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Why do Broadway audiences consist of really old people?

These people are at death’s door. Their walkers and scooters block the aisles and the line for the listening devices stretches up to the theater boxes. Not to mention they must be embarrassed when the whole row has to stand and wait forever while they try to get to their seats. Seriously why do children and grandchildren force their older relatives to do this?

by Anonymousreply 23November 21, 2023 12:47 AM

To drive you nuts, OP. They're all thinking about you, all the time.

by Anonymousreply 1October 28, 2023 8:20 PM

They're trying to get away from their annoying, useless, needy children and grandchildren for the evening, OP.

by Anonymousreply 2October 28, 2023 8:36 PM

Children and grandchildren don’t force them to go. Old people’s children and grandchildren are there because the olds paid for the tickets. Unless you’re Kevin Sessums, in which case you grifted them. Old people, by and large, are the ones who have the money and can afford to buy them.

It’s a nice day, OP. Go outside and play instead of coming here and bitching about a group you’ll one day be part of, if you’re lucky enough to live that long.

by Anonymousreply 3October 28, 2023 8:36 PM

Those old folks keep alot of shows running as do the dreaded tourists. Without them Broadway would be more dismal than it already is.

by Anonymousreply 4October 28, 2023 8:39 PM

Because they live for the legitimate theater!

by Anonymousreply 5October 28, 2023 8:42 PM

Maybe they thought sitting in a seat watching a show is one of the few forms of entertainment still available to them.

Maybe younger people aren't buying tickets because most modern musicals seem cornier than Carol Channing's excrement.

by Anonymousreply 6October 28, 2023 8:50 PM

They attend because, unlike you, they can ignore and forgive what they find to be petty nuisances when they seek public entertainment, in the fashion of their families and cultures.

But then they are the New Yorkers among the people who live in New York City.

by Anonymousreply 7October 28, 2023 8:53 PM

Old people are the ones who don’t dress in t-shirts and cut offs, old people are not the ones hollering and standing on the seats in the THEATER these days. Young people have ruined the theater experience.

by Anonymousreply 8October 28, 2023 9:28 PM

Hey! I went to Broadway recently (I think it was Broadway) and I was singing and dancing and vaping and I managed an over the clothes handy! Sure, I’m a grandmother, but I’m only 36! Hardly old!!

by Anonymousreply 9October 28, 2023 9:34 PM

Old people also do not text during the performance and check their text messages, lighting up the darkened theater. They also don't carry armfuls of snacks and drink to their seats and eat noisily as if they were at a baseball game. Also, most have shrunk, so it's much easier to see over them.

by Anonymousreply 10October 28, 2023 9:42 PM

Old people can afford to pay $500+ for an orchestra seat to a hit Broadway show like MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

But I'm old, and I REFUSE to pay that kind of money for any show.

by Anonymousreply 11October 28, 2023 10:14 PM

^ I had a perfect orchestra seat to see Evita early in the run in 1980 - price $21. No, inflation does not explain the vast increase.

by Anonymousreply 12October 28, 2023 10:32 PM

b/c the tickets are like $300 a pop

by Anonymousreply 13October 28, 2023 10:34 PM

OP, I'm sure you tell yourself that you're not racist or sexist but you somehow believe it's ok to ageist.

by Anonymousreply 14October 29, 2023 3:34 AM

An orchestra seat for Chicago in 1975 was $17.50 and people thought that was outrageous.

by Anonymousreply 15October 29, 2023 3:44 AM

R15 I remember that, when orchestra seat prices hit $17. It seemed insane.

$17 in 1975 would be $97 today. But the average person had fewer expenses back then...no cell phones, computers, cable, Netflix and all the other subscriptions every month, so you could splurge now and then on something like a B'way show. There are so many options now on where you can spend your money.

by Anonymousreply 16October 29, 2023 3:55 AM

Follies!

by Anonymousreply 17October 29, 2023 3:56 AM

What a strangely cruel post OP.

Leave the elderly alone. God forbid a row has to stand up for 3 minutes and let an older person get by to sit down for a Broadway show. And god forbid you have to see a scooter or some hearing aides. I go to the theater regularly in NY and I’ve never seen anyone give one fuck about allowing an older person the time or space to get around. If anything, people usually go out of their way to accommodate. Because they have empathy and aren’t raging assholes.

I love seeing the elderly out and about. Nothing makes me sadder than older people feeling lonely and invisible.

by Anonymousreply 18October 29, 2023 4:06 AM

Great thread, OP. I love reading the responses as an EG who still enjoys Broadway - mostly matinees at my age -and am very happy to read that my attendance is not a burden.

by Anonymousreply 19October 29, 2023 4:15 AM

This site loves to make fun of old people. I'm shocked this thread didn't get more love.

by Anonymousreply 20November 20, 2023 7:26 PM

This site loves to make fun of people like OP. I’m shocked he didn’t realize that before having to apologize.

by Anonymousreply 21November 20, 2023 7:40 PM

Because after selling our three million dollar homes to Gen Xers we have extra cash to throw around after we get home from the office.

by Anonymousreply 22November 20, 2023 8:22 PM

Troll

by Anonymousreply 23November 21, 2023 12:47 AM
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