Ticket Policies for Cancelled Shows

[n2ninvisible78]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 11:58am

With the whole Moulin Rouge in Boston situation and lack of information or discrepancies among information provided, is there any historical precedence for how other shows have handled similar issues? 

For instance, do they add a preview to accommodate the original "first preview" folks or just pick an existing date and say "screw the original first preview ticket holders"? 

 

[Fosse76]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 12:20pm

Their only legal obligation is to refund the ticket. Once that happens, no one is "screwed" I believe nowadays the refund is automatic, unless it was a cash transaction. Ticket holders for a cancelled performance will have to buy a new ticket for a later performance.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 1:09pm

No one is getting screwed.  Disappointed, sure.   How could they just "add a performance"?   Do you really think that the 500 people that purchased tix are all available on the same date and time?  Ridiculous.

Lack of info:  they don't KNOW anything yet.  They are TRYING to make it work, but don't yet know if it can.  The cast hasn't rehearsed all week (supposedly).  They can't tech their show yet.   Stop acting like this is in any way a ploy to ruin your life.

Once they do know how to progress, and if they are going to have to cancel - I assure you, they will get in touch with you (if they can).  You will either offered tix to another performance or a refund.  The second actually gives you more options - to take your time to choose another date or decide not skip it.

Do you think they WANTED this to happen?  They will likely lose thousands of dollars.

[n2ninvisible78]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 1:22pm

Of course nobody wanted this to happen - that would be ridiculous. 

And in terms of being "screwed," if someone purchased a ticket for the first night for the reason of being there for that very special evening that will never be duplicated, they would not be able to have that experience that they paid for when they purchased the ticket - hence "screwed."

First previews, official opening nights, closing performances are all very unique experiences for both actors and audience members, and some also have emotional connections to the material and the people portraying the characters on stage. 

I don't think it's unfair to say that in the event they need to move the preview opening that those people who purchased tickets on the first night have every right to be disappointed. These are also not inexpensive tickets, and not all performances are created equal.

And while they might not know anything yet, many people are traveling (and some from quite a distance), so some form of "We'll make a decision by xyz" would be beneficial so that those individuals can plan. 

I think everyone is thankful that this is no where near as devastating (at least it doesn't seem to be) as the Paris theatre fire that cancelled the Phantom production with Sierra Boggess. And that no one was injured, which would have been even more devastating for everyone involved.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 1:28pm

n2ninvisible78 said: "Of course nobody wanted this to happen - that would be ridiculous.

And in terms of being "screwed," if someone purchased a ticket for the first night for the reason of being there for that very special evening that will never be duplicated, they would not be able to have that experience that they paid for when they purchasedthe ticket - hence "screwed."

First previews, official opening nights, closing performances are all very unique experiences for both actors and audience members, and some also have emotional connections to the material and the people portraying the characters on stage.

I don't think it's unfair to say that in the event they need to move the preview opening that those people who purchased tickets on the first night have every right to be disappointed. These are also not inexpensive tickets, and not all performances are created equal.

And while they might not know anything yet, many people are traveling (and some from quite a distance), so some form of "We'll make a decision by xyz" would be beneficial so that those individuals can plan.
 

Or maybe the "first preview queens" just need to get over themselves and realize that whenever you buy a ticket for the first preview (or final performance) of any show, you stand a good chance of having that date be moved.  Just today THE PROM pushed back their first preview by a few days.  The takeaway from this is --- if you want to avoid being "screwed" or "devastated", buy a ticket a few weeks into performances (and even that isn't a 100% guarantee)!

 

[n2ninvisible78]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 1:36pm

Wow...OK. I was just asking a question and now feel as though maybe I don't need to be on this forum anymore. 

Thank you for your thoughtful responses to my original question.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 2:20pm

In fairness, you more or less set the tone by the way you framed your question:

"For instance, do they add a preview to accommodate the original "first preview" folks or just pick an existing date and say "screw the original first preview ticket holders"?  "

implying malice when none exists. This was a force majure, no one's fault - and also  you seem to display a little bit of entitlement, maybe? Yes, it it is sad for the preview ticket holders, but to put it in perspective: think of all that work that could still go down the drain. Be glad no one was hurt. 

The short answer, as Fosse76 said, is that they refund the tickets. I don't know how else it could be done, and don't know of any cases where it has been handled differently. It's unfortunate for those who miss out, but it's the only practical answer. Rescheduling would be a nightmare. 

[n2ninvisible78]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 2:31pm

That is a fair point, but there really isn't a way to frame it because at the end those folks are still changing travel arrangements and missing out on the experience they planned for. And of course the production wouldn't intentionally screw over ticket holders as that would be incredibly bad PR for them going forward and by all accounts this production seems to have a fantastic staff. 

I think the initial report also drove up a lot of questions since it's so close to the scheduled first preview date and also would have been different had this happened at the beginning of the month. But with the abbreviated time before the show is slated to open, and people already having booked travel, it's causing more stress that there isn't some sort of planned decision date of whether the production will go on as scheduled or not, or officially which dates would be effected if people needed/wanted to rebook now. 

The whole situation is terrible for the production, and thankfully no one was injured and the set assets were not damaged. I can't imagine the stress felt by the cast and creatives as they are probably in just as much of a limbo as those who had tickets to the first weekend. 

It's a difficult situation any way you look at it. Hopefully everything can be resolved quickly and the show can go on without anymore unexpected mishaps. 

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 3:03pm

"But with the abbreviated time before the show is slated to open, and people already having booked travel, it's causing more stress that there isn't some sort of planned decision date of whether the production will go on as scheduled or not, or officially which dates would be effected if people needed/wanted to rebook now. "

I will put this as kindly as I can: you don't understand how this all works. Dramamama has tried to explain this to you. The company does not know how they are going to move forward, or even if they can. It is not possible for the production to know if it can move forward, and if it does, what dates might be affected. You are asking for the impossible. 

The production's first concern is to the show and its backers. Next, its cast, crew and creatives. A distant last is the audience - and even they will be compenstated, if not in the way you would prefer.

Updated On: 6/14/18 at 03:03 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 3:06pm

And did anyone (I know I didn't) tell you you cant be disappointed?   We addressed your concerns, you just don't like the answer....or the fact we aren't picking up pitchforks.

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 3:29pm

Whenever I'd had friends in shows, they would always tell me to wait before attending, so the show had time to find its feet. The notion that a first preview is a magical event is just some FOMO invention for people to show they go to things before everyone else.

Even people here who make a habit of it, like WhizzerMarvin, typically mention their plans to see the show later in its run to see what has changed.

[irishgator1]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 3:44pm

I also have tickets for the first preview, not because I particularly enjoy going to first previews, but because I'm going with 2 other people and this was one of the only dates that our disparate schedules could agree on, and more importantly, my kids will be at their grandparents that week and I didn't have to feel guilty leaving them with my husband.

Anyway, yes, I will be sorely disappointed, but what can we do? It is what it is.  My friend will most likely be unable to return due to her husband's work schedule and my plane ticket change fees are the same prices as my ticket, so I'll probably still fly to Boston anyway.

My question is: I assume there are times when there are not enough available tickets for remaining shows to accommodate the affected patrons? In that case, I assume the obvious and only course of action is to get a full refund, right? (Thanks, DramaMama for mentioning to make sure to get fees refunded).  I haven't looked at the extended performances for availability and am holding out hope that the delay in communication means there's still a possibility the show can go on?? Obviously safety first, and the one thing I'd hate more than a girder falling on the cast is for it to fall on my head instead!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/14/18 at 3:57pm

it definitely doesn't sound like a cancellation of the entire run -- and there are tickets available for most performances....but of course, that doesn't mean similar tickets on the day you can go.   Hopefully, they won't have to cancel anything.  Additionally, they had just added two weeks on to the end of the run.