Eug NYC Plan Pt.1 (Lotto/Rush)

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 1:46am

I've booked my 6-day trip to NYC! This SF boy's going to the Big Apple for the first time. Proud of me?

I'm an anal-retentive time-manager, so I'm hoping to have a blast but (unhurried) well-balanced adventure. I've already got tickets to Wicked and Sweeney Todd.

Currently, I'm trying to work out which shows are best to student rush/lotto when. Advice please!

QUESTIONS:
1. What shows are relatively easy to get Student Rush/Lotto tickets? What days? Times?

2. Out of the Monday shows (Altar Boyz, Chicago, Phantom, Rent, and Spelling Bee) how can I play as many rushes/lottos as possible, and hopefully get something?

3. I've been told it's a shoe-in to student rush Piazza. Do you have to be an LCT member or am I still qualified to get the $30 student rush tickets?

Currently using talkinbroadway.com as the Holy Grail




Updated On: 3/1/06 at 01:46 AM

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 1:52am

Do you mean shoe-in? You don't "win" student rush...really.

Well, BEE lotto is after the other lottos.

Chicago tickets sell out VERY early - so get to the BO about an hour or so before the BO opens to get tickets for rush.

To do RENT and BEE lottos means hightailing it from 41st to 51st. You should make it, but you will cut it close. And the lady at the BEE lotto does not allow people to enter at exactly 30 mins before the show. Ровно!

[showinoff]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 2:18am

Like BSOW3 mentioned, both RENT and BEE have lottos and rush. If BEE is sold out they also have standing room.

As far as Piazza is concerned, you do not need to be a member but you do need to register your student id. Go to the LC web page, it is really easy to do. PM me if you have any questions.

Chicago is usually on the boards for TKTS, but they sell out early. If you go to the downtown TKTS you can buy tix for a mat and an eve show.

As far as Lottos, and rush are concerned. This is a rather slow period for broadway sales, and I have had great luck with the cheap tix!

I wish you the best of luck! Enjoy your trip. Again, if you have any questions feel free to ask!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:24am

As far as Piazza is concerned, you do not need to be a member but you do need to register your student id.

No, you don't. I got a student rush ticket this past weekend. He didn't even check my ID (I guess I looked student-ish).

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:34am

Skittles, how much was it (as a non-member)?
Was it easy? How was your seat?
Was it simply walk up and get it?
Is there a specific time of day I should go to the Piazza BO?

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:36am

Thank you BSoBW3 and ShowinOff:

Yes, I planned on getting to the Chicago BO early.
Also, BsoBW3, which lotto is first? Rent or Bee? Like what's the run-down? Lotto Rent at what time and then high-tail it to Bee at what time?

I'm confident in my ability to walk 10 blocks. SF natives are born to walk (We're the Most Fit US Citizens)

[meagan9848]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:57am

Rent's lottery is called first. What month are you taking this trip? Winter, Spring, Summer? Things get harder once schools are out.

ETA: Rent's lottery is drawn 2 hours before the show starts, but you can put your name in starting 2.5 hours before. So, a 7:00 show, you have from 5:30-6:00 to put your name in and then it's drawn at 6. I think Bee is drawn an hour and a half before the show starts, but I've never done it. Someone must know. Liotte?

Do you know what else you want to see? I suggest Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...that lottery is pretty easy, most of the times I've been there almost everyone's got in. Spamalot, if you want to see it, I would suggest doing SRO. It's cheap and first come first serve, and standing honestly isn't so bad. If you have a student advantage card, Rent will sell you tickets for like $40 for front mezz. I hear Drowsy Chaperone is excellent, but I haven't seen it. If you're here after it arrives, that might be worth checking out.

Updated On: 3/1/06 at 03:57 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 4:07am

$30. I went to the box office less than an hour before the Saturday matinee and got a front row mezz (loge?) seat.

[Anakela]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:00am

To do RENT and BEE lottos means hightailing it from 41st to 51st. You should make it, but you will cut it close.

Can I suggest: use 8th Avenue to do this, don't try and get from Rent to Bee going through the tourist clogged Times Square... It's just easier that way. :)

I've done this numerous times: enter the Rent lotto btwn 5:30-6pm (for the 8pm show), the Rent guys pull names at 6pm (they usually start *exactly* right on time), find out you don't win, take 8th up to 50th, you'll be there by like 6:20, to enter Bee which takes names between 6-6:30pm for their 8pm show.

If you want to make it really interesting, Hairspray's lotto takes names btwn 5-5:30pm, draws at 5:30pm for their 8pm show. :) This is not a Monday thing, no Hairspray on Monday, but it's possible to play three lottos a night those times.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:41am

"2. Out of the Monday shows (Altar Boyz, Chicago, Phantom, Rent, and Spelling Bee) how can I play as many rushes/lottos as possible, and hopefully get something?"


Spelling Bee doesn't have a performance on Mondays.

[Blue J]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:52am

Hairspray has 2 shows on Sunday if you're interested in seeing that.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:57am

Did you find a place to stay? What happened with that?

[dreaminaret]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 11:38am

Rent lotteries are not too insane.... also check out off-B'way shows - some of them have great rush policies (youth rush @ 2nd Stage = $10, you can see Red Light Winter for $15, etc) Right now I think that off-B'way is better than B'way but that's just my opinion.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 11:53am

Fosse: You're absolutely right! www.talkinbroadway.com has misinformation.

SueleenGay: Yep, found a place! No worries about couch-surfing haha

Dreaminaret: Oh, believe you me, I'm totally looking at Off-Bway stuff! Altar Boyz beckons, as does I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

BlueJ: Thanks for pointing that out! I arrive Sunday morning so I'd be too late to enter Sunday matinee show lottos, but if I'm lucky, maybe I can kick off my week with a Sunday evening show of Hairspray, just for fun, to get into the crazy-mood.

Anakela: Spoken like a true City-know-how person. I think you'd fit in well in SF. You can always spot the tourists apart from the natives when there's a clogged street and somehow you're on the other side of the block, zipping away. I'll use 8th Ave for sure. And of course I want to "make it interesting" and enter 3 lottos a day! Haha

Skittles: Excellent! Thanks

Meagan: I'm going the first week of April. Thank you for the times outline of who lottos when. And yes, I'm interested in DRS and Spamalot too. I'll go for anything I can! Just gotta keep in mind how popular things are and the likelihood of successful rushing.

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE THAT REPLIED! This IS community, right here. Y'all are so edumacated! Totally helping me out. Keep the advice coming hahaha!

[liotte]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 12:31pm

Sorry, just saw I was paged in here, but the question was answered.

Eug- these guys have given you great answers and advice. If you need to know anything else about any of the lottos or rush, I'd be happy to help. And chances are good I'll see you at a few of them. :)

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 12:47pm

Both Spelling Bee and Hairspray have shows on Sunday evenings. The lottery for Hairspray is between 4:30pm (sign up) and 5pm (drawing) and for Spelling Bee between 5:30pm (sign up) and 6pm (drawing).

[broadway4me]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 2:36pm

Eug - Well, I know you asked about rush/lotto, but have you checked out broadwaybox.com You may be able to get some great tickets there without the stress of rush. I've used them, and have been very happy with my tickets. Have a great time in NYC!

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:43pm

You should totally try to see Spamalot, Eugene! It was hilarious. Try your hardest! You won't regret it. :)

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 3:51pm

SKITTLES -

Student tickets are $20. What you got was rush.

They can sign you up right there...but it takes one second to sign up and get your ID #.

(FOR LCT)

[meagan9848]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 4:58pm

Depending on what time you're arriving on Sunday, it could be possible for you to get a student rush ticket to something for the Sunday Matinee.

Are you done with school by the first week in April?

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 9:45pm

I arrive Saturday Apr.1 at 8:15am
I'll be too tired to enjoy any Saturday matinees, but hope to grab something for that Saturday evening.

I have Sweeney Todd, Sunday Apr.2 at 2:00pm
Permitting the show ends on time, I might be able to enter both the Hairspray and Spelling Bee lottos. Thanks for the hourly break-down on those, Fosse.

Concerning Piazza, I signed up to be a member of LCT and they are not accepting any more registered members at this time but said they will email me as soon as more members will be accepted. I'm going to assume I'll have to pay $30 unless by some miracle I'm still permitted to get $20 student tickets.

Tell me more about this broadwaybox.com, Broadway4Me?

Also, I'm eager to try the Downtown (Seaport) TKTS to get day-early matinee show tickets.

Alas, planning is fun but stressful! Must be nice to be a rich tourist and not bat an eye for full-price tickets. I've a great respect for all you NYC independent students (like me) who aren't using mommy/daddy's dime.
Updated On: 3/1/06 at 09:45 PM

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 9:48pm

Go to broadwaybox.com

They have discounts for most shows - not really the popular ones.

Also check talkinbroadway.com/boards for RUSH/SRO (standing room) info.

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 9:48pm

D'oh.

Updated On: 3/1/06 at 09:48 PM

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:01pm

Sorry to threadjack, but I haven't done student rush for Sweeney yet and was planning on doing it Tuesday. If they aren't available, are SRO tickets guaranteed to be available?

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 10:07pm

I did partial view for Sweeney, and had a great, almost full, view.