How to get comps?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 3:47pm

Where/to whom are comps usually offered? Just wondering.

[winter_sky]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 3:50pm

Friends/family of the cast/production. On special days friends/family of the crew.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:17pm

That is not really accurate. Comps are basically given to the following people:

Critics/Journalists/Media
Industry Members/Insiders
Tony Nominators/Tony Voters
Drama Desk/OCC Voters

Cast and crew members really only get comp tickets for the invited dress rehearsal and opening night, and sometimes random performances here or there (if a show has been running for awhile or if a show is in previews).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:18pm

You can also join a ticket papering service, for about $100 a year and roughly $3 a ticket.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:19pm

Those don't really count as comps tho, as you still paid for them.

[fanadu1996]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:20pm

or know someone in a producers office:-0

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:21pm

The tickets still register as $0.00 and "comp."

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:24pm

Complimentary still means complimentary. If you pay $3 or even one cent, it's not really complimentary then, is it?

The best place to have friends in is the press office, as opposed to the producing office, as press offices typically have the biggest pulls of tickets.

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 4:39pm

Sometimes if your friends/family with the cast members they can get you comps but that's actually a VERY rare thing here. I know in some other countries their cast/crew can always get comps but here even spouses, parents, etc. should consider themselves lucky that they even get a discount ticket!

I know many of the subscription funded companies in the city will give their employees free tickets to their own productions.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 6:19pm

For anyone who's a member of the TheaterMania Gold Club, do they usually/ever offer tickets for BROADWAY shows?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 6:26pm

Bway tix on the papering sites are always iffy. Every now and then they pop up...though there's 1 [show] that's been up frequently...

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 6:28pm

Yeah just for signing up for the Gold Club now, they're offering two comps to [tos]

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 8:09pm

I used to know someone who Ushered at the Merriam in Philadelphia and would get comps.

[Schuyler]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 8:52pm

Thesbijean where do you get your info. Why then did the cast of hairpray get comps for performances last week and this week? Comps are given out when there is a slow period and in previews and for the intited dress. Also sometimes certain actors have them in their contract.

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 9/11/08 at 11:57pm

Comps sometimes are given to cast, crew and house staff of a show during slow times of the year. We were given the option for a pair of comps to the performance of our choice last Wednesday at my show.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:53am

I could be wrong, but the easiest way seems to be

Ring the company manager and tell him/her " My life will end if I don't see this"

Cry on the street and hope a nice called Scott offers you a ticket!

That should do it!

[Harper3]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 9:43am

My brother works in marketing and media so that's how I get my tickets.

A lot of complementary tickets are given out in the business world. Sometimes employees are given vouchers: normal xerox paper that says you get two tickets to Show X, etc.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 10:41am

I was thinking prostitution might work too. LOL! J/K

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 11:26am

Schuyler, did you not read my post?

"Cast and crew members really only get comp tickets for the invited dress rehearsal and opening night, and sometimes random performances here or there (if a show has been running for awhile or if a show is in previews)."

Hairspray has been running for awhile, no? And I would count random weeks in September as random performances, wouldn't you?

And I get my info from having worked on Broadway for nearly 4 years now... Updated On: 9/12/08 at 11:26 AM

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 11:33am

The best way to get comps is to make nice with people in the industry. Have friends who work on shows, with production companies, in theaters, streetwalkers, pimps, you know your typical New Yorkers, everyone knows someone!

[whatever2]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 1:49pm

marianne, im totally with you!

my first thought when i saw the title of this thread was: either know someone or blow someone.

pretty much that's my second and third thought, too. =:o

[TheresaG]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 11:12pm

I didn't know about papering services before I read this thread earlier today.

Anyone here ever been a member and if so, did you think it worth the $100 investment?

If Broadway doesn't show too frequently, do off-Broadway ones come up?

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:14am

I think it is worth it to join if you can make it to a show on short notice.