BCEFA Refuses My Money- Page 2

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 12:12pm

They are a volunteer who was probably trained for all of thirty minutes.  You didn't get an expensive piece of paper you wanted because they were reserved for people who had tickets to that night's show.  I don't see how this warrants a thread or complaints.  I'm sorry you didn't get the expensive piece of paper.  

[hmph]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 12:19pm

Yikes. This thread is all sorts of cringe.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 12:23pm

Sondheimite said: "They are a volunteer who was probably trained for all of thirty minutes. You didn't get an expensive piece of paper you wanted because they were reserved for people who had tickets to that night's show. I don't see how this warrants a thread or complaints. I'm sorry you didn't get the expensive piece of paper."

Except they weren't reserved - the volunteer just thought they were. I have many expensive pieces of paper with drawings and prints on them that I treasure. I'm sure you do as well.

I think this was worth a thread. I've learned something. Go to the House Manager. Thank you to everyone who suggested it.

I've seen many threads that were many times longer which are arguably much less warranted.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 1:11pm

I'm not sure why one would go to the house manager in this situation -- you are not a ticket-holder, which means that the house manager has literally zero business dealing with you, and items for "sale" to support BC/EFA are handled solely by the AEA company members, not the FOH staff.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 1:36pm

PThespian said: "Members of AEA don't have the authority to let someone in the theater who is not a ticket holder. House Managers do. "

Of course, but I was speaking to the "sale" of the poster, not the permission to be in the theater. BC/EFA items do not fall under the purview of house management. Asking a house manager to help secure one of these items is no different than asking a musician or stagehand taking their smoke break outside the stage door, in my opinion. Sure, they might help you, but it's categorically not their job and they may or may not want their helpfulness in a specific instance to be broadcast on the internet. 

[sorano916]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 2:19pm

Anshel2 said: "This had nothing to do with the house management. I went into the lobby and approached the BCEFA volunteer. It was clear which direction I was coming in. I had cash. I asked to buy a poster and she asked if I had seen the show. I said no, but had seen it many times before and wanted a poster and support the cause. She said she couldn't sell me a poster because I hadn't seen the show that day. I thought she was kidding and I asked if she was seriously turning down $300 cash. She said she was at which time I told her that I've never had my money refused before and would donate elsewhere.

As for the statement that I was in this for a material reward. Talk about being a judgmental ass. I wanted a poster and wanted to contribute to BCEFA. I put cash in these buckets all thetime when I see a show without buying something. I wanted a poster of the original cast as Ben is leaving shortly and wanted to donate. Win-Win. This is why they sell them correct?

Have you every purchased an item for BCEFA? Buy it for material reward? Did you take the tax credit? Yeah, there are financial benefits to contributing and I'd be foolish not to participate in them. Selling signed items encourages people to donate otherwise all they'd do is have the red buckets which wouldn't bring in as much.

BCEFA is a great cause however it is not the only charity in need of funds. I stand by my statement. If they don't want my money, there are many other charities that do.

Have at it."

For Dear Evan Hansen, the posters are only for sale inside of the theater where the credit card machine is and not in the lobby so they wouldn't have had the posters to sell to you in the lobby. So, my question, as others had asked, when exactly did you go to ask to purchase a poster? Was it when the show was really over and people were leaving the theater or when you just saw a volunteer in the lobby but people weren't leaving yet? I mean, if the show hasn't ended yet, I understand why they wouldn't have let you inside the theater to purchase a poster. 

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 2:37pm

Dear Evan Hansen only sells the posters inside of the actual house, which there is no way for you to get access to until the show has ended. And if you went in after the show, why would you have said you didn't see it and not simply walk up to the table in the back to purchase?

Sounds like if anything you wanted to buy one before the show ended, before they are actually for sale. Had you just waited a few minutes and went inside after, you could have bought one.

This is similar to how items for the big hot shows are limited to one per person and certain people get bent out of shape that they can't buy multiple and whine that BCEFA won't take their money, when BCEFA will just get that same donation from the next person in line.

I guarantee that the poster you didn't get was sold to someone else who did see that show, so BCEFA is not out a cent from you not getting one.

 

Updated On: 11/5/17 at 02:37 PM

[michaelhale]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 2:48pm

Sounds like the Volunteer meant that only those who had attended the show could get one because, as people have said, the posters are only in the actual theater and not the lobby. The volunteer isnt, I'm assuming, an employee of the theater and thus would have no grounds just letting you into the theater as you hadn't attended the show. If you go back you should talk to the theater staff for assistance.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 11/5/17 at 8:51pm

This is pretty petty.

If you want to donate to the cause, there are many other avenues you can take, and they will be happy to take your money.

In this particular case, it is likely that they wanted to reserve the posters for those that had paid to see the show that day. You did not belong in the theatre in the first place, and I find your sense of entitlement to be in very poor taste. What makes you think you are entitled to the poster in the first place? Why do you feel that you are more entitled than those that paid to be there?

I hope that you are able to see that you are the problem here, and not the volunteers selling the poster. It is you who entered a building where you did not belong. It was you who attempted to buy something in which there were limited quantities, and it is you who is mad at someone for refusing to break the rules for you.

If you really want to demonstrate that you are not just an angry, self entitled, petty person, then maybe you should check out BC/EFA on eBay and contribute that way. You can buy all kinds of expensive pieces of paper, and still contribute to the cause.

Link: http://stores.ebay.com/Broadway-Cares-Online-Auctions

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 11/6/17 at 10:59am

These people complaining are probably the same folks who resell these signed items for a much higher price online.

Don't try to be high and mighty when you're trying to make money off BC/EFA.  Just saying.

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/6/17 at 11:33am

JayElle said: "No, there's no getting in the theater without a ticket."

I've been in lots of theaters to buy BC/EFA posters without a ticket. I usually go before the show even ends and security sometimes even let me into the lobby to buy a poster, even saying to be sure I'm quiet, since the show is still going on. And in the spring, I went in after the show to buy a DEH poster, so... if that is a new policy, I never heard of it before.

[annang]

Posted: 11/6/17 at 2:10pm

My understanding is that they're setting hard limits this week and next until Rachel Bay Jones gets back, because they have a limited number, and if they run out, they can't get her to sign more until the cruise is over. They were not permitting anyone to buy more than one signed item yesterday. So it makes total sense to me that, once they realized that they were going to run out each day, they also limited it to only people who saw the show, because the quantities are really limited. I think they're a little overwhelmed by how popular these items are.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 11/7/17 at 11:01am

annang said: "My understanding is that they're setting hard limits this week and next until Rachel Bay Jones gets back, because they have a limited number, and if they run out, they can't get her to sign more until the cruise is over. They were not permitting anyone to buy more than one signed item yesterday. So it makes total sense to me that, once they realized that they were going to run out each day, they also limited it to only people who saw the show, because the quantities are really limited. I think they're a little overwhelmed by how popular these items are."

I think we have our answer!

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/7/17 at 11:50am

JayElle said: "Ticket folks are employed by one company and security by another. The house manager will always help. It's the theater company who is trying to sell these posters for contributions."

This is not true across the board. I know of at least one organization that employs both.

Not sure what you mean by the theater company trying to sell the posters. I have helped out during BCEFA and the performers get out there with buckets and items or volunteers go to the theaters shortly before the shows end to set up for donations.