ATG’s new rush policy in San Francisco for Suffs (that isn't too different after all)

[bear88]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 1:58pm

For many years, I have seen touring shows in San Francisco by purchasing rush tickets via TodayTix. I can’t count the number of times I did this just before arriving at work on BART when I worked there. Earlier this year, I bought tickets for Parade this way.

Sometimes, demand would be high enough that I failed. But we could either try again another day or do in-person rush (which I have done a couple of times, most recently to see the popular & Juliet.)

But for whatever reason, the folks at ATG, which runs San Francisco’s touring houses now, have changed the policy - at least for the touring production of Suffs now playing at the Orpheum Theatre.

They’re only offering the TodayTix rush during the week. On Saturdays and Sundays, in-person rush is offered, but only for individual seats with limited views, according to the website.

I don’t necessarily mind in-person rush (it’s actually cheaper) and the other restrictions are probably more annoying than an actual problem. Suffs has plenty of empty orchestra seats to fill even tonight.

But I am perplexed about why ATG is doing this. I am reconsidering seeing another show instead which I had planned to see later.

Meh. ATG just irritates me.

 

Updated On: 10/27/25 at 01:58 PM

[merle57]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 2:29pm

Offering Rush Tickets day of show is an excellent policy since the theatre for Shucked, which also offered rush tickets, was close to 50% empty for almost every performance. Even Les Miz touring production was offering Rush tickets since it was not even close to sell out.  These shows are just not selling across the country because some of the shows are mediocre (Some Like It Hot, Mrs Doubtfire), the Trump economy is down, younger people are not regular theatergoers or opera goers or symphony goers or anything goers, and the costs of parking, transportation,, and ticket prices AND the extra additional "ticketing" fees have made the experience unpleasant UNLESS the show is outstanding. Not many shows are Hamilton, Wicked or Lion King. ATG needs to make the theatre experience special again, not just price gougingly expensive. 

[bear88]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 3:27pm

I am more puzzled than anything about the new ATG rules for weekend shows. Why have a policy that only offers in-person rush tickets with limited views? Why restrict sales, unless the language is poorly worded on the website, to one person each? Can I buy a ticket next to my spouse even if we’re in line together? Why can’t one of us just buy a pair of tickets, like we could do a few months ago?

What’s especially dumb is that Suffs will not come close to selling out its orchestra seats tonight, even though the center orchestra section is reasonably well sold. There are huge blocks of side orchestra seats available, mostly with full views, not to mention all the open seats in the mezzanine and balcony.

I am aware that my wife and I can just switch seats. But I find this off-putting as a consumer. They’re telling potential audience members: ‘We’ll sell you a rush ticket, but only in person, and only with crappy views, and only for one seat each.’

ATG can get away with this for a show that sells out the 2,200-seat Orpheum Theatre, or even the good seats in the orchestra. Suffs is not that show. Most touring productions don’t have that much demand.

Maybe we’ll see a movie instead. 

ETA: There is obviously nothing stopping me from buying full-price tickets and ATG is well within its rights to change policies that go back long before its involvement. I have bought tickets in advance to see the touring production of Stereophonic at an ATG-run theater, the Curran, because I wanted to get good seats for a larger group and I am more curious about that play (and the good seats are selling better).

But in a lot of cases, I am interested in a show but don’t feel compelled to see it. And fine, I’m cheap. Suffs is one of those touring productions that I am interested to see but don’t want to pay full price, especially when there are a lot of vacant seats. Sometimes I love such shows. Sometimes I don’t.

But ATG’s new rush policy just irks me. They’re taking away an easy way to see more theater without breaking the bank.

I am happy to pay more for local theater houses because I like supporting them. But ATG? Try harder.

Updated On: 10/25/25 at 03:27 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 3:45pm

For the record, "Suffs" is playing the Orpheum in S.F.

Updated On: 10/25/25 at 03:45 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 4:01pm

Wayman_Wong said: "For the record, "Suffs" is playing the Orpheum in S.F."

Duly noted, and I corrected that brain freeze in my original post and my earlier follow-up. Thanks, Wayman. At least I got the number of seats at the Orpheum correct, even if I mistakenly called it the Curran, which has a lower seating capacity. There are still plenty of empty seats at the Orpheum, the largest of San Francisco’s touring houses, for tonight’s performance of Suffs. And ATG has changed its rush policy.

My question is why. Who benefits from this? ATG must think they are benefiting, but I think they’re wrong - even for their box office proceeds tonight - much less for the way this discourages longtime theatergoers from attending touring productions they’re somewhat ambivalent about seeing.

 

Updated On: 10/25/25 at 04:01 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 9:43pm

It worked out fine. Nonexistent line. Got fifth row side orchestra tickets on the aisle. The ATG website should do a better job clarifying their policy, which isn’t - in practice - really any different from the old policy. People just have to to show up in person on weekends.

[inception]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 9:54am

Maybe they thought people were scalping the online rush tickets?

Here in Vancouver they don't even do in person rush for touring Briadway shows, they just use Lucky Seat and you have to enter the drawings about a week before.  For shows that aren't well sold they may put out a discount code, but it won't come close to the price of a rush seat.  We don't get the first run tours anyways.  Something like Suffs probably will never play here. 

I don't regret seeing Suffs two weeks ago in Las Vegas.  I did fall asleep for part of the first act.  But there weren't any other big shows or concerts scheduled for that Sunday night that interested me.  The Saturday night I saw Stevie Nicks in concert & that was surprisingly moving, especially when she sang "Landslide."

[bear88]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 5:03pm

You pick up the online rush tickets at the box office. I don’t think they’re worried about scalpers, especially because they kept online rush on Tuesdays through Fridays.

While the orchestra section of the theater was reasonably full last night, there were empty seats - including a few in prime center orchestra seats that the box office refused to sell as rush tickets. I have no quarrel with that. 

It’s interesting how different cities handle rush or, as in Vancouver, refuse to do it at all. That doesn’t make sense to me. It’s just another hurdle for potential theatergoers that will prompt some people to skip things altogether.

Touring houses can get away with making things difficult for a really popular show. But most touring musicals or plays aren’t going to sell out large venues in cities across the country. 

As for Suffs, the show, I respected its ambitions and maturity in addressing tensions within a political movement and their inevitable setbacks. This made the show feel less dated than I had feared. There were times I was frustrated when Shaina Taub introduced a conflict, such as Ida B. Wells’ frustrations, and then just sort of dropped it. But overall, I appreciated the lyrics even if I wished the music was better. The touring production is well-acted, staged, and clearly sung. In a lyrics-driven musical, that’s important.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 5:23pm

bear88 said: "It worked out fine. Nonexistent line. Got fifth row side orchestra tickets on the aisle. The ATG website should do a better job clarifying their policy, which isn’t - in practice - really any different from the old policy. People just have to to show up in person on weekends."

 

First World Problems. 

[bear88]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 2:43am

"First World Problems" is a fair comment for pretty much every thread on this board. But to the extent we are discussing the marketing strategy of theater companies during a dicey financial time for the industry, it seems worthwhile to point out changes that the large companies that present touring Broadway shows across the country are adopting.

This one struck me as misguided, because it eliminates an easy way for people to buy inexpensive tickets for a touring show they are not determined to see at any price. I was puzzled by the change to SFBroadway's longtime policy about rush tickets. The website is confusing, and the change (eliminating online rush on the weekends only) seemed odd. I don't see how it helps them.

I was interested enough in seeing Suffs to head into the city anyway, as I figured it would probably work out. It did for us, but my personal situation isn't important. My question is: How many people decided not to bother to see the show because of their new weekend policy? No idea. There certainly weren't many last-minute ticket buyers on Saturday night, although the theater (or at least the orchestra section) was pretty full, in part because of a League of Women Voters event.

It's also interesting to hear from inception that Vancouver has an even less consumer-friendly policy. I just question decisions by theater companies to adopt policies that make it more difficult or confusing for people to attend shows. Not everyone is made of money or knows how to find discount tickets on relatively obscure websites or feels like making the drive for an online rush ticket when it's not clear they can even sit with the person they came with.

Some smaller theater companies are really hustling to make their businesses work. I have taken notice, and those theater companies in my neck of the woods are the most likely to survive and thrive.

Updated On: 10/27/25 at 02:43 AM