In marketing, from film to clothing, teenagers are seen as an important demographic who spend their parents’ money primarily on luxuries. So why does this model not work in musical theater?
Many Broadway shows are meant for the whole family, but some are clearly geared towards certain ages. For both the young and old, these shows span the gamut in terms of style and critical acclaim, but the financial losers often seem to be shows for the adolescent and young adult.
At a recent production of the ‘60s jukebox musical (still in previews), Baby It’s You!, one character looks at the audience and sighs. “Mama said there’ll be days like this,” she announces, “There’ll be days like this, Mama said.”
A murmur rises up in the audience and several women are singing before the music even begins.
A few days later and down the street, American Idiot plays its repertoire of both old (about ten years) and recent Green Day songs. When Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer for Green Day himself, took the stage as one of the main characters, the audience went wild with applause.
The key difference between the two shows is not audience reaction, but longevity. Baby It’s You! has steadily grown more popular in the few short weeks since it opened in previews, while American Idiot is closing at the end of April, likely without recouping the total costs of its production. Of course, theatergoers outside of their target audiences can enjoy both shows, but the themes of the shows, to say nothing of their respective musical styles, clearly endear them towards a particular age group.
There are several available Broadway discounts for students, including “rush” and “lottery.” However, according to the Broadway League, the standard theatergoer is aging, now at an average age of 47.9. Any teenager can tell that there is a place for the young at sporting events, concerts, and certainly movies. So why are the young not attending the theater?
As much of Broadway’s revenue comes from tourism, it would make sense that shows accessible to the whole family, such as Disney productions, would succeed. But Jersey Boys continues to be one of the highest-grossing Broadway shows after over five years, when critical favorite Spring Awakening closed after barely two. Is nostalgia a more compelling drive than angst?
Shiran Lugashi (Hunter/MHC ’13), at 19 years old, considers herself an avid theater fan, but does not go as often as she would like. “It costs a lot more money to see a show than it does a movie,” she says, “Because a movie’s only about $10. So I always felt bad asking my mom for more money so I could see a show, because it was my parents’ money, not mine.”
Lugashi has seen musicals geared towards both middle-aged audiences and adolescents, and does not necessarily see the more successful shows as better. But she believes that there may be a stigma against musical theater for young adults. “Going out to see a show is more of a middle-aged person’s idea of a good time than a teenager’s,” she says, “And that might be a problem.”
As shows such as the aptly named 13 continue to flop, and musicals for the mature like A Little Night Music can close with a profit, will producers give up trying to create musicals for young adults? Will a relatable Broadway musical be solely for the middle aged and retirees?
Perhaps one day, about 30 years from now, a woman on a stage will look at the audience and say with a straight face, “Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah, roma, roma ma,” and the singing will start before the music.
