NATASHA, PIERRE AND GREAT COMET discount tix

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 4:07pm

After reading the NY Times article about this show extending and discount tickets being available, I looked around and, sure enough, several sites have regular price seats for $79. I got mine from the Playbill Discount Club.

Does anyone know how the seating works for regular tickets? It looks like the regular ticket patrons don't get seated as close to the action, but I can't tell if it's general admission or not. Does anyone know if we should get there early to try to grab better seats?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 4:44pm

I had the Playbill Club tickets, I got there an hour before showtime and was seated in one of the far banquettes, what theoretically were the worst seats in the house.

However, they ended up being among the most comfortable in the house. Basically we were looking on from the side at the band, but everything is performed everywhere. So even the worst seats in the house were fine and the lovely, banquette cushions were much more comfortable than those cabaret style chairs at the regular tables.

[April Saul]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 5:25pm

Oy! I actually got my Natasha, Pierre ticket through a papering organization; I think it's okay to say this if I don't identify which one, right? Anyway, it came out to $53 and instead of food, all you got was a glass of champagne. The hostess first gave me a very good seat, then when I stupidly told the waitress that my meal was included, she moved me back into a banquette seat--at a different angle from Namo's--which wasn't as desirable. Other people with the same deal as I had did not advise the waitress, got to eat for free, and kindly slipped me a croissant and cookie under the table!

I'm not surprised at all the discount deals, because it was just way too steep a price for off-Broadway. But I suspect that as the discounts increase, they're either going to have to make the food strictly pay-as-you-go, or take greater pains to separate the pre-paid eaters from the more frugal folks.

That said, there's no seat that's really terribly bad, but some are closer to the action than others.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 6:48pm

Croissant? Are you sure it was "Natasha..." you saw? It's interesting to hear how many people were happy to steal.

[April Saul]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 7:25pm

Yup, it was actually a croissant, in the middle of a plate of various bread-like items. I'm curious, since you also had a non-meal deal, did they realize it and sit you apart from others who were eating? It did seem like the better seats were reserved for the pre-paid eaters.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 10:29pm

No I did not have a non-meal deal. Before the current run had its official opening the Playbill deal was $69 with the full meal. I'm assuming they sat us where they did because it said PLAYBILL on the tickets. The bread we got was delicious dark soft rolls.

[April Saul]

Posted: 6/24/13 at 11:16pm

No complaints about the croissant, either! Anyhow, the show was delightful, and that's what matters

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 9:51am

Happy to report that our Playbill discount tickets did not exile us to Siberia without food. We got there about an hour early, and there were already a dozen or so people ahead of us. We were seated at one of the raised banquette tables that line the outer edge of the theater (tent), and I think those might actually be preferable to the tables that are clustered around the floor of the theater. The actors are all over the theater, so there really isn't a bad seat in the house.

That said, I would recommend getting there at least a half hour early so you can enjoy the first servings of food, of which there is plenty. You are served before the show and during the intermission, and you get borscht, fruit, rolls, crudites, smoked salmon, salad, some sort of frittata (I think), pierogis, vodka fruit drink and cookies. There is also the option to buy more food or drink, but I can't imagine wanting more food.

As for the show, I loved it and was quite moved at the end. It certainly excelled HERE LIES LOVE for storytelling, but I guess that's not surprising when you are adapting Tolstoy.