A Chorus Line Lotto Rigged

Last Saturday, 6/23, my partner & I decided to try lotto for the evening show of ACL. As we were waiting for the names to be drawn, we noticed Alisan Porter and Heather Parcells hanging out outside the theater, each with a group of family/friends. As they began drawing the lotto winners, we understood why. Every person from their groups of family/friends got in. They took half of the 20 available lotto seats. It's obvious it was not just a coincidence either, because the winning cards were pulled inside the lobby, out of view of the lotto entrants.

I am not a sore loser by any means, but this just seems wrong to me. Cast members have other means of getting tickets for their friends and family members. The lotto system is there for people who cannot afford to pay full price to have a chance to see the show, and for the cast to take advantage of it really rubs me the wrong way.

I've talked to friends about what happened, and it seems that ACL usually pulls the lotto winners out of view of the entrants. One friend also told me that last time she was there Paul McGill's parents won. (I'm not going to assume this was rigged, since it was only one winner, but it is suspicious.)

I am thinking of writing a letter to someone about the situation. I've been told lotto falls under the house manager's jurisdiction - is this correct?

Has anyone else here encountered a similar situation at ACL lotto?

Stop whining.

These are the actors IN THE SHOW. The only way for the actors to get seats for their families is to buy house seats (at $111.25 a piece), which gets deducted from their weekly paycheck

While it may not be exactly "fair," I'm pretty sure the theatre has the right to give the lotto tickets to anyone they want.

As far as I know, they ALWAYS pull the cards inside the lobby.

Updated On: 6/27/07 at 01:33 PM

I was there one time when a girl who the woman doing it obviously knew came up with her parents and she was like "It'll be their first show..." So the woman took those cards and folded them herself...and big surprise, they got all the tickets they needed. It was cold then, so we were all inside and watched her draw them...but I'm fairly sure she folded them different to the others.

I was there Saturday night too...and was one of the last drawn when they redrew. I didn't realize who all was hanging out outside until I heard the people behind me talking. Someone else..Chryssie I think...had a father and friend of his sitting in the front row too. They were next to me.

I'd heard from a friend it was rigged a while back. And yeah, it does suck. I try to look at the positive...at least you don't have to pay to enter. Then it really would suck even more.

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I understand your frustration, but imagine the frustration of being an actor in the show and having to truck your tush outside the theatre to wait and see if your family and/or friends are going to get in that night. They deserve a little bonus for actually busting their butts in the show every night-I see no problem with them getting the lotto. I guess the gripe is that the box office shouldn't do it in plain sight of others. Also, I doubt it happens every night. Cut Curly Sue a break.

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Thesbijean, in what world is it OK for people to cheat at lotto? If the show wants to set them aside, great. But your assertion is ridiculous.

if its the same lady who usually runs lotto there...she's also an usher? I believe taking/scanning tickets at the door? And she always pulls lotto inside out of view.

This wouldn't be the first time that lotto seats would be "reserved" for a cast members friends or family as someone pointed out earlier.

It's not cheating if they can give the tickets to whoever they want.

The lottery isn't one of the 10 Commandments, it's a privelage, and you should be glad that shows even do it, as opposed to whining when someone from the show gets tickets.

The actors, who bust their buts 8 times a week (though in ACL's case, more like 6 times a week), have every right to secure tickets for their families, and calling my assertion ridiculous goes to show that you don't respect the performers.

^ what WaltSummers said. :) If 10 tickets will be used be cast members, simply say "This evening we have 10 seats available in lottery." Don't say you have 20 if you know half are already gone.

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Updated On: 6/27/07 at 01:53 PM

It has nothing to do with respecting the actors. Sheesh.

If they want to pull the seats for the actors beforehand, great.

But don't pull this stunt about everyone having a FAIR chance at winning the lotto. We're not IDIOTS. Just play straight with us.

everyone DOES have a fair chance... you have a chance at being one of the names drawn for an available seats.. just like for the 30 some odd seats at wicked.. or the 12 at ave q.

Time to send Riedel at The Post a little letter exposing this. I'm sure he'll get to bottom of this.

I see no problem with the theater setting aside tickets for cast members at a discounted price, but to leave 40-50 people standing outside the theatre thinking they have a chance of winning, when in reality it's been fixed, is absolutely f*cking ridiculous.

It's false advertisement.

everyone DOES have a fair chance... you have a chance at being one of the names drawn for an available seats.. just like for the 30 some odd seats at wicked.. or the 12 at ave q.

*you* don't seem to quite get it in your head.

how is it fair when the results are predetermined???

we get it. they want to set the seats aside. fine.

But don't patronize us by pretending that ALL the tickets are available for the lottery, because they ARE NOT.