This BOOK OF MORMON Lottery...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 6:42pm

I grow very suspicious of any lottery that needs to pull the names of the winners inside and out of view of the crowd. I'm not saying it was rigged like the others that have done that, but I am saying that it's mighty suspicious. And that's all I'm saying.

[April Saul]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 6:45pm

Is that what happened tonight, Jordan? If so, can you give any more info as to how many folks competed and where the seats were located?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 6:48pm

That is what happened. There were a LOT of people. I would say 150, maybe. There were 7 pairs of seats in the front row and one pair of obstructed view seats they had for the lottery. After they pulled the names in secret, of course.

[tking001]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 6:50pm

Any post lotto discounts?

I spoke to someone at the theatre last night who said the seats would be front row and some of the boxes
so I would have thought it would have been more than 14 total seats

My friend entered and she posted a picture and they used the back of the Spring Awakening Understudy slips for the lottery which I thought was interesting Updated On: 2/24/11 at 06:50 PM

[April Saul]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 7:03pm

Wow, it sounds like a zoo already...maybe it's time to use a discount code and hope they drop some good seats into it if you buy closer to showtime, since the available seats with the code have not been too good...oh well.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 7:37pm

You're Totally right, Jordan. I was there, and that was really shady. And the excuse the guy made, that they had to make sure there were no "doubles" was bull****

I was all the way in the street, however, and had no idea they were pulling the actual "names" in private.

And the winners that were chosen, a few of them anyway, were suspect.

Updated On: 2/24/11 at 07:37 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 7:53pm

I know exactly who you're talking about.

[April Saul]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:09pm

If you guys are right, that's really awful and maybe this thread will help. I can't imagine Parker and Stone would approve...

[PurpleFanta]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:16pm

I was there too and I thought it was really sketchy how they pulled the names out away from everyone. They're essentially inviting people to think they're rigging it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:21pm

And let's get real. If they truly were checking for duplicate names it would have taken a hell of a lot longer than that 3 minutes they were inside to cross check 150 entries.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:28pm

Wow, this sounds even shadier than the West Side Story lottery was. Was the lotto picker COMPLETELY out of sight? Or did they stay in the box office?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:39pm

From what I could see, they went out of sight.

[JujamcynTheaters]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 10:39pm

Jordan,

Thank you for your comments. I was in the box office lobby tonight supervising our very first Book of Mormon lottery and while we all internally discussed ways we can improve upon the process after the fact, I can assure you that everything was on the up and up.

With regards to your concerns about the names being checked inside the box office lobby prior to the drawing, this was done to make sure no one was duplicating entries given the limited number of tickets we had available for the lottery. We had such a magnificent turnout that we wanted to make sure everyone had an equal chance of having their name drawn.

We hope to see you at future drawings and want to assure you that we heard your comments and will make more of an effort to make the process more transparent moving forward.

Sincerely,
Hal Goldberg
Vice President, Theatre Operations
Jujamcyn Theaters

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:45pm

Wouldn't a spinning bingo-like drum be sufficient?

[zerose]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:45pm

No post-lotto discount, the performance was sold out.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:48pm

To be honest, I've always wondered why box offices worried about duplicating when, if they're checking ID, it would be obvious if someone was already called out and already in a winner's line. Or am I off here?

[HBBrock]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:50pm

No - they want to make sure people are not placing more than one slip with their name in the box.

[Just_John]

Posted: 2/24/11 at 11:55pm

If they are so concerned about people putting their names in twice, they should do what Wicked does and check after they sell everyone their tickets and go away. And if anyone who won was a duplicate, deny them entrance at the door and return their money. Maybe noone will end up using the seat, but I'd rather that then be showing up and wasting time for a lottery that may or may not be rigged.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:15am

Well, someone is reading the boards.
Good for them, now pick the names in full sight.

[Sylar2]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:17am

Have you guys ever been to the WICKED lotto? They pull those names inside as well and then come out and tell everyone who was pulled. You didn't win...get over it. There's no reason for them to "rig" it.....

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:22am

I won the West Side Story lotto once. So it wasn't a scam.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:35am

Have you guys ever been to the WICKED lotto? They pull those names inside as well and then come out and tell everyone who was pulled. You didn't win...get over it. There's no reason for them to "rig" it

Um, have you? He pulls the names in full view of everyone there. He shuts the glass door so no one else tries to enter. However, he is in full view of everyone the entire time. Nothing shady going on at the Gershwin.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:47am

"Have you guys ever been to the WICKED lotto? They pull those names inside as well and then come out and tell everyone who was pulled. You didn't win...get over it. There's no reason for them to "rig" it"


Dude- were YOU there tonight? Because if not you have no room to comment, really.

I know Fair when I see it, and I know shady when I see it, and that was fairly shady.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 12:48am

Sylar...there are many lottos that are often rigged. I've had a friend rig a lotto so that I could win. Is it shady? Yes. But, I didn't ask this person to do it.

But, it's not unheard of. If they pulled the names out of sight then I'd say it's pretty obvious what happened...

[ArtMan]

Posted: 2/25/11 at 10:31am

Do you all think lottery staff remove entrees with only one ticket wanted since it creates an odd number? I have won lotteries with two tickets needed but never with one. I only suspect this after my Shrek lottery incident. I only needed one ticket. I watched the staff member look at my entry and put my entry elsewhere. Everyone won at the lottery but me. Was it because I am unlucky or because I was a single. My luck is not great...but it isn't lousy. That is why now if I am only a single and see another single I offer to run together and list two tickets. Also doubles the chances of winning.