An Open Letter to the Producers of Xanadu Regarding Student Rush- Page 2

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 7:44am

Exactly and well said. Its not your god given right to get into a show as cheap as you expect.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 8:19am

The box office people at the Helen Hayes are extremely rude. I went in last Wednesday and the guy literally yelled at me. How they hire such cruse personell I will never understand.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 8:40am

ItsCalledHistory, you obviously are only reading what you want to read and not what is actually being stated here.

It is not being requested that all leftover seats be sold at a rush price.

What is being requested is that a solid policy -- whatever that policy is -- be set in place, so that students can have some sort of idea as what to expect when going to the box office.

There should be ONE policy that every box office employee abides by, and that is what appears not to be happening.

Each box office employee seems to be making their own rules based on what kind of mood they're in, and that is not rational.

If there is going to be a rush policy, the producers should make sure a solid set of rules is in place that every box office employee is told to follow, and that students are aware of in advance, so they don't have to enter the box office with a big question mark every time wondering what the policy is going to be that day.

[Tom148502]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 9:18am

Midnight Radio: Suggestion. Produce your own Broadway show and then you can do whatever you want with the tickets. Until then, get a life. There is life beyond Xanadu

[ItsCalledHistory]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 9:23am

WBAF: Seems as if we're both reading the original post differently. I've re-read it and hope you will too.

The original poster isn't questioning that the rush policy isn't being adhered to, s/he is questioning (A) why the box office will sometimes add additional tickets to the rush allotment and (B) why seats go unsold when there are customers willing to buy tickets - although not at the designated price.

Yes, a consistent rush policy would be nice, but it seems as if it's near consistent. The box office isn't only selling 10 tickets, they are selling all 20 tickets. I don't think anyone is arguing that.

I'm sure you know the producers of any show can change up any policy they want at any time they want. It's their show. They are constantly looking at their box office receipts throughout the day. If they see a lot of open seats around 5pm, they may want to alert the box office to sell extra student rush tickets. Or if they know a Wednesday evening performance is a particularly strong TKTS seller for them perhaps they want to limit the amount of rush seats available to the 20 alloted. It's up to the producer... or perhaps the box office manager... not up to the fans to decide, which I feel the original poster is trying to do.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 9:25am

Why don't you tell us what a great, happy, fulfilling life YOU have, Tom, beyond XANADU, since you decided to personally attack a student here who is engaging in the happy, recreational activity outside of school of attending Broadway shows?

Please, Tom. Tell us what a fantastic, fabulous, thrilling life you have that we should all strive for beyond the fun recreational theatre-going that we include in our lives.

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 10:19am

Let me just clear up some confusion. I am not suggesting that the box office should sell every left over seat at student rush, although some show do in fact do this at a specified time before the show, such as Sunday in the Park with George. What I am asking for is a more consistent and permanent policy to be put in place. While the website has that info, I have see it contradicted many times when I have rushed. The morning that we were told there was no student rush, the box office attendant said to come back later and many they will change their mind. They have also revoked rush for weeks at a time over the spring holiday and the stagehand strike, without making any announcement, so people again did come early and rush only to be told there was none.

I am sorry any of you feel that this is coming from a place of entitlement, because it truly is not. I appreciate the rush and how it has allowed me to see the show so many more times. I hope that many others can do the same and get to experience what I have, but with a lack of policy that is abided by, it becomes quite frustrating and deterrent.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 10:31am

The confusion does sound a little worrying for the show's life. A few years ago, 'Time' in London maintained that it closed because the box office was not interested in selling all the seats possible. Now, there was some dispute over that situation, but if I were producing on Xanadu, I would look very closely at what is happening at the box office, if there are problems arising regularly.

I would have thought this show would want word of mouth, but maybe they're holding out for a strong Tony broadcast to set the box office alight!!!

[ItsCalledHistory]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 10:55am

Midnight: Thanks for the clarification. So often I read what original posters say and after a long discussion by others on the thread (both pro and con) we never hear from the original poster again.

I also meant to say in my original post that I think that it's great that you went to see A Catered Affair after you couldn't get a student ticket to Xanadu. I don't know your theatre-going habits but I've found that die hard fans of one show (RENT is a perfect example) rarely go out and see other shows.

But getting back to the subject at hand, I couldn't find the student rush policy on their website, but from the version a poster posted in this thread note the line that states it is "subject to availability".

I'm not surprised they discontinued the rush during the spring holiday -- that's a good money making time for any show -- and again, their own decision if they want to do that or not.

All I can really say is (and I'll leave my contibutions to this thread at this, I promise) don't take it personally. No one has to do rush seats or lotteries... it's great that they do... and it would be nice if everyone's policy was as consistent as a show like Wicked or Avenue Q, but unfortunately they are not.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 11:07am

I am not suggesting that the box office should sell every left over seat at student rush, although some show do in fact do this at a specified time before the show, such as Sunday in the Park with George.

Wait, what's this? What time do the leftover seats go on sale & for how much? Are they good seats? I really want to see the show again but there is no way I'm sitting in that cramped rear mezz for a second time.

[shh282]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 11:16am

like 2h ours before show - maybe an hour and a half . all left over seats go on sale at half price for students.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 11:25am

That was one incident you saw and is not indicative of what happens all the time. But like I've said before, the people who work in the theater (the ushers etc) do go out of their way to be equally and extra nice to everyone and I think that's great.

I would beg to differ. I have had more negative box office/usher experiences on Broadway than positive. Sometimes it is due to power trips or extreme bitterness, but most often I have found it to be the popular NYC illness known as "Tourist Fatigue Syndrome". In virtually every entertainment and service industry in NYC there are a huge number of employees who are simply sick of dealing with tourists, preferring to treat them as petulant children or cattle or worse. And while I understand that tourists can be frustrating (I live in Tourist Central in Chicago), employees are either improperly trained in how to communicate with tourists or deal with their frustration, or management is entirely apathetic or even encourages the behavior. The biggest vitims are the nice tourists who are simply trying to enjoy their vacations, for many of whom it could be their only trip to NYC.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 11:26am

Unfortunately, the "subject to availability" mentioned in the first line of the Student Rush blurb gives the box office free reign to say or do whatever they like with the tickets they have. Apparently, some take that power very seriously. I do agree that box offices have a responsbility to the show, its producers and actors to try and sell as many top price tickets as possible.

I understand the midnight's confusion and disappointment, but I also understand the box office's frustration. They probably deal with people everyday looking for a "deal" and as someone who worked many years in customer service, we all have our limits. Not to mention a show like Xanadu, with its fanatic fans, they may get tired of the same faces showing up looking for cheap tickets. I would get irritated myself.

Plus, in some ways, it is an abuse of a system that was designed to give more people a chance to see a show at a less expensive rate. I remember trying to rush RENT when I had never seen it and being beat out by people seeing the show for the 25th time. That is an abuse IMO, regardless of how big a fan someone is.

Also, as in any workplace, there are good cops and bad cops. The good cops will be nice and sell great seats at low prices. The bad cops will be irritated seeing a familiar face and pretend like their is nothing, rather than telling the person the truth like "you come here too much-go away."

Maybe box offices need to limit how many times people can see a show in a certain number of months or something. I dont know if there is a right answer.

It's too bad that fans get hurt, but it's going to happen. You need a thick skin to be a Fanadu, RENT-head or a Wicked fan. It's shows your devotion.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 11:47am

Wow... this thread is starting to get nasty !!

Midnight is really one of the nicest people I have ever met, so really not right.. but anyway...

I think all anyone is asking for is a "Standard Rush Policy" that the box office abides too--- simple as that. Right now, they dont seem to have one.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 12:06pm

I hope no one is bashing Midnight, but I think some are also referring to the idea that rush seats are a priviledge not a right and box offices can do whatever they like. It is up to the fan to decide whether or not they want to keep asking. There will always be rude box office staff. There is no way around that. And fans will probably be the only people who know about discrepancies in policies because tourists would never know they are being lied to, etc. So it is up to a hardcore fan to decide if they want to endure the box office to see their favorite show at a discounted rate. I think that is all people are saying.

Sadly, and I DONT agree with this, most producers know that a handful of 26 dollars tickets sold will not make or break a show, so the rush seats are an after thought to the box office staff. It is also why some shows dont offer it, because it can be a hassle more than anything.

I totally feel for Midnight and hope they would never feel like Im bashing them.

It's just hard when hardcore fans (Im not referring to Midnight) dont feel valued or respected
because often they can be entitled, overzealous, and at times irritating. Again, not referring to Midnight-I do not know them.
I'm thinking more of experiences with Rent and Wicked people.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 1:05pm

Regarding SUNDAY... GEORGE:

like 2h ours before show - maybe an hour and a half . all left over seats go on sale at half price for students.

Hmm.. half price? So pretty much whatever they're willing to sell at TKTS they're selling at the BO for the same price?

Nice, except at $120/seat that becomes $60, same as if you did it at TKTS. Not a huge advantage.

Has anyone gotten lucky with the $21.25 general rush they have when the BO opens? I stopped by once but was only able to get 3rd or 4th to last row seats, and like Cape said, I'd love to see this show again but don't want to endure the rear mezz.

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 1:16pm

WBAF - Yup... Tom148502 is a miserable wretch and totally out of line. We love you Midnight

And my question for Mister Matt is... Are you saying an usher at the Helen Hayes was something other than nice to you or to somebody you know? I wasn't speaking in general terms. I was talking about the people at this theater.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 1:17pm

Has anyone gotten lucky with the $21.25 general rush they have when the BO opens? I stopped by once but was only able to get 3rd or 4th to last row seats, and like Cape said, I'd love to see this show again but don't want to endure the rear mezz.

Now, this is the sort of sensibility that I think people here are finding a little frustrating.

"I want to pay the cheapest price possible, but I don't want bad seats."

For $21.25 for a Broadway show, I would be thankful I'm not standing with an obstructed view.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 2:23pm

Everyone I have dealt with at the box office has been more than accomodating to this fanadu. I really have no complaints about anyone at this show. (I haven't tried for rush so I can't speak from that point of view. I think the inconsistencies in the policy are odd, but it's their right to offer or not offer student rush.)

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 3:47pm

Now, this is the sort of sensibility that I think people here are finding a little frustrating.

"I want to pay the cheapest price possible, but I don't want bad seats."

For $21.25 for a Broadway show, I would be thankful I'm not standing with an obstructed view.

Come on, dude. I am not being entitled. I am not complaining that cheap seats are in the back. I'm asking if anyone has been lucky with the cheap seats being downstairs. If not, I will pay up for better ones. I'm just trying to find the best value point.

Why should I voluntarily pay up if, in the right circumstances, I won't have to? I'm all for paying up for good seats or suffering with subpar seats for cheaper prices. But, if it is possible to get the best of both worlds (like Spring Awakening and others, getting leftover seats for $27), why not go for it? It's not the same thing as whining about not getting great seats for cheap, and you're being pretty cynical if you're reading my post as such.

That's part of what this board is about, no? Sharing thoughts about Broadway and finding out the best ways (economically and value-wise) to see them.
Updated On: 4/30/08 at 03:47 PM

[shh282]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 3:51pm

Tony you should go to the box office - because the way the guy pointed it out to me I thought he said orch was 43, but I could have been wrong because I didn't intend on using it so I didn't pay attention.. they're very kind and willing to explain anything

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 3:55pm

I plan on it next time I get over there, shh, thanks. Just wondering if anyone else has done it so I can save myself a trip :). I work on the east side and usually don't get out before 8, so it would require a special trip. (and isn't exactly close enough that you can stop in 5 minutes before seeing another show)

how did you end up seeing the show if you weren't interested in rush?

btw, sorry for hijacking this thread. feel free to move discussion to the sitpwg rush/tdf based thread.

[shh282]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 3:57pm

Tony I'm PMing you to spare this poor thread.

[shh282]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 3:57pm

Tony I'm PMing you to spare this poor thread.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 4/30/08 at 4:01pm

I've asked about the rush policy at the box office 4 times since opening and I've always gotten a different answer. One time they said there were no more left (which is hard to believe) and another said there was no rush policy. Another time they said they were only available when the box office opens.