"Rain Stops Falling" Member Tickets - Shame on LCT

[whatever2]

Posted: 1/11/10 at 9:06pm

As a long-standing Lincoln Center Theater member, I've always admired their ability to get it "right" on a consistent basis ... especially as compared to some of the other non-profits around town.

until now.

i received an email from LCT last week informing members that, "to celebrate our 25th year, all Member tickets are just $25 for WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING if you purchase in the first 5 days!"

well, it turns out LCT has redefined "all" to mean JUST the first row sides, extreme side aisles, and last row center. (i'd take that final option if it hadn't been snarfed up for all of my dates in a nano-second.) in fact, the majority of the house usually made available to members was heldd back from the promotion.

i considered buying a pair of seats anywhere and trying to exchange when the regular inventory gets released after the 15th (exchanges are a member privilege), but after rep surfing three times i couldn't get a consistent answer as to whether i'd get upcharged to the regular price if i did this.

if the member communications (there were others besides the email) had been clear, i would have thought LCT was doing a nice thing for people struggling in the current economy; but frankly they've tried to pull the wool over their members' eyes. this definitely is something i'll remember when they ask me to help them $elebrate their 25th year ...

[notabb]

Posted: 1/12/10 at 8:53am

sorry about what happened to you BUT it sure didn't happened to me. I got first row ,dead center for the date i needed.

[Sauja]

Posted: 1/12/10 at 9:09am

And I got fourth row center for my first choice of days. Is there any chance that because of the promotion, there was just an overflow of users buying tickets that led to you pulling bad seats?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/12/10 at 9:33am

I'm in row C, house left for March 30 and it was my second choice date. I bought at the end of the day at the box office and there was no line.

Plus it is the Newhouse, not Madison Square Garden. Longtime members have sat all over that 299 seater and know that there are few poor seats.

I didn't have any problems.

[April Saul]

Posted: 1/12/10 at 9:49am

I got front row center for my first choice of dates, but the phone lines were impossible from 10 to 11 and every time I tried to finalized my purchase on the net, I got a server error. Finally, called Telecharge customer service and they were able to sell me the tickets. So the only thing that went RIGHT for me was that I got great seats; what time did you try to get yours?

[whatever2]

Posted: 1/12/10 at 11:15am

WOSQ: sorry, but as a longtime member whati know is that there ARE bad seats in the mitzi ... the extreme sides can offer partial views (as in Bernarda Alba), and the front row can be a challenge when the stage is elevated (as in New Century).

i'm really glad you guys got the seats you want, but i tried online and via telephone again this morning, and it is clear they're holding back inventory ... and not just "premium seats".

also still can't get a straight answer on how the exchange priviliges will work for $25 seats.

but thanks for the encouragement!