{"id":1827,"date":"2015-02-10T16:21:35","date_gmt":"2015-02-11T00:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/?p=1827"},"modified":"2015-02-10T16:21:35","modified_gmt":"2015-02-11T00:21:35","slug":"price-discrimination-time-and-money-at-the-theatre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2015\/02\/price-discrimination-time-and-money-at-the-theatre\/","title":{"rendered":"Price discrimination, time and money at the theatre"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"did<\/a>Mixed Blood Theatre of Minneapolis has an interesting pricing model, which they call ‘radical hospitality<\/a>‘:<\/p>\n

Radical Hospitality<\/em> erases economic barriers in pursuit of building a truly inclusive, global audience. Whether a patron is a long-time Mixed Blood attendee, a new immigrant living in Mixed Blood\u2019s Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, a person with low income or disabilities, a college student, or someone who has never been to theater, he or she will be welcomed, free of charge\u2014with radical hospitality.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How does it work?<\/p>\n

There are two ways to see a performance:<\/p>\n

1) First come, first served, no-cost admission: Mixed Blood holds a significant number of seats for no-cost admission on a first come, first served basis for each performance. To access these seats, provide your contact information in the lobby (lobby opens two hours prior to the show). Seating begins 30 minutes before show time and is open (no assigned seats).<\/p>\n

2) Guaranteed admission: Audience members who want to guarantee entry can do so for a $20 fee paid in advance online or by calling the box office at (612) 338-6131. Seating begins 30 minutes before show time and is open (no assigned seats).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I like it. It is feasible price discrimination because many audience members will prefer to just pay the $20 for a guaranteed ticket rather than come to the lobby two hours early to get on the list for no-cost admission; in other words, it segments buyers in a way that won’t have everyone rushing for the free seats. It gives those with more time, and less money, a chance to enjoy some theatre. It doesn’t solve the ‘access’ problem by giving everyone<\/em> free admission, which is a poorly targeted subsidy, and costly to the company, which needs funds to produce its shows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mixed Blood Theatre of Minneapolis has an interesting pricing model, which they call ‘radical hospitality‘: Radical Hospitality erases economic barriers in pursuit of building a truly inclusive, global audience. Whether a patron is a long-time Mixed Blood attendee, a new immigrant living in Mixed Blood\u2019s Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, a person with low income or disabilities, a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1827","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-issues","8":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/shivfishingweb.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3dIW5-tt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2664,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2021\/05\/do-we-know-how-changing-prices-affects-the-income-diversity-of-audiences\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":0},"title":"Do we know how changing prices affects the income-diversity of audiences?","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"May 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In the very first few weeks of Econ 101 students are introduced to the \"demand curve\", relating how changes to the price of a product affect the quantity demanded of the product, all other things held equal. I've spent many years drawing these on blackboards, but they are a lot\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 3 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 3 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2021\/05\/do-we-know-how-changing-prices-affects-the-income-diversity-of-audiences\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/price.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/price.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/price.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3779,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2025\/04\/on-the-hidden-economics-of-live-theatre\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":1},"title":"On the hidden economics of live theatre","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"April 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Freakonomics Radio has a new three part series on the economic landscape facing live theatre. Part One is here, and part two is here, which as a supporting act in an episode with Lin-Manuel Miranda, has me trying to coherently explain cost disease in the theatre, where it comes from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "issues"","block_context":{"text":"issues","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2976,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2024\/03\/on-the-high-price-of-west-end-tickets\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":2},"title":"On the high price of West End tickets","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"March 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Guardian has\u00a0a new editorial\u00a0up about how the price of a theatre ticket in London is too darn high. I imagine it would be possible to write a similar piece about theatre in any big North American city as well. But it makes some questionable claims and assumptions, so, here\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "issues"","block_context":{"text":"issues","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1812,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2015\/02\/pay-what-you-decide-at-the-theatre\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":3},"title":"Pay-what-you-decide at the theatre","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"February 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Stage News reports on a trial run of pay-what-you-decide pricing at the regional theatre in Stockton, UK: The Pay What You Decide system is now in effect for all theatre productions at the arts centre for six months, following a trial on a one-man show at the venue. Too\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"time","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/The_Persistence_of_Memory-300x220.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":986,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2013\/08\/whatever\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":4},"title":"Whatever","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"August 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The Washington Post reports that Forum Theater will not charge an advance price on tickets, but instead will have audience members pay after the show, whatever amount they think is right: Michael Dove, Forum\u2019s artistic director, says that he has long been concerned about what it means to be a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "issues"","block_context":{"text":"issues","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"where's my director of development?","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/busker-300x199.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":971,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/worth\/2013\/07\/taking-price-discrimination-to-the-limits\/","url_meta":{"origin":1827,"position":5},"title":"Taking price discrimination to the limits","author":"Michael Rushton","date":"July 31, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The Guardian reports: While the high price of theatre tickets is well known, it still comes as a surprise to discover that some members of the audience for\u00a0Arrivals & Departures, the latest play by\u00a0Alan Ayckbourn, may have paid \u00a31,500 for the privilege. 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