Hamilton Cancellation Line — Page 41

ZellMorrowsPledge said: "Quick question because I haven't heard about it in a while? Does this show still offer standing room tix?

As per the RRT box office employee who was running the cancellation line one of the two times I was there, the SRO is part of what is sold to the cancellation line. I asked.

MyFavoriteBrunette said: "Em6 said: "However, the white metal doors on the left of the main door, is where they exit"

The doors right below the theater marquee, in the little alcove, correct? Thanks for sharing this for fans =)



"Yup! That's the one." :)

A couple of readers had questions about the new cancellation line policy that I mentioned in my earlier post. I'll try to give further clarification. Please note that what I am writing is ONLY based on what I witnessed and experienced while outside the theater for the last 3 days.

I said: "Around 2:00 this afternoon, someone came out from the theater and told the people in line that whoever is in line needs to buy the ticket AND watch the show. This is a NEW policy they started enforcing today. In the past, you can hire a sitter, the sitter buys the ticket, comes out of the theater and hands it to you. NOW, whoever is watching the show NEEDS to buy the ticket."

I DID NOT mean that line sitters are banned or no longer allowed. What I meant was that the NEW policy is that whoever is watching the show NEED TO BE PRESENT to make the purchase of the tickets once they start releasing the cancellation tickets, regardless if you have a sitter or not. The confusion in the line last Saturday happened, because they only announced it last minute (well...around 2PM). On top of that, they started giving out tickets A LOT earlier than they used to. The theater person came out around 7:20ish (I was surprised they stared early) saying, "Line sitters, you need to have your customers with you." All the sitters ahead of us did not have their customers with them--probably because it was earlier than usual. When we hired SOLD the night before, we were asked to be there by 7:30, I guess because they don't normally release tickets until 7:50ish. My point is, the theater folks are actually acknowledging the presence of the line sitters, but WANTS the customers there as well. It was very confusing for us because we did not know where to stand. The theater guy went down the line asking each sitter in front of us (there were 3, because the one on the very front left--that's a different story at another post), "Do you have your customer here?" Every time the sitter answered, "No." or "Not here yet." the guy kept saying, "Sorry, I'll have to pass you" and went on to the next one in line. At this point we approached the line and stood next to our sitter. She was 4th in line (because the 1st one left). This was where it became nerve wracking. The people in line started shouting at us saying we were not in line, and that we were cutting in. My friend turned around and told the crowd (mob?), "I'm sorry but we have a line sitter. She's our line sitter." Then she turned to the theater guy and said, "We have a line sitter here, what do you want us to do?" He said, "Are you buying the ticket?" "Yes." "Are you the one watching the show?" "YES!" "Then GO GET YOUR TICKET!" At this point we didn't know what to do with our line sitter, and still not clear about the line switching policy, so we grabbed her and brought her in the theater with us. When we got in the theater we told the same theater person that we have to pay our sitter. We were told that we can't do that IN the theater, so I went back out with her while my friend made the ticket purchase.

I think, and this is MY opinion only, the problem is that there are really NO set or written rules/policy. I "think" the theater folks make new rules, or change them as they go along, day by day. There is a lot of hearsay, word of mouth, and changes, that people who are planning to get in the cancellation line no longer know what is true or what is enforced and do not know what to expect. That being said, who knows what the "rules" will be on Monday.

Em6 said: "This was where it became nerve wracking. The people in line started shouting at us saying we were not in line, and that we were cutting in. My friend turned around and told the crowd (mob?), "I'm sorry but we have a line sitter. She's our line sitter." Then she turned to the theater guy and said, "We have a line sitter here, what do you want us to do?" He said, "Are you buying the ticket?" "Yes." "Are you the one watching the show?" "YES!" "Then GO GET YOUR TICKET!"

See, to me, this is the point where I'd say, "Forget it, no show is worth this much trauma." At what point are we going to be reading about fistfights happening in the cancellation line? It sounds like it's starting to get ugly (especially with the line rules changing every day and nothing being written down.)

gatorgirl2 said: "Em6 "Now for anyone who wishes to get autographs and pictures with the cast members here's a tip. People usually go to the stage door where the barricades are set up--and yes some cast member do come out for meet and greet. Tonight, LMM, Chris and Rory came out. However, the white metal doors on the left of the main door, is where they exit. You would barely notice them unless you really know what they look like. We got pictures and autographs with Renee (Angelica), Daveed (Jefferson), Leslie (Burr), Anthony (Philip) Jon Roa (Hamilton understudy) and majority of the ensemble, as well as Alex Lacamoire. Philppa (Eliza) and Okieriete (James Madison) were in a rush and didn't stop for pix or autographs."



Do the actors mind this though? Like I feel like if they aren't going out the stage door they are doing it purposefully to avoid taking pics and stuff. Do they seem annoyed when you ask them to stop?



"That's a good question, and people need to be really discreet and respectful. Some of the performers, though, came out of this door already carrying a Sharpie pen (Leslie Odom included) ready to sign autographs. If you have the chance, please also ask the performers in the ensemble who are not part of the main cast, for autographs and pix. Some of them were very grateful and happy that we recognized them. They TRULY are a part of the show and also deserve credit from the public.

However, this is still not the meet and greet section and is not being encouraged by the theater folks. We just stood there quietly and asked performers exiting if we could have autographs. Some did apologize and said they were in a rush, and we immediately backed off and just said, we loved the show. I am just sharing this, but please don't mob the area. :)

Updated On: 5/1/16 at 09:07 PM

Paragraph breaks. Love them. Use them.

How were the historic sites? Worth visiting?

Thanks much Em6 for the Hamilton cancellation line info! It's much appreciated and very helpful! Glad to hear you had such a memorable experience :)

Updated On: 5/1/16 at 09:50 PM

Poconopanther said: "How were the historic sites? Worth visiting?

Absofreakinloutely! For my birthday weekend, I did just that. Became a tourist in my native NY. Left the house at 7am and hit "Kings College" (Columbia University) to see the statue at Hamilton Hall. Went to Hamilton Grange, Jumel-Morris Mansion (last day before room restorations), then went to Weehawken to see the Hamilton-Burr dueling grounds monument, back to the city to Fraunces Tavern for an early dinner, hoping someone would break out in song of "My Shot" LOL! Passed where Thomas Jefferson's home once was. Got to Trinity Church cemetery too late but could see Hamilton's grave up close (returned the next day) then went to where Hamilton passed away (wrong location but general area) not far from my own home. 13 hours later, I was home and exhausted but the best birthday ever!

i say everyone should visit Hamilton Grange & Fraunces Tavern...then go to the cancellation line for the next night!

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 01:12 AM

Wow, the Grange looks lovely in its "new" setting inside the park. When I was a student at City College back in the day, the Grange was wedged in between an apartment building and part of St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Convent Avenue. I'm glad the decision was made to relocate the building to a more appropriate setting, but I certainly thank the church for saving the Grange!

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 03:13 PM

my cancellation line story from today (monday, 5/2/16):

i'd just discovered this magical cancellation line phenomenon a few days ago, and quickly read through everything in this thread and decided to give it a try on monday, since i'm off of work mondays. i figured it would be a good day to go because people would be working and students would be in school, and i'd get lucky with the amount of people in the line. however, as i continued reading through these threads and responses, i realized that my initial plan of going at 9 or 10 AM might be a little too late, so i decided to forgo sleeping and head to the RRT at around 2:30.

i arrived at the theater just after 3, and there were a handful of people there: two guys from SOLD, and a bunch of people sleeping. i sat down against a scaffolding and settled in to wait, as everyone was asleep and i wasn't really sure where the line started. there were a total of eight people there other than myself.

when everyone started waking up around 5:30-6 or so, a gentleman who'd been there from the beginning was very helpful and told me that i was actually the sixth person there. he quickly organized the line according to who had been there first, and i struck up a conversation with the girl sitting next to me in line and found out that the man who'd helped and a woman with him had been there since saturday night. they were first in line, followed by two SOLD guys, the girl next to me, and then myself. a few of the people that had been sleeping along with the people waiting for the show were homeless, so they disappeared relatively soon after and left just those of us waiting for tickets. one of the SOLD guys was replaced pretty close to 8ish, i think, and the other was left.

the line formed along the theater doors with the silhouettes, and we waited til 10 AM when the box office opened. i was the last person in line til approximately 9 or so, when an older gentleman joined. i realized that i didn't need to arrive quite as early as i had, but i figured better safe than sorry in this case.

over the next few hours, the back of the line ebbed and flowed pretty regularly; by the time 12 rolled around, there were four people behind me.

at around 12:50, the woman with the theater walked out and said that there was a pair of premium tickets; they were passed on by everyone (including myself) til a gentleman two behind me said he'd take one of them. she cashed him out inside and he went on his way. after initially balking at the price i was able to strike a deal with my father involving my christmas present, went into the theater, told the woman i was in the cancellation line and asked if that other ticket was available for purchase still, and cashed out.

i departed around 1:15 with a premium ticket in hand for row J seat 102. as of that point, no other tickets had been offered.

one pretty important thing that happened is that the woman who worked with the theater said that signs would be posted saying that lawn chairs and tents would no longer be allowed. it seems like the theater doesn't want it to look like a campground outside on their sidewalk, and this change could possibly be an attempt to deter a) folks from camping out for 48 hours beforehand and b) the homeless people that nestled alongside theater-goers to sleep. obviously they weren't hurting anyone and i'm just assuming here, but all i know is what she said. she let people keep their chairs today, but she said that in the future it wouldn't be allowed.

another thing i should probably note is that the woman who'd been there since saturday night seemed pretty upset to find out that a picture of them sleeping in front of the theater was posted online for everyone to see. i think the lack of privacy thing was a bit of a shock to her, as she was an older woman who may not be as familiar with technology and the way that social media can spread -- again, just speculation here, but i figured i'd post this as well.

all in all it was a pretty seamless experience, and i'm glad that my first run-through with the cancellation line went as well as this one did. i don't expect the next one to be quite as easy!

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 04:57 PM

macnyc said: "Wow, the Grange looks lovely in its "new" setting inside the park. When I was a student at City College back in the day, the Grange was wedged in between an apartment building and part of St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Convent Avenue. I'm glad the decision was made to relocate the building to a more appropriate setting, but I certainly thank the church for saving the Grange!



Yes! We saw a video of the house move. It was incredible to watch!

So I am off today and tomorrow and toyed with the idea of doing the line last night. The only two days this month that seemed feasible for me, since I know I need a "recovery" day! LOL! Instead, I learned that a pair of designer shoes I ordered at work with my one day only employee discount were no longer available (Louboutin) so the money I would have spent on that, I bought yet ANOTHER resale ticket! This is called "Hamildebt" LOL!

Walking to the theater now...I pray the ticket is legit! The prices on SH were dropping early and quickly today.

So happy for you! ALittleLessMiserable!
"I'll see you on the "same" side!" I'm in seat 2.

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 06:31 PM

"one pretty important thing that happened is that the woman who worked with the theater said that signs would be posted saying that lawn chairs and tents would no longer be allowed. "

Wow, that's a bummer. That means whoever's waiting has to do it on the cold hard sidewalk. I'm guessing they won't let the SOLD people use their tents either?