Bway ROCK OF AGES to feature "in-seat cocktail service"

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 8:01am

"Tickets for the Rialto incarnation of the tuner will range from $46.50 to $99, with a top ticket price of $89 on weeknights and $99 for weekend perfs. (Most musicals on the Main Stem top out at around $120; "Billy Elliot" stretches up to $135.)

The Off Broadway production of "Rock" encourages a party vibe by allowing the crowd to bring drinks to their seats. (It's original incarnation in Hollywood was in a nightbclub.) Producers aim to offer in-seat cocktail service at the Brooks Atkinson, turning the theater into the only Broadway venue to do so.

Landlord the Nederlander Org has OK'd the plan, but the exact logistics have yet to be determined."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997615.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

[AdamBritten]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 8:23am

Cool concept - but I imagine this getting kind of messy, in more ways than one.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 8:26am

Wait, I thought we all wanted it to go to Broadway to GET RID of the drunks?

[VocalLizzy]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 8:56am

I don't know how the logistics will work with this, as it is a much larger house than NWS...time will tell...

Miss Lizzy
Dupree's Broadway-Bound Diva Denizen

[HollyDiver]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 10:51am

Drinking, musicals, and rock. This sounds too good to be true, muhaha!

[WestVillage]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 11:05am

To make up for the lower ticket prices, they'll probably charge something like $15 for one of those teeny glasses of wine that allows for about 4 sips. Then you'd have to tip the server on top of that. I'd rather go to an after work (pre-theater) happy hour and have drinks before going to the theater.

[DidYouReallyHearMe]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 11:08am

Great...now more people will start complaining on here.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 11:30am

Didn't Cabaret at Studio 54 allow you to bring drinks AND food to the seats?

I think it'll be a lot different to bring your drink to the seat vs. being constantly served AT your seat. I don't see people leaving during the show to re-fuel!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:27pm

With CABARET, the Orchestra was all tables and chairs. There were no theatre seats. So there was a place for people to put their drinks.

At the Brooks, people are going to be spilling their drinks all over this historic theatre and patrons who paid to see a show on stage.

[dg22894]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 12:46pm

IT IS A THEATER NOT A BAR

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 1:09pm

I hope this doesn't set a precedent for other shows. If someone can't sit still for an hour without having a drink, I'd say they had a problem. There's plenty of bars on 47th Street -- one right next door, in fact.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 1:34pm

this is SO trashy.

[OilInTheBurner]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 2:00pm

I AM one of the cocktailers for the current Off Bway run of RoA. Patrons eat up the fact that there is service in the theatre. Even the patrons not drinking think its a great time!
Granted out NWS theatres are not as large, but we do have rows that span 27 seats across and I've never had a patron refuse to pass drinks down the row.
It IS a theater, I agree but the show is just a blast! And drinking helps!!!! I dont think it's right for all shows on bway and I doubt it will be a trend. The show is set Inside a bar (much like Cabaret in a club) so why not give the audience the full atmosphere. Break down the fourth wall and give the theatregoer a new experience when at the thetare.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 2:07pm

They will have to card everyone. One drink served to a minor and they have a major issue not usually faced by theater management.

[Mamie]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 2:09pm

I sat up in the mezz for Cabaret and I had wine at my seat. I have a vague recollection of a little table that came up by the arm rest.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 2:40pm

<< Patrons eat up the fact that there is service in the theatre. Even the patrons not drinking think its a great time!
Granted out NWS theatres are not as large, but we do have rows that span 27 seats across and I've never had a patron refuse to pass drinks down the row.
>>

Oh yeah... especially the ones that are surrounded by drunks, and those people that have had the wonderful experience of having a drink spilled on them.. they gotta be loving it !!

I know of at least 5-10 instances where people have complained to management, (and these are first-hand... not "my brother's uncle's cousin told me"-)

I will reiterate again. I LOVE the show, but the crowd CAN get bad, and it is totally trashy (as someone else said) if they decide to serve drinks at the seats at a Broadway house.

Posted: 12/19/08 at 2:56pm

I AGREE

i HATED HATED HATED the fact that I am trying to enjoy the show and have fun watching the performers and trying to get into their performance...but i have 3 noisy drunks sitting behind me...screwing up my experience...or spilling drinks which trickle under my feet...most of the case..they are jersey girls that have never lived down the fact that 'Warrant' isn't popular anymore...and then i have to take home shoes that smell like beer...
its not great. i hate it.

I LOVE THE SHOW... HATE the beer concept.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 3:05pm

If drinking makes the show "better" it must not be very good. (I haven't seen it, but want to.) And yes, I would be pissed as hell if I had raucous drunks next to me or was contantly being interrupted from the show to pass down drinks to the alcoholics!

Also: won't that discourage the "family" patrons?


I'm NOT liking this. When I first read it, I thought it only meant it would be ok to allow/encourage drinks to be brought to the seats (which more theaters are allowing anyway.) THAT wouldn't have bothered me much.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 3:06pm

That's why their ticket price is lower. They are banking on everyone plunking down the 20-30 bucks for cocktails.

Posted: 12/19/08 at 3:16pm

I don't think drinking does make the show "better." sure it's fun to drink and sing along and laugh, blah, blah... but the NWS server who said that isn't giving the show enough credit. The show is plenty enjoyable sober.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 3:18pm

I enjoyed the Fiddler on the Roof revival mostly due to the cocktail I downed 30 seconds before curtain.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 3:55pm

it's trashy... end of story.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 4:06pm

What if they took a tip from Cabaret and filled the orchestra with little bar tables and stools, removing the (in my experience) cramped and uncomfortable chairs?

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 4:15pm

If you think it's trashy, you're certainly entitled to that opinion, and shouldn't see the show. Every show isn't for everybody, I think we can all agree to that.

To me it looks like the idea of serving drinks in the theater has met up with success.

Five or six complaints really don't compare to tens of thousands of people who didn't complain and enjoyed the show as is.

Lots of luck to ROA on broadway~

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/19/08 at 4:34pm

The Brooks doesn't have an orchestra pit.

I don't like this idea at all. Once the run is over they'd have to refurbish the whole theatre to replace the alcohol stained seats.