Feburary 15th, 2009- A crowded day on broadway- Page 2

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:48pm

"We had an awful time trying to get tickets yesterday. Lost the lotto for In the Heights twice, then couldn't get tickets for anything else. We ended up seeing Mamma Mia (which, IMO, was totally not worth it)."

Same here! My friend and I were running around and splitting up going to different shows to find what show had tickets. We didn't even care..we just wanted to see A show, or else our trip would of been pointless. Did you guys get standing room for Mamma Mia?

[hubee]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 2:50pm

dramamam611: I know it was great for them, Im just annoyed (in a tongue and cheek way) that I picked the one date that the 33% capacity musical actually sells out on. Though it was on the tkts boards for the 14th (mat and eve). (actually, only 33 Variations and The Story of my life were on for 14th eve).

so i was a little taken aback that SOML nearly sold out (and wasn't even on tkts) for Sunday. (sorry but I usually have really good luck with these things. I'm one of those bitches that gets In the heights and wicked on their first or second try, and I had no prob getting Guys and Dolls on the 14th eve).

on the other hand, at 2 hours before the show, I somehow doubted they would sell out the remainder of their seats at full price anyways (it wasn't like the box office was packed like every other show waiting for rushes) and a ticket sold is money earned no matter how little or much it is.

I did end up getting the American Plan tickets which was sold out in the end (though I noticed with people around, everyone around us got theirs at tkts). (TAP was better than I expected though so I was pleased with what happened).

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 3:02pm

Pretty judgemental for a show that's only been in previews for 2 weeks...but thanks for the clarification!

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 3:26pm

On our school trips we split into groups of about 8 & had no lines. But we had gone to the Jewish museum last year & then ENTIRE group (60) roaming the streets together.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 3:35pm

Huh. I had a very similar experience on the same day. Started out at Avenue Q lottery. Lost. Waited in line to use discount code only to be told I could not. Walked over to speed-the-plow, spent fifteen minutes or so in line only to find out student rush was forming up on the other side of the lobby and wouldn't start for twenty minutes. So I decided I'd see something else. I then headed over to Chicago, where I was even laughing to myself that it's called "Broadway's Sure Thing" because I was so sure I'd get a student rush ticket. After waiting in line twenty minutes due to only one person at the counter on such a busy day, I was told it was SRO. Since I've never seen it before I decided against it. This is where I started to worry. I RAN back to speed-the-plow, to join the now much-longer line for rush. It was announced that there were only nineteen tickets and I was the 21st.
So waited in line AGAIN there, just praying that they'd let me use a discount code. Which thankfully they did (for a box, but it was actually the perfect view, as it was the box closest to the stage and I missed none of the action) so I got to see an excellent play.
All in all, a crazy day, especially considering I then went to ITH later on.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:02pm

This week is hit or miss I think or whether or not schools have vacation. I was the product of private school that never had a Feb vacation, so it's a foreign concept for me :).

I'm actually hitting up NYC this week from the 18th through the 22nd. Thus far, I only have two shows figured out. Did Hiptix for the Wed mat of Pal Joey and last week bought tix off TDF for the Wed evening of Shrek. I'm hoping that getting tickets for the rest of the week won't be too much trouble...

[Mark_E]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:21pm

London was just as bad on the 14th. I managed to get a single seat for the matinee of Grease ok, but looking for a ticket for an evening show was a nightmare. Jersey Boys and Avenue Q were sold out, Oliver had around 30 people waiting for returns, Chicago was sold out. I managed to get a ticket for Sound of Music so was glad about that.

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:40pm

Pointless holidays are good for business!

[Mamie]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:44pm

I had worse luck on Saturday night. I had tickets for the Marvelous Wonderettes. I had the sheets (etickets) tucked inside a plastic sheet protector and while dodging the masses in John's Pizzeria, I managed to drop them. I didn't notice till we got up to leave. Of course no one turned them in. So SOMEONE lucked out for tickets on Saturday.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 8:12pm

I had the exact same day as a lot of people here. I started off going to see what they had at Forbidden Broadway (I had a printed out discount) I was then turned away by a nasty guy at the box office. He told me to get TKTS tickets for the night show. I went over to TKTS to see they had FB tickets fro the matinee so I got on the huge line. Of course by the time I got to the middle of the line FB was sold out. I then ran to Speed The Plow to find it sold out (actually they had one full price seat) So I then ran down to Guys and Dolls and asked how long the show was (I had to be at In The Heights by 5:30) and they told me it would get out at 5:40 so I couldn't do that. I then went down to FB again and asked if they had anything and the same rude guy said they had 1 ticket. I asked if I could use the discount and he said if you wait till 3 o'clock and it doesn't sell Iw ill give it to you. I finally got the ticket.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 8:21pm

DrunkChita- I'm glad you got to see a show. A lot of the box office workers are nasty when it comes to discounts and rush.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 8:27pm

"A lot of the box office workers are nasty when it comes to discounts and rush."

Thankfully I only had one nasty person. All the others at least were friendly when it came to discounts or a rush.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:16pm

"Thankfully I only had one nasty person. All the others at least were friendly when it came to discounts or a rush."

Do they usually always let you use discount codes at the box office? Because I have heard that Avenue Q doesn't.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:19pm

Yesterday was the first time I have ever had any trouble.

[hubee]

Posted: 2/16/09 at 11:06pm

Yah, I usually get nice responses for rush/discounts which again I think why I'm slightly peeved by Booth since I know LAST time I rushed there, I asked one guy for rush Dividing the Estate and he said there was none, went back later and got one from a different seller. So I KNOW it's inconsistent. (and no, it wasn't one that was sold a few hours before only or something).

But at least it's a good sign that Broadway CAN pick up. Now if only there were more holidays between now and summer. Ha!

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 12:26am

I totally spaced and forgot that it was President's Day weekend (naturally, my school didn't have today off), so instead of catching SOML, I got one of the last few tickets for Little Mermaid. Great seat, about $40 dollars off the normal orchestra price. Shame the show wasn't better- but Heidi was fierce.

It was great to see Broadway all sold out though!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 12:46am

I agree about the Box Office at the Booth. I got to the theater at 12:02 on Sunday to be told SRO was sold out and they had no rush seats. (I had checked telecharge before i left the house, there were seats, not many, but seats). So I ended up going to find a computer and using one of the discount codes to buy the ticket. The SRO was filled with the producers and others involved in the show. I had purchased a Row Q (last row in the orchestra) ticket, almost all of row P was open. About 2 minutes before curtain on of the ushers came and moved the 4 people sitting in row Q to the 5th and 6th rows orch center, so i guess I can't complain, but there were a TON of empty side orchestra seats. IMO, don't advertise a rush if you have no intention of offering it.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 3:55am

I was also there on the 14th,15th and 16th and the whole 3 days were crazy. Even on Monday night the TKTS line was crazy long. The Wicked lotto line on Sat evening was that long it took until after 6pm to get everyone signed up. I'm guessing Sunday was like that also since I didn't make it that day. I had a ticket. Stage door on Sunday was chaotic though.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/17/09 at 11:00am

"Yes. So to answer your question again...

AVENUE Q isn't going anywhere."

Well, maybe. It's doing fine this week because of the holiday (and absurdity of New York schools to have all this time off). However, much of the week was half full, and there was talk in the Shubert offices that the show would most likely close in the Spring. However, if it can hang in there, it MIGHT make it through te summer, but it's very unlikely (at this point in time) that it will be running in the fall.