As a follow-up to my previous blog post, Jason Cochran at WalletPop Blog reports that the new 80’s jukebox musical Rock of Ages is responding to these hard economic times with “reasonable” ticket prices.
Perhaps the greatest challenge in getting audiences out of the house is faced by live theater, particularly production-heavy musicals. The typical top ticket price for a Broadway musical has been $131, and a few years ago, some shows were fetching “premium” ticket prices upward of $200. Wicked asks, and gets, that rate nightly for most of its best seats. But newcomer Rock of Ages, a “jukebox musical” of ’80s rock tune covers, starts performances March 20 with a top weekday price of $90–a cut of more than 25%, and back to where the top price was nearly a decade ago.
Okay, so you’re not getting Shakespeare for that, but a show that wouldn’t be out of place in a Vegas showroom or on Lido deck. And the star talent isn’t Kelli O’Hara or Patti LuPone, but Constantine Maroulis, the dimple-chinned American Idol cast-off who, beside having a decent voice, is famous for peering upward past his forehead like Luke Perry in 1994 heartthrob mode. Still, $90 is also a price you haven’t seen since the mid-’90s, and any reduction like that is a welcome step for Broadway, which has been killing itself with stratospheric prices faster than cultural obsolescence could do.
Well, it’s a start! (And thanks Jamie for passing this link on to me!)
Chicago Theatre Addict 
I read this too and just wanted to add a comment since I actually saw the Off Broadway version of Rock of Ages-a few times, in fact- because it’s really a great show. It was so good that many people around me in the audience were back for their 2nd and 3rd times.
Not only is the entire cast superb – including the idol alum- but the musical ‘book’ is the product of sheer creative genius, the likes of which I haven’t seen in musical theater in years (and I’m a long-time theater geek!). It’s a hilarious tongue-in-cheek look at the decade but with a twist; the extremely endearing and feel-good story is actually interwoven through the oh-so theatrical hits you’ll recognize, and singing along is permitted. In fact, it’s impossible not to join in.
And did I mention that you can take your beer to your seats?
The Broadway Rock of Ages starts previews on March 17th with $45 seats and it opens on April 7th. Check out all the reviews for yourself on the website http://www.rockofagesmusical.com
And a warning- leave your expectations at the door- especially if they are about ‘Las Vegas’ or a ‘Lido Deck’– and prepare to be blown away! This is a bona-fida Broadway show at its entertaining best!
No- I’m not a publicist.. haha- it’s just a terrific show..