Audience Rewards Special Bonus Points New Shows Question

[Andre4]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 9:12am

Hi everyone...I have recently discovered the way buying full-priced tickets via Audience Rewards on off-days when there are special points offers (e.g., 2500 points per ticket) pays off as there are often special redeem offers available (such as good ones for Once right now). My question is thus this: Have you found that high-profile shows typically offer such bonus points rewards? I will be living close to NYC now and will definitely want to see 700 Sundays (again) and Waiting for Godot for example. I could totally see these on off-days and would not mind shelling out a few more bucks (albeit not premium as suggested by the meager Pippin offer for 1000 points recently). Should I wait until an offer pops up? (I know no-one here moonlights as a fortune-teller - I think - but I was hoping that past experience might help shine a light on those likelihoods.) Thanks!

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 11:36am

I've noticed that most but not all high profile shows offer a special point bonus, but it's always early in the run as a pre-sale or during previews. Matilda offered a pre-sale offer in January that was a very generous (3000 points) but no rewards since. Pippin had a pre-sale bonus of 2500 points, but that disappeared when previews started to make way for a generous 5000 point reward (which is now 1000). It's worth it to check the site daily and always early in the season.

Scandalous had some amazing offers!

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 11:36 AM

[eperkins]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 11:48am

Actually, there WAS a Matilda reward after that initial January one, in March. It wasn't so generous, but I took advantage of it to see the show on 4/26. 6,000 points plus $60.00. And it was a very good Orchestra seat.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 12:20pm

For Matilda I was referring to a point bonus you receive for buying a full price ticket, not a redemption award.

6000 is steep for redemption but it is a sold out show. I try to book in advance and use no more than 1000 points per ticket. 500 points and $34 for Bette Midler; Kinky Boots had great seats for 500 and $42 and I was able to get Motown for 500 and $30, a wonderful Row Z seat. Morgan James looked great in the ensemble, and you get to hear her sing soprano AND soulful!

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 12:20 PM

[eperkins]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 12:45pm

Oh, sorry I misunderstood!

Yes, my reward was steep, but I figured I would take advantage of it (I hadn't actually ever used my points before so I had over 7,000).

[Luv2goToShows]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 2:46pm

The cost equivalent of 2500 points in $62.50 so keep that in mind, for both redemption and bonus points.

If purchasing a full price ticket gives you 2500 points then subtract the cost equivalent from the price you will pay, most of the time it will be better than discounts that are available.

For redemption, I usually only go for their "Special Limited Time" offers, since those are the real deals. Like Rainbowhigh23, I saw Bette Midler, will be seeing Kinky Boots (great seats too) & Motown (Row Z as well). I've also seen Once, Nice Work, Annie, The Rascals just to name a few. All Special Limited Time offers.

Unless you have mega points you are looking to unload, using points for regular offers, 6000 points + $60 cost equivalent is $210, not really such a great deal but like I said if you have points to burn go for it.

As far as accumulating points, I play trivia as well as utilize their bonus offers, especially if I think there may not be good offers for a show or I am specific to where I want to sit.

Although I never had to, there are some Special Offers that are worth buying points for. My friend wanted to see The Rascals show, AR had a $40, 1000 point redemption, there were no discounts for the show, so it was cheaper to buy the points and get tickets thru AR, than purchasing them on her own. She paid $285 for four orchestra seats, otherwise it would have cost more than double that.

I am hoping some of the new shows participate in Audience Rewards, not all do though. Some high profile shows like Lucky Guy, Glengarry Glen Ross and last year's Hugh Jackman show did not participate. It surprised me when Bette Midler's show became available, so you just never know, keep your eyes open.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 2:59pm

I screamed when Bette's show popped up and it sure went fast. The seat was in Row M, for the Divine Miss M!

[Andre4]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 3:17pm

Thanks so much you all - very helpful. This exchange made me think of a follow-up question. What is the reason behind the 'call the concierge to ask about points plus cash award' category for redeeming points? Is the idea that the points themselves are rather low and the price that one has to pay in addition is dynamically adjusted based on the availability of the performance that one is interested in? Or is there another reason why no fixed price is listed and one has to call in?