Balcony at West Side Story Tonight

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 3:03am

At the final show tonight, there were a few school groups from out of town seeing the show, and many of them were up in the balcony where I sat. When I came in, the usher handed me a playbill. No one checked my ticket. I had to ask one which side was even-numbered seats, but all the usher did was point- a drastic difference from the strict ushers down in the orchestra who snap at the patrons who start to walk down the aisle by themselves.

As it got closer to 8pm, I noticed many of the students getting up and moving to other seats. A chaperone sitting near me got up to figure out what was going wrong. It turns out none of them actually read their tickets to find their seats, they just sat with their friends. When the people with those seats arrived, they had to move. This went on until the show started- with only the one teacher helping. A teacher sitting next to me told the other teachers that since the students never attended theatre, they didn't understand that it was different than general admission seating.

Then the show started. And a few late arrivals trickled in to find groups of students in their seats. They called the ushers over, the ushers shined flashlights to read their tickets, then moved them all over the balcony to their correct seats. This continued off and on through the Dance at the Gym- nearly 30 minutes into the show.

At intermission, I went downstairs to find an usher who could direct me to the house manager, but she didn't answer the phone in her office when he called. I explained to that usher the issue, but who knows if he'll pass it on. I've never complained to the staff before, but this was above and beyond.

This isn't even the first time this has happened to me. I was stranded in the aisle of the second tier at the Kennedy Center during the Wicked tour because two girls from a school group were sitting in my sister and my seats and refused to move. These aren't community theatres with one usher for the entire house- these venues host major tours and should know better. But in both instances, the ushers upstairs just stood at the door and passed out playbills, and let seating dissolve into a free-for-all.

Who is at fault here? The teenage students for not having the sense to read their tickets? The teachers who didn't explain to them that they should read their tickets? The ushers who should have sat the people in the cheap seats just as thoroughly as they do downstairs? Me for expecting everyone to be in their correct seats by the middle of the act? I mean, it doesn't really matter whose fault it is, but since apparently this is a continuing trend, what should be done the next time I see this happening?

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 3:15am

Everyone, besides the audience members with very basic, common intelligence that might include knowledge of theater, is at fault.




edit; Any chance that they'll indulge the complaints I hope you make about this miserable experience and pay for you to come see it in New York? I say it jokingly, but I wish that they could make up for the no-holds-barred experience the balcony was subjected to. Updated On: 1/18/09 at 03:15 AM

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 7:59am

This is mainly the usher's fault but also the teachers and students. When I was there I won the lottery and I knew where I was sitting but I was trying to get an usher to at least give me a Playbill. I waited at the top of the aisle to enter the Orchestra and I was ignored completely by the usher there. I then decided to walk down the aisle a little to catch another usher but then she passed me. I made my way down the aisle to another usher who passed me again. I was then fed up that I was completely ignored so I crossed to the other side of the orchestra and looked for an usher there and no one stopped. I then just went to my seat without a Playbill and got up and stole a bunch of them from the pile under the last row of the orchestra.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:06am

Honestly, I would continue to try to contact the house management as long as it takes. If no one tells them that their staff is very poorly representing them they go on assuming all is well. I would also demand your money back but settle for free orchestra seats for an upcoming show. Be sure to mention both incidents AND that you tried to talk to someone while you were there.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:19am

I would say it was mostly the usher's faults. If seating issues are occuring into the show, something should be done. And it unfortunately is not that venue either. I swear, the Majestic Theatre only has 1 usher per section. At least I didn't see more. It was a big free for all, with them trying to look at tickets for like everyone.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:38am

A similar situation happened at Shrek when I saw it. With a student group behind me, I was in complete shock when two girls asked if they could switch seats with me! I quickly told the house manager the problem and they wound up moving me and my friend to empty front row mezzanine seats. Even then I kept hearing the group, so I went over to their teacher during intermission and asked them what was going on. Apparently all of them were in the wrong seats, including the teachers! Right as I was about to yell at them, an usher came to the group and told them that they had to leave. They all acted as arrogantly as possible, and left by the end of intermission. I thanked the ushers for their smart descision and in return they gave me free orderforms for the cast recording. Sometimes, it's best to complain.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 11:22am

DO inform house management because they WILL listen. If they DON'T then contact the Artistic Director of the theatre and tell them that their House Manager isn't doing their job.