Unsurprisingly, theater has taken a downturn within the United States in the past few years. While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly was a significant cause of the drop in audience attendance, theaters have since struggled to bring back their numbers to pre-pandemic numbers. One consistent reason for this can be linked back to ticket pricing.
According to a 2024 report, ticket revenue was down 55% from 2018, with The Broadway League, reporting a 2.5 percent drop in overall gross revenue for the 2023-2024 season. Additionally, it was also reported that audience attendance had fallen to 59 percent.
Many theaters have found themselves in a precarious situation. While some have managed to climb back into financial success, most are struggling to keep the lights on. Rising costs in materials and productions have undoubtedly caused ticket prices to soar but as a consequence, these high costs are also keeping potential audience members away.
Audience members that would have paid those high prices have largely been displaced by the pandemic. For instance, in New York City suburban commuters and other office workers had either moved away or switched to remote work during the pandemic and have largely stayed away since then despite the slow-growing transition back towards in-person work.
That said, many within the industry have already begun efforts to bounce back. While bringing back well-known musicals will draw eyes, the high ticket costs might still keep people away. The easiest and most fulfilling way to increase attendance is to partner with local community groups with group tickets, including churches or even schools.
Not only would it open more opportunities to welcome people who don’t often get a chance to see a theater performance, but it could also introduce the art form to a new generation and encourage them to keep coming back.
