I'm working on a story about dynamic pricing at Philly theaters. Dynamic pricing, which you often find in the travel industry, means that different customers pay different prices for the same thing, based on how demand for the thing varies over time. If demand is high, the price goes up. If the demand is low, the price may drop. This model is spreading, and it's getting more complicated, sometimes weighing many factors to determine price. We're used to this when we book airline seats or an Uber ride, for instance. But what about when we go to the theater?
Dynamic pricing and the arts
Dynamic pricing is now common at Philly's regional theaters, like the Walnut, the Arden, and People's Light. Prices for a single ticket can start at around $70, but go up from there based on demand for the show. This 2017 article from the Inquirer looked at the beginning of this practice in our region (that link is accessible to all).
Like any model, it seems like there are drawbacks and benefits to this type of pricing. At BSR, we like to provide our readers with the price of any show we review, to help you figure out if you're able to go. But that gets tricky when the theater itself can't tell us what the price will be. When theaters can boost their revenue on popular shows, that stabilizes the company, and companies on strong financial ground can continue to serve their audiences, which benefits everyone. On the other hand, do audiences like paying more for a theater ticket simply because the ticket is popular? Is this a transparent practice? Are rising ticket costs due to dynamic pricing models shutting more low-income people out of the theater?
We want to hear from you!
I'm speaking with local arts leaders to shed some light on these questions (if YOU'RE an arts leader who wants to talk about this, feel free to reach out). But my story would not be complete without hearing from audiences. So that's where you come in. Are you a theatergoer? Do you have opinions about theater tickets with fluctuating prices? Does this affect whether or not you can attend the theater? Do you think dynamic pricing is a good practice for regional theaters?
You can email your comments to me at [email protected]. Put "DYNAMIC PRICING" in the subject line of your email. Let me know if it's ok to use your name, or if you'd like to comment anonymously.
This week's stories
We have a fresh batch of reviews for you. We're covering Falsettos at the Arden, Marin Alsop's recent outing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, a pair of fascinating and timely shows about migration and memory at The Print Center, and more.
As usual, Kyle will be with you tomorrow to kick off your weekend plans.
Alaina Johns
BSR editor-in-chief
