How much are the cheapest items at the BC/EFA Flea Market?- Page 2

[BellatrixxLestrangee]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 5:16pm

What time does it start and end? I live in DC and am absolutely dying to go even though I probably have school the next day.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 5:17pm

10-7

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 5:24pm

I might be available to be somebody's ringer for getting more than two things autographed if needed, depending on the time of day of course, as I'll have a 2:30 crew call for my show on Saturdays.

[mikem]

Posted: 8/6/10 at 7:06pm

Even though the Flea Market technically goes until 7pm, I would try to be there by 3:30pm at the latest unless your primary goal is to look for the lowest possible price. At some tables, stuff starts getting priced to move well before the auction starts, which I think is at 5pm, so if you come very late, you'll get bargains but the stuff will also have been well picked over.

There is also a silent auction all day before the live auction, with the items being up for bid for an hour.

Updated On: 8/6/10 at 07:06 PM

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 8/7/10 at 8:38am

Many tables will also start selling stuff before 10. I usually have gotten there at around 9-9:30 in the past to scope everything out, and have been sold stuff during those times. But as the day goes on, there's more of an opportunity to negotiate prices.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 8:25am

I just found out I can make my first ever trip to the flea market this year and I cannot wait! Do they accept credit cards at the tables or is it cast only?

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 9:13am

It's cash only. There's a Bank of America nearby, though, where you can find ATMs.

Some of the things I bought last year--
--"Sweeney Todd" (LuPone/Cerveris) poster for $1
--Patti LuPone at Les Mouches poster for $2
--"25th . . . Spelling Bee" souvenir program for $1
--"Broadway's Best" DVD for $1
--How We Did It: The story of "The Producers" coffee table book for $1
--A Squigs print with four faces of Sondheim for $15
--A prop shirt from "Hair" (the yellow one) for $10
--A "Passing Strange" coffee mug for $1
--"Love Story" LP for free

And a bunch more stuff, too! I also had the opportunity to chat with Seth Rudetsky, Edward Albee, Susan Blackwell, Andrew Kober, Theo Stockman, and a bunch of other people.

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 9:56am

You can pay with a card, however the process for paying with a card is a little bit of work:
- let the people at the table know you want to pay with a card
- they'll give you a little slip of paper showing what your card should be charged
- you take that slip of paper to the one BC/EFA bank booth (I think it's usually next to the auction area?)
- they'll run your card there, and then you bring that receipt back to the merch table and you can have your stuff

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 2:01pm

It's cash only.

No it's not.

To add on to what Anakela said, the bank is in the middle of 44th St, so you don't have to go through the madness that is Schubert Alley. There may be another bank by the autograph/auctions section, but if you're buying at the tables the best thing is to use the bank in the middle of the street.

[MeggilyWeggily08]

Posted: 8/31/10 at 10:41am

Slightly off topic, but I haven't been to the flea market in a few years and I can't remember, but does each currently running table like have it's own table with stuff from their show or is everything just kind of randomly placed? Thanks.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/31/10 at 12:13pm

Slightly off topic, but I haven't been to the flea market in a few years and I can't remember, but does each currently running table like have it's own table with stuff from their show or is everything just kind of randomly placed? Thanks.

Each show has their own table but some of the smaller shows have been known to share. Last year I found a map of who would be where not long before the event. It ended up being useless though since the event was moved inside. Hopefully the map will be posted again this year so we can have an idea of what shows will be where.

As for the cash/card thing I would recommend having cash on hand but the credit card table is good should you need a receipt for something (picking up something for a friend who is going to pay you back, etc). When you buy an item with cash you don't get a receipt.

Once the list of celebs comes out I like to print it out and see which celebs I want. Then I'll use that to figure out how much cash to bring plus some "mad" money. IMO it's a really good idea to budget yourself. Say "This is how much money I am going to spend today". Yes, it's a charity but no one wants you to spend your train money and be stranded. Just be smart and know what you can spend.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:56am

Celebrities appearing at the autograph and photo booth will be announced via the web site on Wednesday, September 8th, and will be updated weekly thereafter.
Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:43pm

I wish they had a small but existent Flea Market in Los Angeles!

[brightasyellow]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:31am

I JUST found out that I'm going to be in NYC that weekend! Woohoo! Do they have books ABOUT Broadway, like those by Ethan Mordden, etc? Also, how much do the cd cast recordings cost? I'm looking for some of the ones I had on cassette...

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 8:51am

Do they have books ABOUT Broadway, like those by Ethan Mordden, etc? Also, how much do the cd cast recordings cost? I'm looking for some of the ones I had on cassette...

Honestly, it's pretty much a crapshoot. We won't know what tables will be selling what until we get there. I know someone who bought a book that featured the seating chart of every Broadway theatre two years ago. It's like a garage sale almost. Lots of odds and ends.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 9:24am

In the past years, has anyone found a Roundabout Sunday window card and/or playbill at the flea market?

I'm quite anxious to go on a hunt for both next sunday.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 9:34am

Basically every table has BOXES of Playbills to sift through. You're bound to get lucky.

[legallyjuany]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 11:38am

As far as the celebrity tables do they have 8x10s or something to have signed or do you bring your own items? I'm coming from upstate and want to make sure just in case i have to pack things for them to sign.

[Studmuffn520]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 12:27pm

i would also like to know how the autograph tables and photo booths work? i've never been to this before and i'm so excited to finally go. i just don't want to be the big idiot there that doesn't know how anything works lol

[nexttotheheights]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:15pm

http://www.broadwaycares.org/celebrity_table_2010

I am defiantly going for the third shift. Alice Ripley, Jason and Marin all at the same time!

[coryografer]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:27pm

defiantly = definitely

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:41pm

I have a feeling the third shift is going to be a MADHOUSE!
I'm going to that shift too for Marin, Jason, ALice, and Cheyenne (maybe Andy and Orfeh)

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:43pm

The third shift will be popular with the younger fans. But the last shift has Kelli O'Hara, Donna Murphy, Chita Rivera, and a surprise guest!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 1:55pm

I've never gotten to meet Donna Murphy (I don't think she often does the stage door), so I might jump on the chance to have my picture taken with her.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 9/18/10 at 2:41pm

I am copying and pasting this message from the other flea market thread:

The flea market takes place one day a year in Shubert Alley (barring torrential rain - see 2009). The street is filled with booths representing most shows plus theatre-centric organizations such as BWW, Playbill, Triton Gallery, etc. What items are featured is largely a guessing game and differs throughout the day. Some shows sell t-shirts, signed posters, headshots, costume pieces, etc. while others might sell baked goods. Things differ in value from very cheap to very expensive and the longer you stay, the more the prices go down. Raffles are amongst the more popular items - you can win show tickets, etc.

Traditionally, the most popular and most discussed feature of the flea market is the celebrity table and photo booth. These mostly feature the same talent but are in fact different things with different prices. The celebrity table is just that - a long table occupied by celebrities. It is on the terrace of Junior's. The celebrity talent changes every hour. The list of celebs is being updated on BC/EFA's site every Wednesday and will be prominently displayed at the flea market due to last minute changes. The line is $25 EACH TIME YOU GO THROUGH. Your trip down the line entitles you to get UP TO TWO ITEMS PER CELEBRITY signed. If you don't have anything, there is a flea market poster you can buy for $20 and they also usually have blank little slips of paper next to them. The celeb table does NOT entitle you to get a photo with the celeb and they usually confiscate any cameras they see while going down the line. Each hour, a select group of people will be chosen from that hour's celebs to appear in the photo booth. This is done by popular demand. There will be many, many fans lined up by the photo booth and a BC/EFA volunteer keeping track of who is being requested for photos. Most photos are $10. However, select stars or groupings can be $40 or more. Bernadette and Chita, for example, are $40 on the basis of them being freaking Bernadette and Chita. If you want a specific grouping, speak up. Your wish may be granted. Several years ago, a photo with Anthony Rapp and Jesse L. Martin together went for $75 because someone offered to pay that much and then others followed suit. The question comes up every year - what if you want a photo with someone and they're not chosen to do the booth? As this is a charity event, the volunteers will do their absolute best to make sure requests are met. You can request more than one person and you can have your spot held in line if you are on the autograph line and someone is called for the photo booth. You simply alert a volunteer and they will hold your spot. You can also wait to the side if someone was taken away from the celebrity table to do the photo booth and you were waiting for their autograph.

My personal recommendation is to come with a lot of cash in many different denominations just to make it easier but they do have ATMs. You can buy an item via credit card and the booth will hold it for you while you go to the main ATM kiosk in Shubert Alley. Once you bring back the receipt, you will get your item. Obviously credit cards are accepted for auction items. There is a silent auction as well as the grand auction. The items are displayed in the center of Shubert Alley and some fabulous Broadway talents will be shouting out the specifics all day long.

My other best advice is that the 8th floor of the Marriott Marquis hotel has the best and cleanest bathrooms in NYC. It is a LONG day if you stay for the whole event and even if you don't, it's a crowded day. You have to be patient to be able to wade through the sheer volume of stuff but sometimes that is how the best bargains are discovered. I believe it was the Drama Book Shop booth that had authors appearing every hour and for a donation, you could get one of their plays personally signed by them. I saw Edward Albee there two years ago, I believe. Come prepared for the weather - sunscreen, hats, water, umbrellas, jackets, etc. It is one of the most fun days in NY so come with a smile and enjoy yourself!