It's 12:38 AM as I type. We're 38 minutes into Black Friday, and I know a bunch of people at brick and mortar stores right this very second. In the middle of dessert at the Thanksgiving dinner I attended, one of the diners disappeared. "Where's so-and-so?"
Three people responded so quickly and so in unison, they could have been the Shirelles from last season's Baby It's You.
"Best Buy," they chorded.
That spark plugged a convo about $200 sixty inch TVs, a rare iPad discount, and lots of other BF deals stores are offering starting tomorrow today.
Now, last year I spent a blog talking about my ideas for how Broadway could be more of a part of this major shopping day (and it's sister shopping day - Cyber Monday), which you can read here.
This message isn't about that . . . it's simple call to all the theater folks out there that are shopping tomorrow today for their loved ones.
Buy 'em theater tickets.
Pick something for them, of course . . . whether that's a subscription to MTC or your local touring house, or tickets to Jersey Boys, a Telecharge gift card, or even something you hate but you know they'd love.
But buy 'em theater tickets.
Because seeing something live beats seeing something on a TV any day of the week . . . I don't care how big it is.
(Got a comment? I love 'em, so comment below! Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!)
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FUN STUFF
- Come to the 4th Annual Producer's Perspective Social on 12/15! RSVP today.
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Suuuch a good point. My only addition--gift tickets/certificates, so the giftee may choose the date they'll attend. This could increase the prospective sales, addressing worries of a gift buyer who might not know their giftee's schedule or want to give away a surprise by needing to ask. If producers are concerned about limited runs, etc., the certificate could extend to other shows under the same house or producer(s), granting the ticket a foreseeable expiration date without leaving a gift out in the cold.
Posted by: Kristopher Weaver | November 25, 2011 at 10:07 PM
I've been buying ticket gifts for years. Plug for my son's Nutcracker Rated R. This year (it's 5th year) he sent out a special Black Friday discount. I really applauded him for that. Discounts for more than one ticket can be fun too. You give them an evening with friends if they're not going with you - or even if they are.
You're always above on top of things, Ken! Bravo!
Posted by: Bobbie Horowitz | November 25, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Great idea - I'm buying my boyfriend tickets to the Book of Mormon. BTW I loved your 7 grateful things especially number five. Stars are people too and if they have the chops, they deserve a shot at a great role or play, however I found it so refreshing to hear a producer acknowledge that you don't have to have one to have a hit.
Posted by: [email protected] | November 25, 2011 at 09:03 PM
I completely agree.
For christmas, I'm asking for theatre tickets because that's the best christmas gift I could ever want! Also, seeing "Legally Blonde" live was much better than seeing it on MTV a couple of years ago (only reference I could think of, haha). The magic of live theatre isn't within a TV screen.
Brian Hajjar.
Posted by: Brian Hajjar | November 25, 2011 at 08:29 PM