What kind of people attended theatre during the 1920's and 30's?

Question

I am writing a paper and need to know about the kind of people that were able to attended shows during the 1920's and 1930's.

Answer 1

I'm old but not that old, and might disagree with some here. The premise of any theater or film house was and is to entertain, and I suspect every range of society wants to have that experience.

In the 20's and 30's much as now, it likely depended on how much or how little a ticket cost, and too, the genre. The idea of appealling to a blanket audience might work, but plays depend pretty much on people who have already decided they enjoy live performance as opposed to film. There is likely a segment of society that enjoys a musical or comedy, or drama, etc, all being separate perhaps in that one might not cross over into another.

In that era there truly was no well established middle class. One either worked 7 days a week for what meager wages were paid, or owned the companies those workers were involved with. The idea of spending 25 cents for example to be entertained might have been something many were unable to budget.

Certainly since its inception, film has had a wider audience, and become more global, but live performance theater has been around for multiple thousands of years and certainly had/has its fans.

Steven Wolf

I imagine that in the 20's/30's there were social status issues attached to the various forms of entertainment, which hasn't changed much in audience attitudes. The wealthy may have never considered showing up at a raucus bar show, while anyone on the fringes of audience participation and wondering where the next meal was coming from, might have just opted for slap stick, or improv type venues in those genres.

Answer 2

The blue collar workers, mostly attended the Music Halls which put on a number of variety acts.
The more upmarket theatres were frequented by the middle and upper classes.

Answer 3

Upper middle class and aristocracy.

Answer 4

Are you talking Broadway or Vaudeville?

Answer 5

SOME PEOPLE DO DON'T BE AFRAID EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT IN THEIR ONE DIFFERENT WAYS K

Answer 6

mostly seniors go