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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Theater Always Be Closing

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 2:33 PM

In Canada. From Variety:

Theaters have begun canceling shows, reducing seating capacities and slashing prices in an attempt to survive a situation whose full extent probably hasn't yet been felt.

... even the hit shows, such as Mirvish's "The Sound of Music" and Dancap's "Jersey Boys," are offering package deals of tickets with reduced pricetags. A U.S.-based travel website, Travelzoo, was selling seats for the upcoming run of "The Color Purple" in Toronto for as little as $16.50 at selected perfs.

(Have the editors of Variety been stuck in a hermetically-sealed showbiz time capsule for the last 50 years? All their articles with "perfs" and "star turns" and "hoofers" read like they came from a Groucho Marx parody of a Variety writer.)

Comments (5) RSS

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The fact that 16.50 is a discounted price demonstrates why they're having a tough time selling tickets.

Posted by oljb on February 11, 2009 at 2:58 PM

Brendan, "Variety" has been using this particular form of jargon for over 100 years now; it's as much a part of their brand as Keebler's elves and Coca Cola's type-face.

Posted by COMTE on February 11, 2009 at 3:25 PM

If you're in Toronto in February, I feel bad for you.

Posted by snargent pepper on February 11, 2009 at 3:46 PM

You know, Canadians are working too hard to have time to watch shows at the theatre.

They're all watching hockey or curling anyway, or hanging out with their buds at Tim Hortons this time of year, eh?

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 11, 2009 at 4:10 PM

@ 2. I know, I know. But it still sounds stoopid.

Posted by Brendan Kiley on February 11, 2009 at 4:13 PM