How difficult is it....

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:43pm

To get to tickets to shows in previews?

I am going up to NYC this fall and I'm hoping to check out Brooklyn while I'm there, I believe it will be in previews at the time. I think I'm just going to wait and get tickets to the show when I get there. Would that proove to be a challenge?

Sadly, I still don't fullly understand the concept of previews. Are they for feed back and touch ups of the show, things like that?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:46pm

Previews are technically supposed to be used to test audience reaction. I think it's ridiculous that they charge full price for previews.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:47pm

I went to previews for the recent INTO THE WOODS revival.

They didn't 'test' us - as in giving random surveys or what not. Maybe audience reactions by applause, but that's it.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:48pm

Well by charging full price, they can get an idea of how many people will actually buy tickets at full price once the show opens. And if tickets are hard to sell, they will offer discounts. Besides, they sometimes have discounts during previews.

http://www.broadwaybox.com has discounts; check for Brooklyn.

[Qfan]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:48pm

i assume it'd be easier to get tickets during previews unless its a show destined to be big

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:49pm

it depends on the show and it's "buzz" -- Brooklyn is getting a good deal of buzz in the city, but I am not sure how much of that is happening outside of NY

Of course your best option is to buy before you come, assuming you are willing and able to pay the box office price -- some shows will reduce "slightly" during previews, but I have not seen that many do that.

It's also a chance for the creators to tinker/adjust and sometime do major reworks. I've posted my experiance during the original run of Into the Woods and saw three different endings and got to see the first time Last Midnight was performed...

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:49pm

I went to Fiddler in previews. it seemed like a regular preformance without the floorboard stuff they have now...

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:50pm

Also, during previews, do they sometimes put understudies, stand-bys, and/or swings in for leads, just to see how they were to perform in front of the audience, even if the leads don't have a reason to be absent?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:51pm

Very few shows sellout during previews (most people wait until after the reviews come out) so you shouldn't have a problem getting tickets when you're in town.

It used to be that previews were heavily discounted, but once producers realized they could get away with charging full price, they charge $100 or whatever they can (though be sure to check broadwaybox.com for discount codes before you pay full price).

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:55pm

once again -- make a buck, make a buck...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 5:59pm

CapnHook, they were testing you, you just didn't know it. Many times they have people in the audience or in the back of the theater who are noting whether the audience laughs, applauds, etc.

Ever hear the story from A Chorus Line? When it was in previews the song "Dance Ten, Looks Three" was called "T*ts and *ss". The authors didn't feel they were getting the reaction that they wanted, so the changed the name of the song. When the actress got to the T&A chorus, the audience was not expecting that and roared with laughter.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 6:08pm

You should try getting your tickets towards the middle of previews, as they may shift the first few preview dates because of technical or creative difficulties that need to be worked out. Some shows will lower their prices during previews about 10-15% or so. And there is always the possibility that songs will be added or cut during the preview process which may or may not make it to opening night (I remember seeing "Millie" during previews and a song that Muzzy sang was replaced by the time the show opened)...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 6:16pm

The problem with "Dance Ten, Looks Three" was the Playbill listing. When the show was still at the Public (before it got to the Shubert), audiences read in the Playbill that there was a song called "Tits and Ass" before the show even began, so when Pam Blair performed it, the audience already knew the punchline and it killed the joke. Bennett realized what was happening and just had the Playbill listing changed -- the first night it read "Dance Ten, Looks Three" the number killed.

Updated On: 8/5/04 at 06:16 PM

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 7:56pm

Ah ok, makes sense. Thanks for everyones help! Hopefully I'll get to see it.

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 9:56pm

Yes! Go see Brooklyn! It sure is getting a lot of publicity, but it's well-deserved. I'll be seeing it a few times in previews, so let me know if you decide to go (which you should).

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/04 at 10:00pm

Can someone explain too me what Brooklyn is about? I'm curious too know what its about...coz I might wanna see it, if it sounds interesting.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:27am

I've gotten tickets for Boy From Oz, Gypsy, La Boheme and Little Shop all while they were in previews on the TKTs line.