Sunday, December 7, 2014

Nutcracker Suite and Strategy



My wife and I had the opportunity to watch the Nutcracker Suite performed at the Musical Arts Center at Indiana University. I am a big fan. I have seen it many times in St. Louis and in Chicago. What does this have to do with economics? Well, for starters, there is pricing. There are four different prices based on location. But it does not take into account the big bar strategically constructed to cross the orchestra or stage. Bah! I wonder why seats are not priced more specifically. For example, the first few rows of the mezzanine are deprived of viewing the orchestra completely. And then the rail bar. I want a discount, or at least a coupon to a chiropractor. Come to think of it, I noticed a few prominent doctors in the leading donors section. Hmmmm. 

Finally, I was impressed with the production’s efforts to fill the seats. There were definitely more children dancers than adult performers. Just think of all those proud parents, grandparents, and jealous siblings sitting in the audience. In spite of the unprecedented number of children ballerinas and ballerinos, there were no falls. The adult performers, however, decided to improvise a new Tchaikovsky movement, Beer (Irish Dance).

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