Playbill Stealing

I think you all know what I mean. Have you ever taken a few extra Playbills from off the floor or the back of the level you were sitting in? I've done this only once when I saw The Toxic Avenger Musical. When everyone got up to leave, I went to the back of the orchestra section and saw a huge pile of Playbills begging to get picked up. I took about 4 extra. I used one of them to get signed by the whole cast when I sent them a letter. If you ever done this, please tell your story. I would love to hear them. :)

Um, nce or twice I've taken more than one playbill.

Riveting story, huh?

I went to see 39 Steps on tour a few weeks ago. Not an expensive tickets but around 40-50 bucks. They were asking us to share programs due to the recession. Seriously. That made me want to take 20 home with me.

I just take them from the Usher's stacks, lol.

Sadly, I do it all the time.

Notably, when I saw Gypsy the first few times the Playbill was in black and white, then randomly for one month it was back in color (I think it was because there was a featured article about Laura Benanti) so I snagged oo 8 or so, I did give some away though. Also, when I saw A Catered Affair and got a black and white playbill but saw a stack of color ones as I was leaving, I took one and got Leslie Kritzer to sign it for me. There was a large span of time where a friend and me would see different shows so we'd each grab two Playbills - one for the other.

I must confess, when I saw A Steady Rain during previews the Playbills were in black and white. After it opened, color Playbills began to be distributed. I almost purchased a color one on playbillstore.com but after getting out of God of Carnage one night I did the unthinkable and walked into the Schoenfeld as the crowd was getting out, told an usher that I forgot my Playbill and she grabbed my wrist, a kind woman, and led me to the pile. I grabbed two.

Yes, I do, and I don't really consider it stealing because those that are in the usher's stack don't necessarily belong to anyone, and they are free.

I also take leftover ones at seats. I'd never acquire the 710 Playbills that I currently have if I didn't do this!

Yup, I'd buy one.

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"Yes, I do, and I don't really consider it stealing because those that are in the usher's stack don't necessarily belong to anyone, and they are free."

They don't belong to anyone?

Ah, the age old question. Which came first: The Playbill or the egg?

This thread is hilarious.

If you're taking extra color playbills, you probably are stealing because the producers paid for them.

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First off - Emma, you're a tool

Secondly, I have never stolen a playbill. If I need an extra one I ask. Is asking so hard?

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"You guys in America are very lucky to get free Playbills, in the West End we have to buy Theatre Programmes and they cost anything between $6 - $14, but they do have a lot more info in them an some have production photos
"

I think they are different though. US have programs that cost money too, with photos etc.. and Info.

Playbills are like, advertising with a cast list and some biographies, aren't they? (I.e. programs in the UK aren't equivalent).

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jo, there are color playbills for ASR. The color ones have a navy/blueish tint.