The reason why premium seats will remain is a no-brainer: As long as there are wealthy people, there will be a market for these high-price tickets. Period. It's that simple.

Thanks for the link to the article, TC. There is no way I would pay that much for a concert, and I don't even pay more than $100 for a broadway musical. They can charge whatever they like, as long as this statement remains true, so I can benefit from the "cheaper" seats:

<i>Promoters say that premium ticketing offers them two particular benefits. One is that high prices up front can effectively subsidize cheaper seats elsewhere</i>

Then there are the people who pay something like $5000 each or more for Super Bowl tickets -- a game showing live on TV for free. It's all a matter of individual wealth and interest.

Need some help...we are visiting NYC at the end of June and would like to see 1 or 2 broadway shows. Our group consists of my husband and our 2 boys (9 and 12) and myself. My short list of shows include The Addams Family, Wicked, Billy Elliot and Mamma Mia (I love the music from this one). I have found discounted tickets for Billy Elliot and Mamma Mia only and realize I probably won't for the other 2. One of my ?s is about the seating in rear mezz for Wicked or the Addams Family -- how bad is it? And out of those 4 shows, does anyone have a favorite? Thanks.

Personally, I would see one show and go for better (closer) seats. Having two sons myself, I would guess that they would least like Mamma Mia and enjoy the Addams Family or Billy Elliot the most.

Just read that A Little Night Music will continue with Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch.

Just back from our annual Broadway trip. We saw five shows: <u>God of Carnage</u> (In its final week with a third run cast. We missed it last year in its glory. We should have missed it this year.) <u>Fela</u> (A beautiful piece on the life and music of Nigerian musician/activist Fela Kuti. Though brilliant, the music and dances were repetitious. We felt the show was too long. By the second act everything started to sound and look the same.) <u>Come Fly Away</u> (A Twyla Thorpe dance piece to the songs of Frank Sinatra - this was truly a dance piece and not a musical play. We thought it could have been more interesting with a bit of dialogue tossed in for contrast.) <u>La Cage..</u> (We weren't originally going to see this one as I've seen this show every time its been done on Broadway and thought the last production was just awful. However, friends raved about this West End transplanted production, so we grabbed a couple of discounted seats for the Wednesday matinee. Thank heavens we did. It was the best thing we saw. Douglas Hodges from the UK is just amazing. He's over the top and understated as the roll demands and is brilliant at both. Kelsey Grammar (Fraser) plays the more subdued partner and does it quite nicely. There were many touching as well as hilarious moments.) Our last show was <u>A Little Night Music</u> with Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury. It was wonderful. We had amazing third row seats. CZJ is stunningly beautiful - no matter how near or far. Her subtle facial expressions are priceless and she's not a bad songstress. Angela Lansbury is......well, she's about 92 years old, but pretty darned good. We spent one day at The Met Museum to see the American Woman exhibition and the Picasso exhibition. Both are outstanding. The Picasso exhibition is made up of every piece the museum owns and there are hundreds. It was wonderful to see his very early work, when everything was grounded in realism. He was an amazing portrait artist. Producing pieces that look almost like photographs. I'd never seen Picasso like that before. The American Woman is a textile/clothing exhibition showing how styles changed as women gained independence -- less restrictive clothing for more active women. Many pieces are on loan from the Brooklyn Museum. It is a well crafted showing with stunning fashion and a cohesive story. We had some great meals -- especially loved Toloache on 50th in the Theater District. We saw the whole cast of Rock of Ages there one night and had a nice conversation with Neal Patrick Harris on another -- not to mention great margaritas and amazing fish tacos! Another wonderful trip.

http://toloachenyc.com/media/toloache.html

TC - What a great B'way week!! I agree that 'Come Fly Away' is more revue than play. I really enjoyed it, but it's not for everyone.

We saw 'La Cage' this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it too, especially Douglas Hodges. If he doesn't win the Tony, I'll be very surprised. I thought we had tix for the 2nd row, but it turns out that row B is the 1st row. I was seated directly in front of several steps that were part of the 'cabaret' setting of the stage. I was hoping I wouldn't have interaction with the cast. Well, at one point, one of the terrific transvestites in the play descended the steps and put his/her skirt over dh's head. It happened so fast - it was hysterical. I wish I had a camera. We never laughed so hard!

Love Douglas Hodge and Rufus Sewell since they were in Middlemarch. Darn!! DD and her high school choir will be in NYC this week to see several musicals. Wish I had volunteered to go along!!

Hi CPG; I remember that particular bit of staging from La Cage. Very funny.

For visitors and locals alike, I want to also mention a wonderful evening we had walking the High Line. A good friend lives a couple of blocks from the entrance in the East Village/Meatpacking District. She took us on a spectacular night stroll after dinner. It is amazing. One of the most creative city parks I have visited <u>anywhere</U>. The Manhattan skyline views at night are spectacular! There was music in one section and in another some amatuer astronomers had set up there HUGE telescopes to view Saturn. They were sharing with all the passers-by and we got to see Saturn and her rings. The night time lighting is so beautiful on the plantings and flowers, but I wished we could have returned in daylight hours to enjoy the plantings in sunshine as well.

If you have not strolled the High Line, put it way up on your list.

http://www.thehighline.org/design/high-line-design

TC, glad you enjoyed our latest "must-see" attraction. The High Line is indeed something special, offering a new perception (for want of a better word!) of New York City.

We're not really "musical" people, but we ended up seeing "A Little Night Music" last week, and have to say we thoroughly enjoyed it.

~Liz

Liz - that's the thing about the arts. Even if someone is not into musicals, dramas, classical ballet or whatever, there are some performances that are so worthwhile and enjoyable. It's good to keep an open mind. I try to look at each piece individually because maybe I will like it even if the genre is not my thing generally. I enjoyed ALNM too - and I didn't expect to!

CPG- Yes, so true!

I was hoping that others who weren't sure if this was their cup of tea might give it a try.

~Liz

Liz - I was so pleasantly surprised by 'Side by Side by Sondheim' too.

CPG, I assume you mean the current "Sondheim on Sondheim." Unlike you, we were "pleasantly disappointed" by the show.

Yes, I think Side by Side by Sondheim is a great review with a good mix of famous, favorites, and not so well known, with just enough background material to make it move and flow and play well. While I haven't seen Sondheim on Sondheim, I think much of that great mix and flow is missing.

Howard - yes, I meant "Sondheim on Sondheim." My response to Liz had to do with liking something that you might not expect to. I didn't expect to like it because I'm not a huge Sondheim fan and because of many others' opinions. Perhaps expectation had a lot to do with it, but I definitely enjoyed it.

CPG, and we came from the opposite side: We're great fans of Sondheim and, thus, expected more!
Patrick, you're right on about Side by Side by Sondheim. That one we loved! The CD continues to be one of our favorites to play,

Has anyone seen Next To Normal? Heading to NYC next week and Playbill offers discount tix for this one.