If the box office doesn't have any when you ask, you can always just dart into the theatre after the show while everyone is leaving and take one from the stacks at the back of the house. I did that a few times.
Or go through all the Starbucks and Jamba Juices you can find to pick stuff up that people leave behind. Hey, that's how I got a Mamma Mia playbill! Thanks, Jamba Juice and your drinks that cost more in NYC than in SF...
Leading Actor Joined: 4/29/06
I've only asked for a Playbill once, at Roundabout (at the American Airlines) and the guy was very nice about it, but I would be expecting a dirty look and maybe lack of success at a commercial Broadway house. Glad to hear they give them more commonly than I think. And I think C is for Company is right, at least you're not asking about student rush. Probably a good idea to ask at an off time, like 4 in the afternoon on a 1-show day or something, when they might have more free time to be patient with someone who's not buying a ticket.
I usually don't ask for Playbills, I usually just look at my friends' when they see shows. Mostly what I want to see that can't be found online anywhere is the staff/crew page in the back. I just like to see what people I know are doing.
I didn't run into any rudeness from any of the theaters I went to, and I even asked questions about tickets and stuff so it didn't make it seem like I was interested in just the Playbill. I kindly asked, "Hi, I'm interested in obtaining more information about the show and was wondering if you had any extra Playbills?" The only Playbill I couldn't get was Avenue Q but the lady proceeded to nicely tell me about the show. I got:
Legally Blonde
A Chorus Line
Les Mis
Tarzan
Chicago
Company
Jersey Boys
At the August Wilson, I also asked the guy if he had standing room available tonight and instead he offered me the last student rush ticket! This was at 11:30. I was so mad that I couldn't get to a show tonight, and I know the rush are always so hard to get, so this probably would've been one of my only opportunities. Ugh.
that must have been reallly agrivating
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/06
When I was in the city I found an A Chorus Line playbill on the street in Time Square. It wasn't in perfect condition but I snagged it : )
I just thought! I forgot to snag a Pirate Queen playbill.
i have a map of all the theatres and the shows that i want playbills from
this is my list
Shows on Streets
41st Street-RENT
42nd Street- The Pirate Queen and Mary Poppins.
43rd Street-NONE
44th Street- Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, Monty Pythons Spamalot
45th Street-Avenue Q, A Chorus Line, DEUCE, Curtains.
46th Street- The Drowsy Chaperone
48th Street- Grey Gardens
49th Street- Spring Awakening and Chicago.
50th Street- Spelling Bee.
52nd Street- Jersey Boys
Shows on Avenues
7th Ave-Legally Blonde
IM EXCITED!
Because I have too much free time, I compiled a list of all the theaters/shows on streets... I think I got everything...
41st - Rent (Nederlander)
42nd - The Pirate Queen (Hilton), Mary Poppins (New Amsterdamn)
44th - Spamalot (Shubert), Journey's End (Belasco), Les Mis (Broadhurst), Phantom of the Opera (Majestic), Xanadu (Helen Hayes)
45th - The Lion King (Minskoff), Year of Magical Thinking (Booth), Inherit the Wind (Lyceum - on the other side of Time Square), A Chorus line (Shoenfeld), Deuce (Music Box), Avenue Q (Golden), Frost/Nixon (Jacobs), Coram Boy (Imperial), Curtains (Herschfeld, another block over)
46th - Tarzan (Richard Rodgers), Beauty and the Beast (Lunt-Fontanne), Legally Blond (Palace - actually on broadway, across form the Marquis), The Drowsy Chaperone (actually on Broadway - Marquis)
47th - Company (Barrymore), Moon for the Misbegotten (Brooks Atkinson), LoveMusik (Biltmore)
48th - Grey Gardens (Walter Kerr), Radio Golf (Cort), Talk Radio (Longacre)
49th - Chicago (Ambassador), Spring Awakening (Eugene O'Neill)
50th - Spelling bee (Circle in the Square)
51st - Mamma Mia (Winter Garden - actually on broadway, across from Mars 2112), Wicked (Gershwin)
52nd - Hairspray (Neil Simon), Jersey Boys (August Wilson)
53rd - The Color Purple (actually on broadway - Broadway)
54th - 110 in the Shade (Studio 54)
bump
anyone else got some theyd like to share?
Does anyone know if they are/have printed the special Tony awards playbill this year? (The one they give out at the theatres with the nominees in it.) I know I've gotten them in years past.
I haven't seen them anywhere yet... and I usually see them EVERYWHERE (they even have them at Virgin Records).
do they print special ones for tony nominated theatres and shows or all?
I'll usually dart into the back of the theater after the show as people are leaving to grab a Playbill if I didn't see the show, especially if I want to stage door. For example, I wanted to meet Angela Lansbury, but couldn't bear to sit through Deuce. lol
Thanks Sondheim Geek. That list will come in handy when I make my trip to NYC in July!
Broadway Star Joined: 6/14/06
I'm glad this question was asked! I was wondering about it too. I was able to pick up a playbill at Xanadu yesterday. A lot of the other theatres I tried said they didn't have any playbills in the office.
I've done it a few times, and mostly have had good luck. Just be sure to have a good excuse. I once said, that I was visiting and only saw one show, but my good friend wouldn't let me come back unless I got her a playbill from (insert show) because she is such a big fan. And they were happy to help. The only show that wouldn't give me one was Color Purple, but in all honesty, they don't have to give them out, they are for people who actually see the shows, so I always feel lucky to get them. Some shows just don't have them at the box office, but The Color Purple told me that I had to see the show, and they wouldn't give me one.
Updated On: 5/28/07 at 02:45 PM
as promised...here is a visual of my updated playbills collection :P
I added Wicked and Spelling Bee!
I will be putting the signed Jersey Boys Ahmanson Program at the center once I get it :P
how far is it to walk from the 41st to the 54th? Just wondering.....
This might belong to another thread but what is the best theater in Broadway overall?
these are the ones that i got:
mary poppins
les mis.
wicked (signed by kendra)
110 in the shade
Avenue Q
Frost/Nixon
Chicago
The Color Purple (signed by natahs who plyed sofia)
legally blonde
the drowsy chaperone
talk radio
company (Get one before it closes)
grey gardens
a chorus line
the pirate queen
BATB
RENT
Phantom
Spamalot
Tarzan
The year of Magical Thinking
thats it
why are some of them in black and white
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/06
Yes, they are cheaper to print. Once a show has been playing for a while, or if it isn't making much money, they go to black and white.
Antonijan... 54 - 41 = 13 blocks. :)
how far is it to walk from the 41st to the 54th? Just wondering.....
Are you joking? If not, it's 13 blocks, and about 10 minutes, it's more than do-able.
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