Any Luck with Physical Tickets Post-Reopening?

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 12:24pm

I know some on this board, like me, like to collect paper tickets of the shows they see, which is made difficult by the prevalence of e-tickets post-reopening. I know some folks on the board have in the past had luck with asking for a printed ticket at the box office. Has anyone had success (or not) with this since shows have reopened?

Updated On: 10/23/21 at 12:24 PM

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 12:41pm

I didn’t have any luck at Moulin Rouge’s reopening night. They told me they would all be digital (though someone here reported they had no issue getting a paper ticket for the same performance).

I brought a print out of my confirmation to the Caroline or Change box office and the attendant asked me if I was “picking up”. I said “yes”… she then looked for my tickets - didn’t find them (presumably because I had a digital version on my phone) and printed the two tickets (they actually say “reprint” on them).

Since then, I’ve printed all my confirmations at home and hope that if I bring them to each respective box office, that might help me get a paper ticket. LOL.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 12:58pm

Yeah, they’ll print them for you but some of the box office people are just BITTER about doing it. I really don’t understand the reason behind making people feel like sh*t for wanting an actual ticket (something they can do with the push of a button), when people like us are the vast minority of people who actually care about something like that. Most people are more than fine with all digital so when the odd, random person asks for a printed ticket just do it.

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 1:11pm

Thanks to you both! I’ll give it a try on my trip next week. I especially want one for Wicked, as I’m going on Oct. 30! Cheers!

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 10:37pm

Glad someone made a thread about this. I asked to have my tickets printed at the Majestic on Friday night, Oct. 22 and the box office worker glared at me, let out a dramatic sigh, and then looked around as if she didn't know what to do next. She finally asked how I bought the tickets, and I said telecharge, and she glared at me again, almost as if to say "I know we both know that Telecharge emailed you the tickets and you are trying to pull a fast one." I just stood there and waited for her to calm down and then she started typing and typing and typing on the computer like that scene in Meet the Parents when Ben Stiller tries to check-in at the airport. She finally gave me the paper ticket. 

Today at Phantom I tried to get the box office to print my ticket. The man said that I should have gotten an email from Telecharge with my ticket since they don't offer tickets at the box office. The woman ahead of my in line bought a ticket for January and she was upset that they wouldn't give her paper tickets and only an email 2 weeks ahead of time. She was buying them as a gift and had nothing to physically give now. 

Anyway, Telecharge had specially emailed me and told me that there was some snafu with the email and that I had to get it printed at the box office. I held up my phone with that email, and the box office employee said "give me that phone" so I had to put it under the glass and when he looked at the email and my ID, he said "Aha! This isn't even you!" And I explained that the Telecharge employee had a different name than me and he was looking at the Telecharge name, not mine. He went and had a conversation with the other box office people about the situation and kept raising his hands up and shaking his head like it was this impossible situation. He finally just printed out a ticket. I was tempted to say "you could have just done that ten minutes ago" but I let it go. 

At the Booth Theater was the only time I used the ticket-on-the-phone thing, and none of the scanners could read my ticket and they finally just let me in. So needless to say, I will continue to ask for box office print outs after that. 

It's a shame there is no Tony Award for Most Dramatic Box Office Employee. It would be quite entertaining to see the best clips of their performances when their names are announced. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 10:49pm

Sounds like the crap they did to me at the Lyceum a few weeks ago. Acting all exasperated, banging on a thousand keys breathing heavily.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 10:56pm

I’m sorry to hear all of you are having so many problems and getting so much attitude. I mean there must be a ton of elderly people and others who don’t use technology like that and will need to be accommodated. How awful.

Our local touring house was promoting that the tickets for the entire season would need to be accessed via their new app. I called the box office and said, “yeah I’m not doing that” and they mailed me all my tickets.

It’s sad because they actually used to send out a booklet of all your season tickets with all the show logos on them in color. They were a really nice keepsake.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 11:05pm

The guy in the SIX box office huffed and puffed about giving my ticket, too. Like...why is that a big deal, sir? I feel like they have to deal with far fewer in-person sales in general currently so to act like it's an inconvenience when their job is literally to provide tickets is..beyond me.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 11:30pm

As crappy as these box office people are, I’m not going to lie, this stories are hilarious and so ridiculously over the top. Stop inconveniencing the box office staff, everyone!

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 10/23/21 at 11:37pm

I’ll be sure to report back with successes (and failures)! 

Updated On: 10/23/21 at 11:37 PM

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 2:31am

I was able to get a physical ticket printed for the Phantom reopening.  I opened with the fact that I had an e-ticket and I just wanted a physical version, and the gentleman at the box office was mostly helpful.  We had a slight issue where there was a little bit of trouble looking up my order since I guess my name wasn't showing up in the system or something (I bought in person at the box office), and I didn't have enough internet to load the original order confirmation email to find the order number, but the box office worker was able to find it without that and got me my printed ticket without any other drama.

[rg7759]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 7:47am

I was behind a geriatric in line at Lehman trilogy to get physical tickets. It felt like carrying a typewriter to the theater

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 9:40am

I was able to request physical tickets (box office pickup) for Trouble In Mind.

[hak5]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 4:02pm

The person I spoke with at SeatGeek on the phone said I would be able to get my HADESTOWN tickets printed day of show at boxoffice . The tip he told me was say my phone ran out of power and they would be able to find order with my email and showing ID.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 4:09pm

My CHICKEN AND BISCUITS e-ticket wouldn't scan so I was sent over to the box office where they issued a paper ticket to me in a matter of moments.

My e-ticket for the movies yesterday wouldn't scan, either.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 5:10pm

Phantom4ever said: "Glad someone made a thread about this. I asked to have my tickets printed at the Majestic on Friday night, Oct. 22 and the box office worker glared at me, let out a dramatic sigh, and then looked around as if she didn't know what to do next. She finally asked how I bought the tickets, and I said telecharge, and she glared at me again, almost as if to say "I know we both know that Telecharge emailed you the tickets and you are trying to pull a fast one." I just stood there and waited for her to calm down and then she started typing and typing and typing on the computer like that scene in Meet the Parents when Ben Stiller tries to check-in at the airport. She finally gave me the paper ticket.

Today at Phantom I tried to get the box office to print my ticket. The man said that I should have gotten an email from Telecharge with my ticket since they don't offer tickets at the box office. The woman ahead of my in line bought a ticket for January and she was upset that they wouldn't give her paper tickets and only an email 2 weeks ahead of time. She was buying them as a gift and had nothing to physically give now.

Anyway, Telecharge had specially emailed me and told me that there was some snafu with the email and that I had to get it printed at the box office. I held up my phone with that email, and the box office employee said "give me that phone" so I had to put it under the glass and when he looked at the email and my ID, he said "Aha! This isn't even you!" And I explained that the Telecharge employee had a different name than me and he was looking at the Telecharge name, not mine. He went and had a conversation with the other box office people about the situation and kept raising his hands up and shaking his head like it was this impossible situation. He finally just printed out a ticket. I was tempted to say "you could have just done that ten minutes ago" but I let it go.

At the Booth Theater was the only time I used the ticket-on-the-phone thing, and none of the scanners could read my ticket and they finally just let me in. So needless to say, I will continue to ask for box office print outs after that.

It's a shame there is no Tony Award for Most Dramatic Box Office Employee. It would be quite entertaining to see the best clips of their performances when their names are announced."

The "give me that phone" and the "this isn't you" (mistake) would have drawn the line for me.  You're too nice.  If this was directed to me.............the next Tony Award awarded would be for "Best Response From A Customer To A Rude Box Office Employee!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 5:16pm

I believe most (or all?) Major League Baseball games are now mobile-only. I looked into this a lot earlier this year, since I went to three games this season, my first since 2019. I wish I could find that specific article, but a ticketing agent said there are ways to get a printed one, but they don't make it public. You can ask, though. I seem to remember at CitiField there was smallish print on their signs (that said you could talk to a ticketing agent if you were having trouble or didn't have a phone) about tickets being mobile-only.

This isn't the story I was thinking of, but it's a nice one about printed tickets: 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/09/12/baseball-tickets-los-angeles-dodgers-opening-day

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 5:20pm

Having worked in a box office for four years in college (where major Broadway tours came through), I can say that reprinting someone's tickets is the easiest and quickest thing about the job. It would be one thing if the box office were inundated with pre-show walk up and will call, but it sounds like those two things have subsided substantially since re-opening.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 5:23pm

Exactly. That’s why all the banging on keyboards, exasperated sighs, taking 5 minutes to do it, all to make you feel like you’re being the worst person alive by asking is so stupid and over the top. They’ve been back to work for like 8 weeks - calm down, type in the order number hit the little button and then go back to being bitter about your job.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 10/24/21 at 8:51pm

Unbelievable that some of the highest paid workers on Broadway are the most bitter. *sigh*

[Det95]

Posted: 10/25/21 at 12:44pm

When I was in the city the week of Sep 14th I was able to get my full 8 show week of tickets printed. The Nederlander houses were by far the easiest to get them printed at which was nice since 4 of my shows were there. All of them did it with no hassle. The Schubert houses had me do it the day of, which is fine. The Kerr was by far the most difficult. I went there after the Wilson to get my ticket printed and they said Jujamcyn wasn't printing tickets. When I told the box office person they printed it at the Wilson he rolled his eyes and told my quite snarkily to come back the day of. When I showed up the day of I got the other box office attendant who happily printed it for my, but the guy who told me to come back was giving major side eye.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 10/25/21 at 11:29pm

Maybe y'all are just catching people on bad days, but I haven't had any issues with box office staff at all.

Must be my charm and good looks. 

Updated On: 10/25/21 at 11:29 PM

[broadfan327]

Posted: 10/26/21 at 12:33am

LizzieCurry said: "I believe most (or all?) Major League Baseball games are now mobile-only. I looked into this a lot earlier this year, since I went to three games this season, my first since 2019. I wish I could find that specific article, but a ticketing agent said there are ways to get a printed one, but they don't make it public. You can ask, though. I seem to remember at CitiField there was smallish print on their signs (that said you could talk to a ticketing agent if you were having trouble or didn't have a phone) about tickets being mobile-only.

This isn't the story I was thinking of, but it's a nice one about printed tickets:

https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/09/12/baseball-tickets-los-angeles-dodgers-opening-day"

Yankee Stadium when I was there this season had their box office closed.  I don't know what people did if they had Ticketmaster trouble...

[starcatchers]

Posted: 10/26/21 at 11:20pm

When I bought my ticket for Mrs. Doubtfire, they asked me if I wanted a printed ticket or an e-ticket. I rushed Waitress that same day and it was supposed to be an e-ticket, but I hadn't gotten the email after a few minutes so the guy at the box office just printed it for me. I also got a physical ticket at Six, but that may have been because I did standing room and they sold that ~20 minutes before curtain. 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/26/21 at 11:32pm

Studio 54 was great tonight. At the window, I asked if I gave her my order number if I could have tickets printed out and she said “absolutely”.