Playbills

I'm going to NYC soon and would like to get some Playbills to hang on my walls. While I'm only seeing a couple shows I would love to pick up some Playbills from Hello Dolly, Frozen, DEH and a couple others as decoration. Do you think if I just go to the theatre and ask they'd give me one? If so, would I just go to the box office?

Dear Evan Hansen does give out Playbills. If you ask the box office, they'll tell you to come back during showtime because they don't have any there. (:

msmp said: "brightbroadway said: "Yes, some shows will give you one no problem. Some shows will not. Just ask very VERY nicely and I am sure they would be more than happy to. Dear Evan Hansen will not give any out PERIOD."

This may have been answered in another thread, but has the staff at the Music Box ever explained why they won't give out Playbills?"

I'm pretty sure some Ebay hounds kept coming and forging signatures on playbills, dooring, or just selling them, and they caught on. I had simply wanted a poster and I was not allowed to go to the store to get it without a guard escorting me during an intermission. The staff must be strict due to people exploiting the show. Bootlegging became an issue, so they added phone slips, but that never worked, as 4 have been recorded since the release of those slips.

Although there have been shows where Playbill distribution has been restricted, it is actually the discretion of whoever is working in the lobby of the theater as to whether or not they will give out a Playbill to a non ticket holder.

Updated On: 4/8/18 at 10:11 AM

Just check the sidewalk trash bins closest to the theatre lobby. Seriously, you're not dumpster diving since there's usually a bunch of clean new Playbills on the very top of the trash heap. I can't tell you how often over the years I've seen them there after a show has let out.