Posted: 8/27/15 at 3:29pm
neonlightsxo said: "My friends who use Play by Play seem to be happy with it. From what I gather, it's the only good one left. "
I agree. They are the best. Looking forward to the fall season as the summer tends to be a bit slow.
Posted: 8/27/15 at 3:35pm
The problem with them is that if they get 50 tickets to a show, they'll have 2000+ members trying to get 2 tickets each. So if you're not logged on at the exact second on that rare occasion they have comps to a Broadway show (since a good 90% of the broadway they list now is actors fund performances for $50 each), you've missed out.
Posted: 8/27/15 at 3:41pm
Jordan Catalano said: "The problem with them is that if they get 50 tickets to a show, they'll have 2000+ members trying to get 2 tickets each. So if you're not logged on at the exact second on that rare occasion they have comps to a Broadway show (since a good 90% of the broadway they list now is actors fund performances for $50 each), you've missed out.
I think that's the case with any of these services. Can't really complain though.
"
Posted: 8/27/15 at 3:43pm
I was talking specifically to how they seem to get the majority of Broadway shows now and how difficult it is to actually get those tickets.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 6:19am
So Play by Play requires you to keep some money in your account as a reserve? How does that work?
Posted: 8/28/15 at 11:38am
You just add money to your account to have a balance, but they require at least $15 when you add money. It's not like you have to keep $100 in at all times.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 2:49pm
Hi Melissa,
Scott from the Gold Club here!
Summertime means things are a bit slower. But September is around the corner, as is a new season of shows and events. It's not even the "official" start of the new theater season, but the Gold Club has offered 4 pretty major Off Broadway shows just in the past few days- (if you're a Gold Club member, email us for specifics- we cannot publicly publish offers.) When something "sells out" in the Gold Club, it goes away- we feel it's a tease to keep a sold out show on the boards.
The biggest difference most recently has been our adding more non-theatrical events. We're of the mindset the more varied choices offered the better! Those offers with a "cost" attached are generally from shows or events that otherwise are not comping, and they are always at a very deep discount.
With all the "new" stuff added, we're very happy to introduce the latest upgrade to the Gold Club which is now live: Our genre filter. It's a simple way to view the types of shows and events you want to see.
The genre filter is going to make the Gold Club navigating experience a breeze, especially as we approach a new and busy theater season with more and more choices...from theater to Beyond. Don't like a particular "type" of offer? Filter it out! Only like "Musicals", filter it in...
Sorry for such a long message! I was reading some of the other comments, and wanted to clear some of the air a bit. I hope I've scratched the surface.
As we always like to encourage, if there is a show or event you know has been in the Gold Club you have not had a chance to experience: Email us! We will gladly give you a personal heads-up once that show or event makes itself available- before we offer the general Gold Club population.
If anyone reading this has any questions about the Gold Club, please get it touch. We'd love to hear from you! goldclub@theatermania.com
Updated On: 8/29/15 at 02:49 PM
Posted: 8/28/15 at 3:50pm
Wow, what a major improvement to the Gold Club site. It's totally improved, night and day! I can see the "New" listings, I can filter by play, etc. I can actually find what I'm looking for. I saw a major off-Broadway show (a Theatermania "exclusive"
listed last night only by filtering. Otherwise it would have gotten lost in the shuffle for me. (I think that's what had been happening in the past - a good show was squeezed in 42nd place out of 50 listings, so it was too easy to miss if you were periodically checking.) Now it's super easy to see what's there. And I will admit, there were 3 major Off-broadway shows for this Saturday/Sunday listed. I have a feeling many shows were there, but I was just missing them due to the cumbersome web site. Kudos to Theatermania for fixing the web site and for their top notch customer service.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 4:05pm
I joined the Gold Club after having been a member of another service. I was really disappointed in the website and in fact asked to cancel the subscription. I was told all these fixes were coming months ago (and that I could cancel but not get a refund, of course). I just took a look and thinks have changed over the last few days, but if I'm not mistaken, you can not sort by Broadway v. Off, or look for musicals instead of plays (so is a musical in a theater sorted under play?). The way this site works is really disappointing and I don't use it as much as I could or should (to get value) because of that. I thought since Gold Club chimed in to this thread, I'd write here instead of directly to them.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 4:23pm
Hey There, Outsideofadog!
Glad to be of service.
If a Gold Club member isn't getting value or use from the club (and hasn't placed any ticket reservations) our first M.O. is to find out, "Why not?" Then to see how/if we can fix that issue, then if the issue cannot be fixed, of course we would cancel and refund the cost of membership, no problem!
The genre filter is brand-new, as of Thursday (yesterday) and we are making regular improvements and adjustments to our technology- especially in anticipation of a very busy theater season just ahead. Important to note you can only filter whatever genres are currently available. We're just getting warmed up, so bear with us while we see what tweaks might need to be made.
Send us an email @ goldclub@theatermania.com and let us add some time your Gold Club account and another little goody...!
Scott from the Gold Club Team
If anyone has any questions about the Gold Club, please feel free to write to us @ goldclub@theatermania.com we'd love to hear from you!
Updated On: 8/28/15 at 04:23 PM
Posted: 8/28/15 at 4:36pm
Let me start with a positive and say that Scott is helpful, kind and responsive and has always been as nice as anyone could wish. I hope he won't think any comments were personal or directed at him.
For me, I'd prefer more choices that fit the mold I expected, when I joined 9 years ago. It doesn't cost anything to check Playbill, BroadwayBox or any other discount site (even Ebay), for the same discounts to cabaret, sporting events, off-off Broadway, etc. It's a lot of money to pay for the opportunity to spend more money.
In 2012, for example, I saw 18 plays or musicals through TM Gold. For all of 2014, I saw 3...(and one was an interview, not a play).
Right now, when you filter for plays, there are 4 choices. When you filter cabaret/live music/concerts, there are 24 choices. There are 39 listings total and 13 of those are for pay (1/3 of the offerings).
I really hope TM Gold returns to how great it once was.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 4:40pm
I agree with wolfwriter2 100%. I hope that Theatermania Gold Club will soon return to theater offerings. That is my primary interest. When that happens, I will gladly rejoin!
Updated On: 8/28/15 at 04:40 PM
Posted: 8/28/15 at 5:39pm
Thanks for such nice words! You must have gotten me on a good day
The Gold Club will never stray from theater offers. It's the meat in our sauce. The cream in our coffee. The salt in our stew...(I can only come up with food analogies because it's Friday evening!)
Here's the thing about Broadway and comp tickets- and I'm not telling tales out of class here- In 2014-15 Broadway had a recording-breaking year, with a lot of hits. If a show is selling well, of course they don't need seat-filling/comp support. Makes sense, right? However, the Gold Club offered a very good amount of Broadway. Was it as much as the year before? Nope. No one had as many B'way comp's as the previous year. It all depends upon the season and ticket sales.
Now when someone calls or emails us and we list for them the Broadway, Off- Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway shows that have appeared as offers in the Gold Club of late, people are truly amazed. Unless you have the luxury of logging in 30 times a day- one would never get the full scope of offers. When a "bigger" show is offered, once it sells out- it's gone. You'd never know it was there.
Here's what we tell members who call or email with, "Where's the theater offers?!"
Tell us what you'd like to see. If it becomes available in the Gold Club, we will happily let you know. Simple as that.
But the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So be proactive, keep in touch, and we will spoil you rotten!
Thanks to anyone reading this stuff! As mentioned, if anyone has questions about the Gold Club, send us an email at goldclub@theatermania.com we'd love to hear from you!
-Scott of the Gold Club
wolfwriter2 said: "Let me start with a positive and say that Scott is helpful, kind and responsive and has always been as nice as anyone could wish. I hope he won't think any comments were personal or directed at him.
For me, I'd prefer more choices that fit the mold I expected, when I joined 9 years ago. It doesn't cost anything to check Playbill, BroadwayBox or any other discount site (even Ebay), for the same discounts to cabaret, sporting events, off-off Broadway, etc. It's a lot of money to pay for the opportunity to spend more money.
In 2012, for example, I saw 18 plays or musicals through TM Gold. For all of 2014, I saw 3...(and one was an interview, not a play).
Right now, when you filter for plays, there are 4 choices. When you filter cabaret/live music/concerts, there are 24 choices. There are 39 listings total and 13 of those are for pay (1/3 of the offerings).
I really hope TM Gold returns to how great it once was.
"
Posted: 8/28/15 at 5:42pm
Send us an email at goldclub@theatermania.com or give the Gold Club a try for one month: $10.99! If you knew what we've had just in the past 3 days, we think you'd be impressed. Let us impress you again! :)
https://www.theaterclub.com/ny/signup
Posted: 8/28/15 at 6:41pm
I will email, but I have to tell you, and the rest of these people, I do have the luxury of logging on often. And I go to the theater a lot, a lot. So with that, I just have to add that I agree with some of the forum people, theater is so losing traction on the site. I don't need so much Broadway, although it's nice so that you don't have to pay ridiculous prices, but even the off, and off off is down. If theater is the cream in your coffee, I would definitely say you need to step things up over there. But I'll take your goody and additional time.
Posted: 8/28/15 at 11:08pm
Scott,
The genre filters are an excellent addition. Thank you! I need to strongly encourage the addition of a "Broadway, Off Broadway and Musical" filter.
Customer Service seems to be a lost art today so I was very happy to hear from you in such a proactive friendly way.
Thank you so much!
Posted: 8/29/15 at 8:20am
Are Gold Club offers updated on the weekend or just during weekdays?
Posted: 8/29/15 at 9:21am
From my experience, they can be updated on the weekend, but the majority of additions/updates seem to be done during the week.
Posted: 8/29/15 at 11:13am
When new offerings are made by any of these companies is a function of when a production conveys the offer. Most of this is handled by the general manager's office, and like most offices in America, they mostly work on weekdays. So while there are exceptions, the lion's share of offers (and especially new offers) are going to surface on weekdays.
Posted: 8/29/15 at 12:29pm
Great question.
If an offer comes in from a show, venue or event, no matter the day, the Gold Club does add that to the roster, though, as others have mentioned correctly, weekend offers tend to be lighter than weekday offers, when folks are back in their offices.
Updated On: 8/29/15 at 12:29 PM
Posted: 8/29/15 at 12:33pm
Thanks for your lovely message, Melissa!
We're just getting warmed up with the filters, and believe me, as more and more "types" of shows and events become available and grow, so too will the filters. We'd love to have a "Broadway" filter! Let's hope for a fortuitous and plentiful season of shows, events, and lots of other things to choose from. The filters will allow you to select what you like. Coming in the next couple of weeks, a way to "collapse" all the offers so you can see them in "list" view. It looks amazing and will also make navigating faster and more efficient!
Updated On: 8/29/15 at 12:33 PM
Posted: 8/29/15 at 12:36pm
Elizabeth,
Thank you for your passion and encouragement of the Gold Club- not to mention being a valued member of the club! We know if you didn't care, you wouldn't still be a member. I'll email you separately, but wanted to especially say "Thanks!" for having the Gold Club's back, sticking with us, and letting us prove you right!
Gratefully,
Scott
Posted: 8/29/15 at 2:23pm
Scott, I have a question. Are new members being incentivized to join Gold Club with the offer of AMAZING GRACE tickets? It's obviously a wonder why that show hasn't shown up on the site since it's been doing beyond poorly. I'm just curious to know if those tickets are being held off for the purpose of getting new members or giving those trying to cancel a reason to keep their memberships.
Posted: 8/29/15 at 9:50pm
Hi Clyde,
Our agreement with all shows we work with prohibits us from mentioning show names in a public forum. As a general rule, we do the industry a great service by using discretion and being respectful. Many thanks in advance for your understanding.
If you're a Gold Club member, feel free to email goldclub@theatermania.com to continue the discussion!
Updated On: 9/2/15 at 09:50 PM
Posted: 8/31/15 at 5:46pm
Just a follow up to the Spondooly Seats membership I bought through Living Social. I requested a refund, on-line. LivingSocial asked me to call with more details. Customer service could not have been nicer. The gentleman looked at the Spondooly site and agreed that they offer nothing on the East Coast.
They issued, basically, a store credit (deal bucks) that I can use to buy other Living Social deals. I thought that was fair and I'm sure I will spend it, in no time.
[Thanks @HogansHero for the advice.]
