Cancelled Shows Hypothetical Questions...

[koolaid mustache]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:03pm

Hey!

So after being in my seat for Billy Elliot tonight, and the cancelling of the show, I have been wondering to myself about some questions, about what to do in this circumstance, and I wanna know your opinions!

Should There Be another performance booked? Since it is a near sold out show, exchanging tickets for people with good seats, will take months to get those seats again.

Should You be offered a Ticket for whichever night you choose, regardless of the price? I ask this because I bought the rear mezzanine ticket, as I am leaving back to Canada on Thursday, the only time I could see it would be tomorrow night, and they only had a few, very far left or right seats for the full price.

Should they be responsible for any costs you incur to get to the show? I know this sounds crazy, but if a plane has a delayed schedule, or cancelled, you are always given a refund, or bonuses such as free accomadation, food, or flight credits.

Who is Responsible?

For shows of this technicality, which has run into MANY problems during previews, should there be discount preview prices? Most previews these days (that I have been too) have ran completely smoothly and I have not minded spending the amount of money, but for shows such as this, shouldn't there be a lower price because of all the problems?

What alternates could be provided to guests, so that 1500 people don't leave a theatre upset, as everyone did, no-one was happy, and that can't help word-of-mouth. The audience booed and hissed at the announcement!


I am kind of upset, as I have come all this way, and really wanted to see Billy. I am not about to spend $120 to see a show tomorrow, that quite possibly could have technical flaws, when I could wait until my next vacation, get better seats, and see a better show. I am unsure of who I should write too, or if I have any right to be upset...

Play Customer Service Agent and tell me what you think!?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:18pm

While I understand being disappointed (I've lost tix to two shows because they closed a week before I held tix.) I'm not sure I can understand what they COULD have done? Had someone EXPLAIN what WOULD have happened?

With live theater you ALWAYS run a risk...ESPECIALLY during previews. And no...they are not responsible for your other expenses. Nor is an airline....fewer and fewer offer any sort of compensation other than 'getting you there...eventually". THE airline certainly wouldnt be re-imbursing you if you missed theater tix due to them being late, either.

The theater cannot simply ADD a performance....you could never find a time that would make everyone happy. And no, I don't think the theater should HAVE to give you any available seat if the value is higher than what you paid. I think it would be nice if they did, but it is not realistic. I know personally you have extenuating circumstances that but honestly they cannot make "value" calls on who's story is better...75% of the audience would come up with hard luck stories.

Yes, it sucks. Yes, we understand. But, sadly, nothing to be done. I hope it doesn't sour you against the show specifically...I've heard beautifully amazing things. Personally, I can't wait to see it.

Updated On: 10/14/08 at 10:18 PM

[koolaid mustache]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:27pm

Well I am a little bitter, I am sure at some point I will see the show.

As a producer or FOH manager though, I would have run tonight a little differently.

The line for the box office was over an hour long, and no-one was there to give any information about what was happening.

While I have also had tickets for shows that have closed, That is a different circumstance, as you are told before the 8PM curtain.

An added performance could be possible in the preview perios, because they are running on 5 show weeeks, and while I realize things would have to be worked out with the unions, a rehearsal could turn into a performance. And even though it would not please everyone, and everyone wouldn;t be able to attend (myself included) it would give those who paid full price for certain seats to retain those seats if they wanted, they rest of the seats could be sold as a regular performance.

In MY OPINION, I would have got a manager to come into the box office to help with different circumstances, as the bad word-of-mouth this will have cause could be solved with small things. Maybe offering a tourist who is leaving the next morning a free t-shirt or water bottle, or getting the cast to come out, or making exceptions for different situations,and while I realize this could create problems, as a manager or producer for a NEW show on Broadway, I would have made sure I could make as many people happy as possible, again just my thinking, and things are more complicated than I am making them seem.

I know that Ken Davenport won't let an audience member leave unhappy. If someone approaches him with a complaint about the show, he will do anything possible to please them. He will offer them free merchandise, tickets to another of his shows, etc, to try to turn a negative experience into a positive one!

:)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:45pm

1. Yes, it would have been nice for there to be some one to field questions or just make continual announcements. They don't have a b.o. staff that could accommodate things any differently.

2. They curretly have an 8 show a week preview (Last week was the first week of previews...they started mid week -- thus the 5 performances.)

3. There is NO way to make some 1,000 people happy in this circumstance.

Again....I'm not trying to say I don't understand, it DOES suck...there's just no easy way to "fix" it. (Try explaining to an 8 and 11 year old about losing stage seats to see Xanadu...only 6 days or so after thrilling them with the news that I secured them.)

So, perhaps I should have started with this, feeling your pain!

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:54pm

^ The line was REALLY long but that isn't true that there was nobody there to give information - they had people working the line to make sure that people who were getting automatic refunds from telecharge didn't wait in it, a woman asked me THREE times if I had any questions and another gentleman brought me and the people I was with bottled water.

The staff was amazingly pleasant and helped me to get tickets for next week - slightly better than the ones I had!

I felt bad for people from out of town though, I live here so it wasn't so much an issue when they changed out my tickets for.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 11:12pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 11:12 PM

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 11:29pm

Having been a Telecharge Customer Service Rep, I can tell you to call Telecharge ASAP. They will try to accomodate everyone as best as they can for alternate dates, however, don't expect absolute miracles...be VERY flexible, if you can, and expect that when an unforseen circumstance happens with a very popular nearly sold out show, you might have to wait awhile for what you want, because there's absolutely no way you can get the Exact tix you had for tonight. Yes, I know it's superbly frustrating, but here's a little story:

Back in the 90's there was a big earthquake in California, sometime early in the run of Sunset Blvd. THAT catastrophe caused catastrophic ticket problems. I can tell you, I listened to customers calling and screaming hour after hour, day after day, month after month, sooo.....

All I'm sayin' is TRY to work with it.....ask what the options are. They DO have a "plan". Bad word of mouth is the last thing they want.

GOOD LUCK to Everybody.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 11:34pm

LeaGirl...thanks for adding in your info...glad to hear it wasn't ALL awful.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 10/15/08 at 3:56am

While I have also had tickets for shows that have closed, That is a different circumstance, as you are told before the 8PM curtain.

And they were probably trying their hardest to get the set to work so they COULD do a show instead of canceling before they did everything possible.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 10/15/08 at 5:09am

The company didn't go home and have a night off , they put in a full rehearsal that night and probably left even later than normal. I've been in that situation and believe me it is a real down felling that you arnt performing in front of an audience, instead you're going thru a stop and start rehearsal and feeling really bad. Its live theatre!