Anatomy of a ticket

The Nutcracker @ New York City Ballet

Also see:  The New York Yankees  |  The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art  |  Figurines @ Mercury Lounge  |  La Traviata @ The Metropolitan Opera  |  Jump @ Union Square Theatre

You’re taking yourself to the ballet. (Because no one wants to go with you. Sad.) You shell out $86 for a seat at The Nutcracker. How much goes to salaries, scenery and toe shoes? Ticket sales account for only about 45% of the ballet’s revenues. Of its total costs of $54.04 million, the ballet spends:

	50.7% on paying the dancers and the support staff
	15.7% pays for their medical benefits (those toes get pretty nasty)
	10.3% combined on other fees, miscellaneous costs and depreciation
	7.6% on professional fees
	7.2% on printing (hug a tree, ballet peeps. That’s a lot of ink ’n’ paper)
	3.5% on scenery, music and costumes (like giant mouse heads)
	2.7% on travel
	1.3% on occupancy costs (maintenance, electricity, etc.)
	0.86% on front-office expenses