There's been some interesting conversations on the lack of "young" (for the sake of argument we'll call young under 30) theatergoers lately that I'd like to examine. Some time ago I posted about Broadway Demographics report in which it gives the average age of 43 years old.
Personally, I feel that theater is being viewed as just another entertainment venue by the young, and I see it as a trend that will continue. So for the theater to appeal to younger patrons I think it will need to re-invent both it's image and the way it talks to it's audience.
So Issac on his blog gave an example of a friend of his that was under 30, and had been exposed to the theater as a youngster, yet still wasn't into going to the theater.
The conversation got picked up by Playgoer, That Elusive Young Audience, and Young Audiences follow-up which has some really insightful thoughts on the subject.
Also related is this great post that gives a perspective on a program that encourages young professionals to support the Arts.
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1 comment:
It probably doesn't help that top ticket prices for Broadway shows have soared over the past five years. Shortly after The Producers opened, $100 tickets became the norm, although "premium seats" for the best shows now run anywhere from $250-$300 per ticket.
For non-profit theatre, cutbacks in funding have resulted in the need to recoup initial investment by increasing ticket prices.
I agree that there are so many forms of entertainment out there for today's young adults -- many more options than I ever had. In an era where young adults are less likely to watch free network television, there has to be a compelling reason for them to shell-out hard-earned dollars to attend theatre.
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