the cost of a ticket is edging into the $400/couple range. Why wouldn’t they want to see Clay or Katie live and in person, rather than take a risk on something new or innovative?
The price of theatre combined with the resistance by people to take a risk has forced us into a tabbed selection process.
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that while the business-focused side of me gets it, the theater-aficionado side of me is so disgusted by it all.
I believe we call this dramatic tension.