Sunday in the park (rush)

Arrived just after 8am today (the first preview) and was 23rd in line (that is, before friends of those in front of me started showing up). The first group of people arrived at 445am and the second group arrived at 5am. They ran out of front row rush about 12 people before me and they sold the remaining balcony seats at the $41 rush price to the next 4 people. Then they completely ran out.

If it's any consolation, they gave out cream puffs to everyone in line. And lots of us who didn't get rush for this show walked over to the Palace and easily secured rush seats to Sunset Boulevard.

Ten bucks says by next week this will turn into an online lottery. The last thing the theatre (and especially the hotel next to it) wants is 100 people camped out all night in sub freezing temperatures.

I was about midway through the line, arriving around 8:30. I ended up getting a $49 balcony ticket for Wednesday. $8 more and I don't have to wait in line early in the morning? I didn't mind. :) And the cream puffs were a nice treat.

I was there today (the 14th) and got there at about 7am and the line was already pretty long. The first people in line got there at about 5am. They run out of the front row rush tickets very quickly, I think they only have about 14 but one of the people standing in line said that the number varies just a bit depending on how many tickets the producers decide to release.

When they announced that they were out of rush tickets, most of the people in line left. However, they left before it was announced that they would be offering $69 dress circle (mezzanine) seats for the next day's performance for those who missed out on the front row rush tickets. I have a seat in row F and according to the guy working at the box office, it's a really great view.

Would 6:30-6:45 be too late and not even worth it to get tickets for Saturday?

For Saturday, you might want to get there a bit earlier. If the line was long on a Tuesday, I can't imagine how long it will be on a Saturday.

I got to the box office at about 12:15p yesterday. I was surprised that they had some rush left since people on this board have been saying the line has been long early in the morning. My seat was in the back of the orchestra left, but there was half of a row empty in the middle of center orchestra so I moved there. For $41, it was an awesome seat.

supersam1026 said: "After reading about the luck some other posters had, I decided to take a long shot and see what they had tonight. I got to the box office around 7:10pm, asked if there was any chance they had rush left, they said no, but they could give me a ticket that usually sells for $399 for $49 instead!! Orchestra Row H, Seat 103.... WOW!!!!! Best deal I could ever think of and will probably get for a while!

Also, since some have asked, I did go to the stage door. The show ended around 10:35, I got to a somewhat busy, but very calm stage door by 10:40, and left with an autograph and picture with Gyllenhaal at 10:49!

"

What a great deal!!! the fact you didn't have to wait 4 hours for a seat that's better than front row for $8 more than rush, heck I'm jealous!

So glad you got to see this show!

Also, since some have asked, I did go to the stage door. The show ended around 10:35, I got to a somewhat busy, but very calm stage door by 10:40, and left with an autograph and picture with Gyllenhaal at 10:49!



"

Wow I hope I get a picture! Where is the door located?

PThespian said: "Most every show that I've ever encountered does.

Certainly SOR does.

Ticket prices don't drop after a certain time."

The majority of my ticket buying is snapping up premium seats when they convert to regular pricing a day or so before the performance, so I don't think most shows obstinately refuse to move the inventory. Some, like The Last Ship and usually Ticketmaster houses, often would not only downgrade premium seats on a specific schedule, they often took discount codes for those seats, too. When I lived in NYC, I would also show up an hour to showtime with a Broadway Box code and often get tickets never available with that code online, or check with TKTS for the same. Now, would most shows give a premium seat to someone in the rush line for $40ish, maybe not. But my experience is that no show doesn't typically downgrade premiums on a fixed schedule and try to move them all by showtime...

I do remember looking at tickets for Sunday two months ago and pretty much most of the orchestra were at least $149 or higher (most were priced at the premium level even during previews.)

Personally, I wish there were no premium pricing for previews as it allows the average theater-goer the chance to sit in a prime seat for regular prices.

What I normally do is watch a show via rush or SRO first, then of course if there are empty seats in the orchestra by intermission, I'd ask the usher whether I may sit in them (I've always gotten a yes) and I give myself a free upgrade. :) If I loved the show, I'd see it again. I'm away this weekend but hope to see Sunday again but from the mezz level (or if I can get $49 prime center orch like you, then heck yeah i'll sit there!)

I've gone a few times before a show started, but never had luck getting discounted prices for regular seats. I've even asked the box office what happens if they don't sell and they told me the seat just stays empty.