It did my columnist ego proud when I learned "Avenue Q" lowered ticket prices for the duration of its run at Wynn Las Vegas, since I wrote on Feb. 26 that "Q" should be priced more for the young adults it's about.
Apparently the change had nothing to do with me. But it's interesting to hear that Wynn Las Vegas is testing to see if price sensitivity is an issue with both "Q" and "Le Reve."
("Q" tickets will be $50-$80 for early shows, $50-$70 for later shows. The cheapest ticket used to be $88. "Le Reve" tickets now keep the old range of $99-$121 on Saturdays and Sundays, but are $88-$110 other days. )
Also noteworthy is that "Hairspray" tickets have dropped back to their preview prices of $50 for locals. Locals can create an intangible buzz for a good show that somehow echoes among tourists. But we're really talking about two different markets and a different mind-set.
The Wynn experiment could be really valuable. Perhaps it's the start of a collective path out of the corner Las Vegas entertainment has painted itself into.
It's fairly obvious most shows cost too much. More complicated is something that took me a long time to believe: There really is a tourist suspicion of less-expensive shows. People are here only for a few days. They want the best. They don't want to waste their time. If the average "Avenue Q" ticket is the same as "Splash," it must not be very good. Ring up that $150 "O" ticket instead.
Never mind the "Splash" ticket is priced to cover sales commissions and to be discounted at two-for-one outlets. It really is true that the upcoming Cirque du Soleil Beatles show cannot cost less than "O" or "Ka." You can see the message that would send.
But these numbers were recently shared with me: In June of 2003, there were 80,000 tickets averaging $100 or more on the market each week. Last June, there were 200,000 to sell each week.
Now, put these shows in the mix not just with one another, but with all the nightclubs and high-end dining that has come to town. There's a real possibility that high-end product choices have surpassed the high-end market.
And, one hotel publicist notes, shows haven't been on board with the whole "What happens here" marketing ride. Perhaps they even suffer from it. The implied message of the campaign is more, "Blow your money on strippers." Or, "Try to hook up in a nightclub." It's sure not, "Tell the folks at home you saw 'Hairspray.' ''
The cold truth is that if shows are getting collectively steamrolled by the clubs and gourmet rooms, most of them will individually have to offer a better value to assert themselves and hold their own. Producers just hope the message gets heard. And not stigmatized.
Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.
