I think every writer, producer, director, and performer should stand on line at TKTS once in while. Today I waited an hour (not bad really given what a beautiful day it was). I enjoy my waiting time as I get to people-watch and people-listen (I guess that's also called eavesdropping!)

The conversations range from the devoted theater fan (discussing the dialogue by Edward Albee in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf -- do Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin do it justice?) to the tourist fresh off the bus (Isn't Mamma Mia! that musical with songs by that Australian group ABBA? No silly, it's Danish!)

A lot of people want to see really well-known musicals, like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King and Chicago. Stand on line for a while and you get a much better appreciation of why producers want well-known stars in their shows, like Christina Applegate.

It seemed as if everyone on line who was waiting for Sweet Charity tickets had never heard of the show, and they just wanted to see the Married With Children TV star.

Given that, I'm really curious as to whether hiring those people who walk up and down the lines handing out flyers really makes a difference. Are people open to seeing something that isn't on their short list? Inquiring minds want to know!

Movin' Out, which I absolutely loved, often gets a bum wrap since it is "just dancing and no talking at all...". Chicago is often criticized by people who have seen the movie first and then were disappointed by the sparseness of simplicity of the stage production ("it was kinda plain...I liked the movie better because it had more chairs and stuff...")

Actually I've heard this comment many times before standing on line at TKTS. Is it because people have forgotten why we go to see live theater or is it because producers have been training people to expect lavish visual spectacle and special effects?

This is the varied nature of a Broadway audience -- sophisticated theater fan to clueless tourist. Not everyone is on the same page. But they all want to see a show and they are all willing to line up and wait an hour to have the chance to pay $50 for a ticket. God bless 'em all!

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