Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells to star in GUTENBERG! THE (BEST) MUSICAL (EVER) On Broadway- Page 5

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/16/23 at 1:11pm

The box office opens on Friday at 10 AM.

The first 50 people in line will get the chance to pick a discounted ticket out of a hat - either $6.24, $14.48, $22, or $36.

Limit of two tickets per person for select performances through November 5. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 8/17/23 at 2:25am

Box Office Opening this Friday to include Pick Your Own Price scheme, giveaways from UCB, and an appearance from Andrew Rannells.

[LuckyDipster]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 6:16am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "has anyone else bought tickets for this yet or are people waiting to see if deals popup?"

I bought Orchestra Row D for the final night (I'll be there on holiday).  I'm enjoying the prospect of seeing two Whizzers in one day.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 10:23am

Did anyone go to the box office opening this AM?  If so, how big was the crowd?

 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 11:36am

My friend went a little after 8 and said there were already 60 people or so, apparently the first person got there at 3:30

[TheSecretArden]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:08pm

I’m not usually one to come and complain on these boards, but this morning’s publicity stunt was easily the worst box office experience I’ve had after seeing 100+ shows in NYC. I got in line around 8:40, with around 80 people ahead of me. I knew I wouldn’t win one of the lottery seats, but figured I’d stay in case some sort of promotion was offered / to see Andrew (who - side note - was the single highlight of this morning. Just as kind, personable and funny as you’d expect.)

After about 20 minutes, two security guards emerged and realized that lines had started forming on both sides of the theater. Without any way of knowing who was there first, they chose to merge the shorter line into the longer one, pushing the rest of us back by at least 20-30 people. This put several of us in front of a hotel next door that was bringing in many carts of large boxes. The manager of the hotel came out and asked us all kindly to make space for her employees and for our safety. Realizing their error, the security guards then cut the line in half and had those of us in front of the hotel move the line back to the other side of the theater that the other group of patrons had just been told to merge away from.

Fast forward to tickets going on sale: despite it being clear there would not be enough tickets through the promotion for everyone, it took the box office 45 minutes before they sent a representative out to our back half of the line to let us know they’d be offering consolation tickets for $46. At this point, several people left, but even so it took another hour from where I was to reach the front of the line, where we were then told the discount was only available for Wednesday performances. I witnessed the staff member in the lefthand box office stall speak harshly toward several patrons who had waited two and a half hours only to find out they could not get affordable tickets for the day they had planned to see the show. Fortunately, I wanted to go on a Wednesday anyway, but if I hadn’t, I probably would have left at that point and never purchased a ticket at all. Even so, my ticket is second-to-last row in side balcony.

I’m sorry if any of this sounds ungrateful or overly frustrated, but the fact that the box office staff treated customers with disrespect after our wait in support of a publicity stunt that they had planned poorly left a really bad taste in my mouth. I’m excited to see this show thanks to Andrew’s generosity, but I’ll think twice before purchasing a ticket at the Jones again. I hope we as a community can continue holding space about the affordability of Broadway, avenues for access, and how those who have to make use of those avenues in order to support and see theater should be treated by staff whose job is to provide a smooth and positive consumer experience.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:18pm

It always amazes me when shows do this that they end up a total disaster. Makes me glad I didn't venture into the city this morning to attempt this. I'll just hope it pops up on TKTS.

 

Also, have their standbys been announced?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:22pm

No need to apologize for being frustrated after an extremely frustrating experience! And it seemed like it wasn't even worth it given how bad that seat is. There are constant screw ups for these kind of promotions because it's not like a standalone theater in the middle of Arkansas, this is NYC.  There are tons of businesses next to these theaters, and also people just trying to go to their destinations.etc. Things can get nuts very fast and I was at Ham4Ham in 2015!  Sorry that happened to you. 

[qafgenius122]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:22pm

TheSecretArden said: "I’m not usually one to come and complain on these boards, but this morning’s publicity stunt was easily the worst box office experience I’ve had after seeing 100+ shows in NYC. I got in line around 8:40, with around 80 people ahead of me. I knew I wouldn’t win one of the lottery seats, but figured I’d stay in case some sort of promotion was offered / to see Andrew (who - side note - was the single highlight of this morning. Just as kind, personable and funny as you’d expect.)

After about 20 minutes, two security guards emerged and realized that lines had started forming on both sides of the theater. Without any way of knowing who was there first, they chose to merge the shorter line into the longer one, pushing the rest of us back by at least 20-30 people. This put several of us in front of a hotel next door that was bringing in many carts of large boxes. The manager of the hotel came out and asked us all kindly to make space for her employees and for our safety. Realizing their error, the security guards then cut the line in half and had those of us in front of the hotel move the line back to the other side of the theater that the other group of patrons had just been told to merge away from.

Fast forward to tickets going on sale: despite it being clear there would not be enough tickets through the promotion for everyone, it took the box office 45 minutes before they sent a representative out to our back half of the line to let us know they’d be offering consolation tickets for $46. At this point, several people left, but even so it took another hour from where I was to reach the front of the line, where we were then told the discount was only available for Wednesday performances. I witnessed the staff member in the lefthand box office stall speak harshly toward several patrons who had waited two and a half hours only to find out they could not get affordable tickets for the day they had planned to see the show. Fortunately, I wanted to go on a Wednesday anyway, but if I hadn’t, I probably would have left at that point and never purchased a ticket at all. Even so, my ticket is second-to-last row in side balcony.

I’m sorry if any of this sounds ungrateful or overly frustrated, but the fact that the box office staff treated customers with disrespect after our wait in support of a publicity stunt that they had planned poorly left a really bad taste in my mouth. I’m excited to see this show thanks to Andrew’s generosity, but I’ll think twice before purchasing a ticket at the Jones again. I hope we as a community can continue holding space about the affordability of Broadway, avenues for access, and how those who have to make use of those avenues in order to support and see theater should be treated by staff whose job is to provide a smooth and positive consumer experience."

I was there at 5:30, 7th in line, and you’re missing some key details. There were not 2 lines. There was one like that during the night, when it started to pour, decided to wrap back under the theater marquee. And then proceeded towards 7th Avenue. It was all very orderly, and security once they arrived and got the whole picture, acted very professionally. Both sides had driveways, so people were going to be moving one way or another, but I heard of no issues with people’s spots in line being taken or moved etc.

bix offive due have a hiccup early on when there care readers stopped working after 1 transaction, but otherwise it was smooth and I was done by 10:15 the latest.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:24pm

Seems like much of what occurred could have (should have) been anticipated and makes you wonder what sort of planning was done.  We really need it to be standard practice for the powers that be to pre-mortem whenever they put tickets on sale for which a mass interest is expected or they do promotional specials like this one.

[TheSecretArden]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 12:49pm

qafgenius122 said: "I was there at 5:30, 7th in line, and you’re missing some key details. There were not 2 lines. There was one like that during the night, when it started to pour, decided to wrap back under the theater marquee. And then proceeded towards 7th Avenue. It was all very orderly, and security once they arrived and got the whole picture, acted very professionally. Both sides had driveways, so people were going to be moving one way or another, but I heard of no issues with people’s spots in line being taken or moved etc.

bix offive due have a hiccup early on when there care readers stopped working after 1 transaction, but otherwise it was smooth and I was done by 10:15 the latest."

Appreciate the context you offered here. There are always multiple truths, and your dedication to arriving as early as you did certainly benefited your experience. I shared mine here to acknowledge that not everyone had the same fun and rewarding opportunity as you, and as that which the Gutenberg social media team will promote. I hope future productions can just be a bit more thoughtful and organized when offering these sorts of promotions. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 1:05pm

ACL2006 said: "It always amazes me when shows do this that they end up a total disaster. Makes me glad I didn't venture into the city this morning to attempt this. I'll just hope it pops up on TKTS.



Also, have their standbys been announced?"

Most performances the Orchestra is pretty sold, I would not anticipate this popping up at the booth often

 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/18/23 at 1:29pm

Since the beginning of sales, barely any of the front orchestra has been made available, mainly center premiums and pairs off to the sides. If you go to any random weeknight in January, that's basically how the orchestra seating chart has looked from the start, so I'd look at the mezzanine and balcony to show how ticket sales are going, and, going by that, they seem weak.

Once it starts performances, I think sales will be pick up considerably, but I don't see them filling the theatre consistently without TKTS, especially on weeknights. Time will tell...

Updated On: 8/18/23 at 01:29 PM

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 7:25am

It occurs to me that if Andrew's doing this, Tammy Faye isn't transferring anytime soon.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 10:19am

Fordham2015 said: "It occurs to me that if Andrew's doing this, Tammy Faye isn't transferring anytime soon."

To be fair, this is a limited run of 20 weeks. If Tammy Faye is going to transfer with Rannells, it could still open next year.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 8:14pm

KevinKlawitter said: "Fordham2015 said: "It occurs to me that if Andrew's doing this, Tammy Faye isn't transferring anytime soon."

To be fair, this is a limited run of 20 weeks. If Tammy Faye is going to transfer with Rannells, it could still open next year."

Not happening per my industry friends.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 5:32pm

Any discount codes floating around? Seems the lowest ticket for this right now is $49 in the Balcony ($58 with fees) 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 5:55pm

Can someone please confirm that the balcony first row provides a great view and not too distant from the stage? I've seen multiple pictures on seat view sites, but would be nice if someone here affirms my decision to get a ticket in that particular section.

Thanks!

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 6:13pm

sat there years ago for Fences and the front balcony is great, the rear not so much

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 6:56pm

Robbie2 said: "KevinKlawitter said: "Fordham2015 said: "It occurs to me that if Andrew's doing this, Tammy Faye isn't transferring anytime soon."

To be fair, this is a limited run of 20 weeks. If Tammy Faye is going to transfer with Rannells, it could still open next year."

Not happening per my industry friends."

Wonder why? The lead won an Oliver Award, and it seems to have sold well. Not sure why they wouldn't give it a West End run or something else.

 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 3:05pm

Russell J. Daniels and Sam Hartley to serve as Standbys

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 3:06pm

Just announced on social:

The standbys will be Sam Hartley (The Butcher Boy) for Rannells, and Russell Daniels (the best part of Titanique and one of the funniest performances I saw last year) for Gad.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 3:59pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Just announced on social:

The standbys will beSam Hartley (The Butcher Boy) for Rannells, and Russell Daniels (the best part of Titanique and one of the funniest performances I saw last year) for Gad."

To a certain point, I am surprised the standbys aren't former Elder Prices and Elder Cunninghams. I also believe both standbys are making their Broadway debuts. Very nice. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 6:09pm

Russell Daniels was absolutely genius in Titanique, and I would absolutely bolt to the theater if I heard he was going on for Josh Gad. Wonderful standby casting.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 6:17pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "Russell Daniels was absolutely genius in Titanique, and I would absolutely bolt to the theater if I heard he was going on for Josh Gad. Wonderful standby casting."

As someone who isn't a big fan of Josh Gad, but adores Russell Daniels, I'd run to see this if Gad is ever out.