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BrauBlog

Discounting Kushner accordingly

By David Brauer | Published Tue, Jun 2 2009 10:00 am

After last week's foray into theater journalism ethics, a few readers asked why the Guthrie simply didn't discount tickets to Tony Kushner's slapdash "Intelligent Homosexual" after national critics were asked to stay away.

PiPress theater critic Dominic Papatola twitters this morning that the Guthrie is doing just that. If you call the Guthrie box office (612-377-2224) and quote "A98," you'll get a ten-buck discount.

[Update: Papatola has a full story here, notes the discount applies to all Kushner Celebration plays, and doesn't cover past performances. Update II: The Guthries's Melodie Bahan says the offer, originally made to an email list, is a typical practice for nearly every show.]

A glance at the Guthrie's price list indicates that would reduce all but Friday and Saturday night tickets to "preview" rates, and the higher-priced performances would be just $5 more than the typical trial run.

Refunds if you've already purchased seats? No word on that, but I doubt it.

Media | Tue, Jun 2 2009 10:00 am | 5 Comments

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5 Comments: Hide/Show Comments

(#1) On June 2, 2009, Gregory Lang says:

http://soliah.com

Gay plays are definitely not my thing but why ask national critics to stay away? That would seem like a "challenge" anywhere else as the previous article stated. If the plays goes "Broadway" the national critics would have a unique insight into the evolution if they again saw them on "Broadway".

The Twin Cities/Minneapolis gay pride festivities, the largest in the US occur during the time of the Kushner plays. These events reportedly draw 400,000 people. Many from out of town. That had to be a major factor in the timing of the Kushner plays by the Guthrie. What does the discounting say?

(#2) On June 2, 2009, Hiram Foster says:

The reality is, this is not a play that's going to have a lot of appeal. I am sure the Guthrie's managers understood that at the outset, and that the discounting of tickets, particularly in this economy, is not surprising. I think everyone understands that on these beautiful June evenings a lot of people won't be wanting to spend four hours in the theater.

(#3) On June 2, 2009, Hiram Foster says:

Kushner's play isn't really being done for the audience, it's being done for the critics and to bring the theater a national prominence it's lost in recent years. That's why the policy of hinting strongly to the national critics that they shouldn't come is so frustrating.

(#4) On June 2, 2009, Hiram Foster says:

I will say that the Guthrie has been discounting lately, if quietly. Like everyone else, they are struggling in this difficult economy. I have been seeing more empty seats than I can easily recall and to be honest I haven't yet renewed my own season tickets.

(#5) On June 2, 2009, Lynnell Mickelsen says:

RE: Greg at #1: I saw the play last week and it didn't strike me as a "gay" play. It has some gay characters it. But it's really about family, love, betrayal--all those old themes. I was sort of dreading to go, mainly because it's long play about a father pondering suicide. And I knew that the play started at 7:30 and ended around 11 p.m. (with two intermissions.)

But man I loved it. Time flies when an audience is having fun. The play is hilarious. The acting is great. The script is a marvel. I've been at the Guthrie found myself checking my watch and wondering how much longer I had to endure some high-brow drama.

Not this play. The characters have their issues, but they are all so likeable.

It's really fun. Go.

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David Brauer authors Braublog and is MinnPost's local media reporter. He's covered media and politics as a writer and editor since 1983 for City Pages, the Southwest/Downtown Journal, KFAN and KSTP-AM, Mpls.St.Paul, Minnesota Monthly, Law & Politics, the Business Journal, KARE11 and national outlets. Follow him on Twitter. Email: dbrauer [at] minnpost [dot] com.

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