In depth analysis of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s tickets sold and what I think that means for the financial future of the run below:
(Disclaimer: We are still over three months from the start of the run and there is a lot of time left for people to buy tickets)
Percentage of tickets unsold in October: 27.95%
Percentage of tickets unsold in November: 34.9%
Percentage of tickets unsold across the entire run: 29.07%
Percentage of tickets unsold across the entire run excluding special events (captioned performances, sign language performances, opening night, etc): 31.07%
Overall, November and late October is selling significantly worse than early-mid October for some reason.
The Sunday evening problem:
So apparently they have decided to do a Sunday night show instead of a Wednesday night show, which doesn’t appear to have been the best decision. Sunday evenings are all selling horribly compared to same-day matinees (79% sold v. 58%,72%/47%,70%/43%,82%/51%). Saturday evenings, despite also having a matinee, don’t have this problem.
My theory is that people are hesitant about the energy levels of the performers after two two-show-days in a row, thereby purchasing tickets for different dates instead (as all tickets are the same price), but I could be wrong. If TCCoBB goes to Broadway, they will be exposed to a more general audience more populated with tourists instead of an audience comprised of more dedicated theater-goers. Sunday evenings could be a wise choice on broadway, but it is not one off-broadway.
I’m waiting especially hard for the cast to be announced, as if they could get somebody people know (especially for Benjamin or Elowen) ticket sales could potentially explode.
Anyway, feel free to get your tickets now! Especially for the closing performance, as only 57% of tickets are sold so far. I’d jump on that if I weren’t coming from out of town earlier in the run for my birthday.