So, how exactly do you get comp tickets?

Posted: 9/23/04 at 2:57am

Hi everybody, I'm mostly a lurker on here, but I've been reading a lot of messages about people getting free tickets to see Broadway shows/tours, and I was just wondering, how do you go about getting these?

When I saw A Little Night Music in LA, I paid for my ticket but I saw a lot of people who had what I think were free tickets ("Not for resale" was printed on them). I've also read on this message board about people getting free tickets to the Little Shop tour (on opening night too!) at the Ahmanson (again, I paid for my tickets there) and The Ten Commandments at the Kodak.

Do you have to be a VIP, or know somebody in the show? Do you have to be a member of some organization, or is there some kind of secret code? Is there any way that an average Joe like me can get comp tickets?

Sorry if these are dumb questions--I just want to know if there are any ways that I can get to see shows for free like other people get to do.

[CJR]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 7:36am

Typically, it's Press, Industry and (occasionally) friends/family of people in the show who get comp tickets.

Posted: 9/23/04 at 8:27am

Ticket offices are also in charge of filling seats on certain nights. There are a couple of different ways to sign up to be a seat filler, but there's an overall fee for that. My friend works for a ticket agent and occasionally when she has to fill seats I get lucky and see something for free... sooo... make friends in the right places is your answer I think.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 11:55am

I thought you had to know some people who knew some people who robbed some people.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 4:16pm

Sleeping with the right people.

QM

[Fair 2 Middlin]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 4:41pm

having a date pay for them is good too.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 4:43pm

Though not, strictly speaking, a comp.

[Fair 2 Middlin]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 4:47pm

Well..... no.

On a different note, everytime I've gotten tickets to a show from a friend in the cast, they have had to pay. These were house seats, on occasion the person involved was the lead.

Updated On: 9/23/04 at 04:47 PM

[G]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 6:19pm

Yep, that's how I always get my free tix, Popcultureboy!
Oh, and QM too! :)

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 7:14pm

One or both of these reasons:

1) You know the right people.
2) You are are one of the most powerful people in the world and can get anything you want at the snap of a finger.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/23/04 at 7:43pm

I'm glad you know how I get things Millie!

[FOCI]

Posted: 9/24/04 at 7:22pm

I had no idea people in the cast had to pay for the comp tickets! I feel bad now about all the ones I've received, I definitely never knew they had to pay....

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 9/24/04 at 8:09pm

Actors don't have to pay for complementary tickets. A lot of time, for special events, the performers will be given a few tickets for their friends/family. What actors DO have to pay for are house seats for a regularly-running show. They get first grabs at them, but they must pay the full price for the tickets.

[CJR]

Posted: 9/24/04 at 8:19pm

Actors don't pay for comps, they pay for house seats.

[bially082]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 1:54am

Right. THe house seats are just there so the actors have the first chance to get those seats for someone they have coming to the show. If they want them they are there usually until the morning of the show, but they still have to pay for them.

[BroadwayMonkey]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 2:57am

I get all my comp tickets from my friend, who's mom works at the box office.

[Marquise]

Posted: 9/25/04 at 4:45am

i get my comp tix by sleeping with the producers Updated On: 9/25/04 at 04:45 AM