Need a Rush?

Nonprofit Off Broadway is offering slightly more rush ticket options these days, and Playbill has the breakdown.

Unfortunately most are still limited to students and/or "under 30" folks.

I tell ya--I don't care what my accountant would tell me about the finances, but if I ran a theatre right now I would try automatically, no questions asked, offering $25 day-of cash-only tickets. To anyone. 

Would we fall short in sales? Very likely.  But at least we'd have a shot at filling the house. And if the show was really good, that would translate into more advance sales.

The nonprofit business model so desperately needs subscriptions and advance sales that it misses out on what the younger generations of playgoers value most--the spontaneity and convenience of walking up to a box office and buying a ticket...without having to show any friggin ID!

You'll always do well with advance sales when you have a hot property--a name playwright or star actor, for instance.  But for the other 80% of your season offerings, why am I paying you $45 a seat a priori???