‘How to Dance in Ohio’ $50 Rush Policy Sparks Discourse of Accessible Tickets

Broadway, alike the music and sports industries, has seen a rise in ticket prices amid “funflation” this year. Theatergoers have reacted to the shift, and while some productions have made an effort to make tickets more accessible for everyone, many claim there is still a lot more work to be done.

As reported by Playbill, Broadway brought-in more than $31 million during the week of December 10 to 16, with an average admission cost of $140. Throughout the week, the publication reported that shows played to nearly 90% full houses, while 26 productions made the $1 Million Club.

While there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of interest for Broadway shows among theatergoers, prices are a common discourse online. Many would-be theatergoers claim they’ll never be able to see shows on the Main Stem with regular seats going for hundreds of dollars each.

Broadway ticket prices are so astronomically high it’s actually laughable.

— Curt Mega (@curtmega) December 13, 2023

Others offered alternative ways to see shows — like the TKTS booth in Times Square that offers same-day tickets or via ticket lotteries. However, one show in particular is making noise on the Great White Way for their newly-launched initiative: “How to Dance in Ohio.”

The production, which just opened on December 10 at the Belasco Theatre announced a promotion dubbed “$50 for 50K.” Producer Ben Holtzman said that in an effort to make “HTDIO” “as accessible to our audiences as we possibly can,” any unsold seats for that day’s performance would be available for $50 at the box office as the production tries to reach 50,000 audience members by the end of the year.

Help us build momentum to reach 50,000 audience members by the end of 2023! For a limited time, every day, any unsold seat for that day’s performance will be sold at only $50 at the box office. This deal is first come first serve and applies to any unsold seat in the house! pic.twitter.com/NL18fgsgvf

— How To Dance In Ohio – The Musical (@ohiomusical) December 8, 2023

The “$50 for 50K” imitative is available at the “HTDIO” box office Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m. Tickets are available in advance via “HTDIO’s” official website. Theatergoers can also score tickets via MEGASeats (use code “TICKETNEWS” for 10% off your order), StubHub, or Ticket Club, where readers can obtain a free membership and avoid service fees with the code “TICKETNEWS.”

| RELATED: Broadway Round-Up: These Shows Are Opening in Fall, Winter 2023 |

While the rush-style promotion was praised, it was also critiqued when later clarified that any unsold seats would be available for $50 based on the box office’s discretion. The initiative also only runs through the end of the year. Others chimed in, noting that there is still more work to be done.

Like this may be shocking to hear but HTDIO offering $50 tickets did not single handedly save the industry, there is still plenty of work to be done

— i’m just Ben (@ItsRainingBen) December 13, 2023

But also $50 is literally not accessible for 90% of working class people.

— Radical Renee 🌻 (@ShalhoubRenee) December 14, 2023

Just because broadway is accessible to me through some discounts/cheapest full priced tickets, doesn’t mean it is for everyone. I hope the community as a whole keeps making strides towards accessibility like HTDIO.

— Savanna Gladue (@savaglad) December 14, 2023

& unless you’re researching or well versed in seeing Broadway, the cheaper tickets just don’t throw themselves at you. You really do have to dig. Musicals like HTDIO are doing great things accessibility wise, other shows could learn from that model too.

— Savanna Gladue (@savaglad) December 14, 2023

HTDIO producer Ben Holtzman weighed-in on the promotion on X, noting that there are certain production hold requirements. He said he only has “so much control,” and while “it is not easy to try new things on Broadway” he’s going to “keep trying the best I can.”

“If you want to see real change, you need to celebrate the small wins,” Hotlzman said.