Price points

One of the productions I’ll be reviewing in the next IBJ is “Assassins,” the Stephen Sondheim musical staged by the new Indy-based company Lowbrow Productions (information at www.lowbrowproductions.org).

Something I probably won’t be mentioning in the article: The fact that reserved tickets are only $15.

My question: How much does ticket or admission price impact your decision making when it comes to the arts? Have you gone to the Indianapolis Museum of Art more often since it reverted to free admission? In Indy, does a higher ticket price translate directly into a higher quality experience? Do you judge a show on its own merits or do you factor in the price you paid?

If every museum and every performing arts group in town suddenly cut its ticket price in half, do you think there would be a significant rise in attendance?

And, in some cases, is the opposite true: Do we value something more if we paid more for it?

Thoughts?