SF Bee -- some questions!

[aihyde007]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 3:04pm

Hi everyone,

I'm going to visit my family in California for the 4th of July weekend and I was going to take my grandma and some relatives to see the Bee in San Francisco for my grandma's birthday. I had a few questions, any information will help!

1. How big is the Post? I just checked tickets and the closest we could get is row J. Is it as big as the Curran or smaller? If that is too far back, I might split us up into pairs and try to get closer.

2. How early should I get there if I want to volunteer to go up on stage. I thought it would be fun for my grandma to have someone to cheer for during the show.

3. What is the screening process like? What questions do they ask? Maybe I'll convince my grandma to go up on stage and participate!

Thanks in advance! Can't wait to see the Bee in SF!

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 4:02pm

The Post is fairly small since its in an hotel. I'm guessing it seats about 500. Definitely smaller than the Curran. Row J is only 10 rows from the stage, which may be at stage level. Any closer and you'll be sitting below the stage. The seats, however, are a bit cramped.

But definitely ask the box office when you buy your tickets about the differences in seating. They know their stuff, and I have never had a bad experience there because of their recommendations.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 4:16pm

If I am not mistaken, it doesn't really matter how early you get there to be onstage. I was told that you are picked by people in the show as you enter the theatre. I saw it in New York. But I would guess if you get there right before curtain, you may not be picked.

[jochang621]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 4:26pm

when i went last weekend, i entered the theater around 10 minutes before curtain, and had already chosen the people who went on stage. i think one thing that will help you get picked is that they ask how many people are in your party - in a newspaper article, i read that they like to pick a person who comes in a large group because the group becomes its own cheering section for the participant.

enjoy! it's a great show~

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 5:06pm

They announce the choices ten minutes before each show - get there twenty minutes before curtain and you'll be fine.

When they screened my friend Jeff they asked if he'd be comfortable spelling in front of 800 people; so I guess that's the capacity of the theatre.

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 5:24pm

Large groups help and it's good to be excited about the possibility of going up. They want you to have fun up there.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 2:49am

when i went last weekend, i entered the theater around 10 minutes before curtain, and had already chosen the people who went on stage.

Same experience here. I had extra time to tell Matthew Wilson how wonderful he was as Panch.

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 2:52am

Matt was great as Panch (and William). All the u/s are great there actually.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 3:06am

This may sound slightly distasteful, but does he wear a chubby suit when he goes on as Barfee? He seems pretty skinny to play the part -- not that it seems like Barfee HAS to be heavy, but it makes "lugubrious" funnier.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 4:57am

LIZZIE! YOU CHANGED AVATARS HAHAHA

OKAY...
The Post Street Theatre is located 1/2 block south of Union Square on Post Street. The theatre is relatively small, about 1/2 the size of the Curran. While it is 2 stories (orhcestra and balcony), there is NO over-hang. Row J is a perfectly fine veiw because the theatre is so perfect for the show.

There are about a dozen people in the theatre lobby with clipboards interviewing people in the lobby to be potential guest spellers. For about 30 mins they collect names... then at about 10 minutes before show-time (after a quick deliberation) they announce 4 people to be their guests.

You'll freakin' love the show. Do it do it do it do it.
Also, there are 4 more adult shows coming up! You heard it here first! Press release announced tomorrow with the dates!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 12:16pm

Oh, the people in clipboards are funny. And they have the dusty roase Spelling Bee shirts on. This can be confusing if you wear one of your own.

For those of you who go by landmarks, find the Disney Store and turn away from Union Square. The Post Street Theatre is on the same side of the street as the Disney Store.

LIZZIE! YOU CHANGED AVATARS HAHAHA

Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!

[JenniferLeal]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 12:23pm

I know for when I went, one the girl knows me, and two I have a totally bubbly personality and I am always excited to be there, and they knew I would be comfortable with all the boob jokes they were going to make for adult night. Just make sure you seem happy to be there and comfortable and you should be a good pick to go up there.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 12:25pm

also its directly off of union square and there are large banners which say "SPELLING BEE" hanging from the building, kind of hard to miss

729 seats to be exact, here is a picture! also a question about rush tickets, are they supposed to be purchased on the second floor lobby? or downstairs?
Updated On: 6/9/06 at 12:25 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:44pm

Nice pic! Do you know who took that? When I ran back in to get playbills after the adult show, I saw some cast members and non-cast members milling about on stage.

729 seats to be exact, here is a picture! also a question about rush tickets, are they supposed to be purchased on the second floor lobby? or downstairs?

They're on the extreme right and left, first three rows. It's barely, baaaarely obstructed.

Edit: I'm dumb. LOL...

Updated On: 6/9/06 at 09:44 PM

[Shawk]

Posted: 6/9/06 at 9:56pm

You buy the tickets in the theatre lobby. Downstairs is just the hotel desk. There generally isn't a big line or anything, so there aren't ropes set up for the rush.

The staff is pretty helpful if trying to get a ticket for a theatre in a hotel gets confusing.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:14pm

do you mean the desk that is located behind the door that says "use main entrance" or something like that?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:16pm

That's the hotel reception desk, yes.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:23pm

oooooh i get it now! whee!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:24pm

*claps, or something*

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:26pm

Here's what the screening process is like.

Find someone with a clipboard about 20 min. before the show and say you'd like to volunteer.
The person then asks your name, age, and if you've ever seen the show before and if you're a good speller then you take a slip of paper and walk over to a table and line up and then your asked more questions like do you have acting experiance, what's your fav tv show, how many people are in your group, do you know current events, what other shows have you seen, where you live, if you get nervous on stage, if you have a sense of humor, and if you do any word games like crossword puzzles. Then 10 minutes before the show they announce the 4 people they've picked and those people are taken somewhere to be told what to do. phew. That was the longest sentence ever.



If you want to be chosen it's best if you tell them you're an ok speller, where a crazy shirt,be with a large group and say you have no acting experiance.



Updated On: 6/17/06 at 04:26 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 4:28pm

So they make you hang around the table until 10 minutes before the show?

(I've seen the show six times, but never volunteered and yes, I know I'd be DQ'd now anyway. )

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 6/18/06 at 1:05pm

Haha! I just saw your question about the "chubby suit" Lizzie! Well, the answer is no. Matt didn't wear any padding when he went on as William and he didn't wear the curly wig either. I definitely noticed a couple jokes that fell flat because of how fit he is, but he was still a really funny Barfee.

[jochang621]

Posted: 7/18/06 at 5:09pm

has anyone been to the rush line lately? Just wondering what the lines are like these days, and how crowded it's been. are the seats selling more rapidly now that the final date is set?

thanks!