Last night, my wife and I attended “Rock of Ages” at the Palace Theatre here in Manchester. It was the BEST play, (and certainly best musical), that I have ever been to. There was great music and high-energy dancing, it was funny, super-interactive (the audience at times were singing as loudly as the cast) and we had glow sticks (open flame inside a crowded theatre is not a good idea).
Having seen a few productions at the Palace, including an incredible performance of “A Christmas Carol,” my wife and I decided that we will be purchasing a membership so that we can enjoy more live shows along with the perks. This has gotten me thinking about how live theatre is perceived among young people, particularly the price. The big unknown to many in GenZ is why theatre tickets cost what they do, and why they are significantly more expensive than a movie ticket. The question then becomes, “why not just see the movie?”
A recent study by No Guarantees Productions and published at Broadway World’s website revealed that 72% of Millennials and GenZers believe that Broadway (aka theatre) tickets are too expensive. But this vastly underestimates the cost of production, as it is not only expensive to produce a play, but a play usually is seen by far less people than a film.
About 250 people see a performance at a theatre the size of the Palace, with about 8 performances per week for a total of about 12,000 attendees for a six-week theatrical production run. Based on a national tour stopping at 12 theatres, that is about 144,000 tickets sold for an average stage production on a national tour. This pales in comparison to a movie. In 2025, over 769 million movie tickets were sold in the U.S., with about 110 films being released (according to Comscore). That equals over 6 million tickets per film, compared to 144,000 for a stage production. When we think about that as well as the cost of production (a stage production is far more costly, especially considering that stage productions have to duplicate most production costs for every show and cast costs for every stop) we see why live theatre tickets are more expensive. The Palace isn’t as expensive as places like Boston, Providence, or New York, but they are still more expensive than the average movie ticket.
The other thing is that the production costs as well as the benefits of live productions aren’t really explained. People who are not as familiar with live stage productions do not readily know the costs or benefits of live shows. Getting the word out and teaching people about the benefits of live productions is something that we need to do better and get more creative with.
There are several benefits to live stage productions. The first one that I have noticed is the “instant connection” or “clicking” that happens when we attend plays. I have seen this far more at live theatre events than at movie theaters, where we pretty much go, watch the movie, and leave. I rarely talk to people aside from those I came with. Live theatre is more like an event, not just a show. Other benefits of live theatre include:
Cognitive benefits, (especially among children).
- Complex Plots Enhance Problem-Solving Skills
- Active Listening During Performances Improves Attention Span
- Observing Character Interactions Helps with Understanding Social Cues
Other benefits of live theatre is that it enhances literary knowledge, tolerance and empathy, changes attitudes, and leads to pro-social behavior.
So where are all the theatres? The benefit of living here in Manchester, aside from having awesome venues such as The Palace Theatre and affiliated theatres such as The Rex, Forever Emma Studios, the Spotlight Room, and the Singer Center is that there are many more theatres throughout our state and the region. There is The Majestic Theatre in Manchester, as well as theatres in Concord, including the Capitol Center for the Arts, and theatres throughout the State of New Hampshire, such as The Flying Monkey up in Plymouth, which hosts live events and films, and The Music Hall in Portsmouth, which also hosts live events and films.
Just south of us, Boston has the Theatre District, which boasts 12 theatres. There are more theatres scattered throughout the City of Boston and the surrounding area. About an hour south of Boston is Providence, which is home to two major theatres, The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), and Trinity Repertory Theatre as well as several smaller venues throughout the city. And of course, NYC and its 41 Broadway theatres, (not including off-Broadway and other theatres throughout the city).
And let’s not forget the countless performing arts programs in our local schools and communities.
It is my hope that you all get to see at least one live show this year, and that more young people have the opportunity to appreciate live theatre, and understand the costs and benefits. Long live the live theatre!
As always, comments are welcome at mythoughts603@gmail.com.