Should I move my Music Man seats?

Hi,
I’ve never seen a show at the Winter Garden. I’m 5’2”. For the Music Man, I got two orch-right aisle seats: row O,2 and P,2 so no one is directly in front of us. I can move them closer for the same price to seats 13 and 15 in orch-left, row E, F or G. The closer seats look fine on A View from My Seat website but then the pics don’t show anyone blocking the view. Should I move closer but over to the side for same price? Thanks!

Updated On: 5/14/21 at 11:24 AM

I'm short, too, and I'd stick with the aisle. My seat of choice at any theatre used to be dead center of the center section, but it comes with a risk, and a head in the way can ruin an experience. I have no problem asking for boosters seats, but not every theatre has them, and, the last time I asked for one at the Winter Garden, all they had were the uncomfortable plastic ones. These days, I prefer side aisles, not only for the view, but also for the extra personal space, and the peace of mind.

I have a similar question. I have center mezzanine seats (C1,3) and I can move to Orch O2,4. Do you think the view/sound would be better in the mezzanine or should I switch?

As a followup question, my original tickets were for my daughters birthday. Now her birthday falls in the previews period. Is there a reason not to see it during previews?

Updated On: 5/14/21 at 01:28 PM

3girls2luv said: "I have a similar question. I have center mezzanine seats (C1,3) and I can move to Orch O2,4. Do you think the view/sound would be better in the mezzanineor should I switch?

As a followup question, my original tickets were for my daughters birthday. Now her birthday falls in the previews period. Is there a reason not to see it during previews?"

Definitely keep those mezzanine seats. The mezzanine at the Winter Garden offers a great view. Especially if you are centered.

On a side note, can I just say how amazing it feels to be talking about tickets and seating preferences again after not doing so for the last year?!

bwayphreak234 said: "3girls2luv said: "I have a similar question. I have center mezzanine seats (C1,3) and I can move to Orch O2,4. Do you think the view/sound would be better in the mezzanineor should I switch?

As a followup question, my original tickets were for my daughters birthday. Now her birthday falls in the previews period. Is there a reason not to see it during previews?"

Definitely keep those mezzanine seats. The mezzanine at the Winter Garden offers a great view. Especially if you are centered.

On a side note, can I just say how amazing it feels to be talking about tickets and seating preferences again after not doing so for the last year?!"

Only if you are in the center. Thar theater has the worst mezzanine side lines imo.

Ermengarde, What was questionable about casting? I didn't hear.

Here's an interesting past casting when the actor does not fit the vocal range --

Did you know that the role of Jean Valjean was originally written for a baritone ( maybe it fitted more with the picture of a hardened longtime convict?) by Boublil & Schonberg for the 1980 original Paris production of Les Miserables. It was sung by the French baritone Maurice Barre. It was a very successful run at Palais des Sports but it was not a very long run because the place had other commitments.

Five years later, after Mackintosh fell in love with the French cast recording, he and RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) decided to collaborate in an English adaptation. According to the book by Edward Behr( commissioned to write the story of how Les Mis came into being), they found it difficult to cast the role of Valjean. It was actually Tim Rice who suggested that they try Colm Wilkinson because he fitted the look of Valjean and that he is a musical theatre actor. But since Colm was a tenor, they decided to transpose the Valjean parts to tenor range. Also, they decided to add songs and one was composed originally to suit Colm's range, Bring Him Home.

Had the producer (CM) and director Trevor Nunn ignored looking at Colm's talents, the success of Les Mis would probably not be as impactful so far as its major character is concerned.



But back on topic --

Anybody heard anything when The Music Man will start selling new tickets again? Is there a chance that the change in the lead producer role for all shows previously produced by Scott Rudin will be announced all at the same time as to when Mockingbird/WestSideStory/BookOfMormon will reopen and together with The Music Man will open their ticket lane again?

Updated On: 5/15/21 at 04:29 AM

JayElle said: "Telecharge rep said it will open once they've addressed tkt exchanges. Ticket holders could make the exchanges online without calling Telecharge.

So I wonder if that's an excuse."

The option to exchange ( as well as to ask refunds or to confirm reassigned dates) has been there since October 2020. In a sense, you can get additional tickets if you have an exchange option because they allowed more tickets to be purchased than the number of tickets which are earmarked for exchange. Music Man is actually in a more envious position, on hindsight (compared to those who have just announced reopening/opening of shows & their ticket windows) because they have been selling tickets since Sept 2019. With the 2 pandemic postponements, they automatically reassigned dates and gave the 3 options mentioned earlier. It is likely that they would have retained a fairly good number of tickets sold as presumably there would not be too many refund requests... as this was expected to be a show that might be on high demand once it opens.

But the likely reason why they may not have made any new ticket announcement yet could be that they may want to do it after announcing the new lead producer ( as promised in the statement of Hugh Jackman - re "rebuilding" the production without Scott Rudin).

I am asking ( if there is a rumor floating around ) because some friends have asked me lately when they can pick up tickets.

Updated On: 5/15/21 at 07:19 AM

If you are referring to ticket prices if you decide to do an exchange - they were the same as before the pandemic . But if you exchanged from a weekday to a weekend date ( just like the practice in the past for all or most of all shows) - the prices change to suit the weekend pricing. That is what I have observed. I also bought my tickets in Sept 2019 but they no longer look like what I had before - LOL! Since I don't live there and would have to fly from halfway across the world- the safest option for me is late spring/ early summer of 2022 ( considering the pandemic restrictions, which hopefully will be much more relaxed by then, such as for airline travel, quarantine requirements for New York, etc). Hopefully, I will also be there if and when the normal TONY dates for the next season (starting Sept 2021) is scheduled. Maybe see it on USA TV?

If you are asking about what secondary sellers like Stubhub are quoting - they are out of this world

It is logical for the shows which are re-opening or will be newly opened (like Diana) to offer lower pricing because of the competition -- all of them are competing with each other with relatively the same audience ( those who can commit now). The case of The Music Man is, because of circumstances, became more favored. Unless most everyone asked for refunds! But that is not likely, so their ticket sales reflect essentially what have been booked as before. If I recall right, I think it was Michael Riedel who said that they also had advance sales in the tens of millions ( not sure how reliable that is). So, I don't think they have to fulfill their ticket sales objectives with the same urgency. Maybe that is why secondary sellers are quoting very stiff prices because of the scarcity of remaining tickets ( or maybe they invested in them and wanted to unload...but they probably price them depending on demand?).

Updated On: 5/18/21 at 08:47 AM

Have you checked the SEAT FINDER facility.

https://www.telecharge.com/Broadway/The-Music-Man/Seating-Chart

Fill in the section (Right Orchestra) - Seat Numbers ( #16-#20) to get the location and click on View of the Stage.

Unless you can find adjacentseats in a better section - closer to the aisles or in Center Orchestra - your seats look pretty good to me.

I didn't know about that feature- the view looks pretty great so I think I'll stay put - thanks!



"

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "JayElle said: "Ermengarde,What was questionable about casting? I didn't hear."



Sutton Foster in a soprano role."



In Hello, Dolly!, the role of Cornelius is usually played by a baritone with a good top. However in the Pearl Bailey company, the role went to a bass and the charts were re-written