Ticket buying practices

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 6:56pm

As one of the older members of this group (maybe the oldest) I am observing various trends in theater-going. I started going to the theater in the 60's and my first show was SHE LOVES ME with Barbara Cook.

In those days I combed the entertainment pages of the NY Times for ads and reviews of shows and made my decision. I sent a money order to the box office with a SASE and awaited the tickest(s) that would arrive by return mail. I was happy  to get whatever seats they sent me. I also wore a tie and jacket to the theater.

Now I find people posting questions about "What show should I see?" and "Are these good seats?" It makes me wonder if today's theater-goers have difficulty making up their minds or are just too lazy to do the research involved in picking a show.

As far as seating is concerned I've heard some people say that they wouldn't see a show if they were seated more that 10 rows back from the stage.I'm always happy to sit anywhere with very few exceptions.

I'm not here to criticize; rather I'm observing a real change in this aspect of theater-going and I'm interested in learning your views or impressions on the subject.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:04pm

In terms of seating - Broadway has become so expensive, I want to make sure I’m buying a seat I’ll be able to see the action from. They used to sell partial view at a steep discount, making it worth it. Now, some shows sell partial view for over $100 claiming it’s a deal. 

[perfectpenguin]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:05pm

I’ve been to 20? 22? of the Broadway theatres so for those I know where to sit. The theatres I’ve never been to I do my research. I find a seat I like and within budget. If I arrive and my seat ends up being awful- oh well. Now I know for next time to not sit there (lookin at you box seats at Walter Kerr). 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:16pm

Yesterday I was seated in the mezz for LIFE OF PI and although the view was perfect, the seat itself was very uncomfortable.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:44pm

Well, asking questions "What show should I see?" and "Are these good seats?" is a research. There are of course sites like Seatplan and View From My Seat where you can find more or less accurate pictures of what to expect when you book a certain seat, but why not ask someone who had a experience and is willing to describe their experience in details? Tickets have become expensive and if I really want to see a show, at least I need to make sure I'm booking the best possible seat I can afford. As far as deciding which show to see, I trust sites like show score and social media more than I trust theater critics. 

[bear88]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 7:49pm

I'm at least a generation younger than you are and not from New York City. (Our She Loves Me connection is that I saw the musical on my honeymoon in London, totally cold, in 1994. It's a good musical to see on one's honeymoon.)

I'm not from the New York City area and so I come from the perspective of a tourist. On my first trip, in 1991, we just showed up and got tickets at the TKTS booth (Six Degrees of Separation - based on a New Yorker review, as I recall - and Phantom). My wife prefers more improvisation and I have had to prod her to buy tickets in advance for some shows in recent years. (She wasn't unhappy last month when we decided to change plans to buy tickets to a couple of shows - Shucked and Leopoldstadt - after we arrived.)

Everyone has more information at their fingertips to find out more about Broadway shows and seating options. This doesn't, of course, necessarily help people make decisions even if they've done a lot of research. I posted a thread about my then-upcoming trip and mentioned possible show candidates. I wasn't really asking for show advice but I didn't ignore people's recommendations either.

I think a lot of the "What are the best seats?" questions come from tourists, but not exclusively so. Broadway shows are expensive, and in my case involve a cross-country trip and hotel stay. I don't want to choose a show and then end up in bad seats for that show. I can think of at least three shows in which people on this board complained that their orchestra seats were actually worse than those in the mezzanine (Parade, Life of Pi, A Doll's House (depending on the side of the theater you were on). This is sort of thing that make anyone a little paranoid. I was specifically warned off of expensive seats we had bought to the Sweeney Todd revival in the first row of rear mezzanine and switched to side orchestra and was grateful for the advice.

My daughter is going to New York City with her boyfriend in June on the weekend of the Tonys. She is trying to decide shows to see, keeping in mind that she's not going alone this year. I have asked a few questions on this board for her benefit. She is keenly aware of the cost of the trip and wants to make the most of it without spending too much. 

I'm definitely more picky than I was 32 years ago. I am also more concerned about choosing the right shows on a long, expensive trip than I am about local productions, when I can usually avoid paying big bucks by getting tickets on TodayTix or in previews. I'm seeing a play tomorrow night in San Francisco and paying $25 a ticket and don't know where our seats will be. That's probably how you were at the outset of your theatergoing days, although I'm not wearing a tie.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:08pm

bear88 said: "I'm at least a generation younger than you are and not from New York City. (OurShe Loves Meconnection is that I saw the musical on my honeymoon in London, totally cold, in 1994. It's a good musical to see on one's honeymoon.)

I'm not from the New York City area and so I come from the perspective of a tourist. On my first trip, in 1991, we just showed up and got tickets at the TKTS booth (Six Degrees of Separation - based on a New Yorker review, as I recall - andPhantom).My wife prefers more improvisation and I have had to prod her to buy tickets in advance for some shows in recent years. (She wasn't unhappy last month when we decided to change plans to buy tickets to a couple of shows - Shuckedand Leopoldstadt- after we arrived.)

Everyone has more information at their fingertips to find out more about Broadway shows and seating options. This doesn't, of course, necessarily help people make decisions even if they've done a lot of research. I posted a thread about my then-upcoming trip and mentioned possible show candidates. I wasn't really asking for show advice but I didn't ignore people's recommendations either.

I think a lot of the "What are the best seats?" questions come from tourists, but not exclusively so. Broadway shows are expensive, and in my case involve a cross-country trip and hotel stay. I don't want to choose a show and then end up in bad seats for that show. I can think of at least three shows in which people on this board complained that their orchestra seats were actually worse than those in the mezzanine (Parade, Life of Pi, A Doll's House(depending on the side of the theater you were on). This is sort of thing that make anyone a little paranoid. I was specifically warned off of expensive seats we had bought to theSweeney Toddrevival in the first row of rear mezzanine and switched to side orchestra and was grateful for the advice.

My daughter is going to New York City with her boyfriend in June on the weekend of the Tonys. She is trying to decide shows to see, keeping in mind that she's not going alone this year. I have asked a few questions on this board for her benefit. She is keenly aware of the cost of the trip and wants to make the most of it without spending too much.

I'm definitely more picky than I was 32 years ago. I am also more concerned about choosing the right shows on a long, expensive trip than I am about local productions, when I can usually avoid paying big bucks by getting tickets on TodayTix or in previews. I'm seeing a play tomorrow night in San Francisco and paying $25 a ticket and don't know where our seats will be. That's probably how you were at the outset of your theatergoing days, although I'm not wearing a tie."

Nowadays I buy most of my tickers through TDF and I don't know where I'm sitting until I pick up my tickets at the box office. Most of the time I'm satisfied but there was that embarrassing instance when I was seated front row center for TAKE ME OUT. I'd seen the play several times previously and knew what to expect but sitting within inches of that male nudity was...uncomfortable. When the cast took their bows they got a well-deserved standing ovation but I found myself about 6 inches away from Bill Heck's crotch....more discomfort.

Updated On: 4/10/23 at 09:08 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 11:24pm

I think people who ask where to sit are those willing to buy full price tickets in advance. That’s a lot of money and they want to make sure they’re getting the best seat within their budget.

For me, I’m ok with rush/lottery/TKTS/tdf discounted tix and I know part of the tradeoff of a cheaper ticket is not knowing the seat location.

[forfivemoreminutes]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 11:30pm

I often ask questions about seating because I’m five feet tall and different theatres have steeper or less steep raked in different parts of the theatre, and some theatres have railings in the front mezzanine that may (or may not) be obstructive. I always check seatplan and a view from my seat, but it’s not always clear from pictures how high the railing is given that most people are a lot taller than me - several times I’ve seen people note on seatplan that the mezzanine railing is low, only to get there myself and find that I can’t see! Similarly, some productions have a very high stage, so I’m always trying to balance being as close as possible (to avoid the possibility of tall people in front) and not having to deal with obstructive railings or high stages. Getting the perspective of people who have actually seen the show recently is very helpful for that! Especially for a production that’s still in previews, seatplan or a view from my seat may not yet have up to date information about stage height (for example, I sat in the fourth row centre at Death of a Salesman and thought the view was great - I bought tickets for A Doll’s House early in previews and I would have bought the same seat in row D had people on this board not warned me about how much higher the stage was).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 12:51am

I'm enjoying these responses immensely

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 7:52am

Basically: EVERYTHING changes.  You were happy to find out what seats you had - because that was all we knew back then.  You looked through newspapers, because you had no other options.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 8:32am

Dollypop said: "As one of the older members of this group (maybe the oldest) I am observing various trends in theater-going. I started going to the theater in the 60's and my first show was SHE LOVES ME with Barbara Cook.

In those days I combed the entertainment pages of the NY Times for ads and reviews of shows and made my decision. I sent a money order to the box office with a SASE and awaited the tickest(s) that would arrive by return mail. I was happy to get whatever seats they sent me. I also wore a tie and jacket to the theater.
 

That's so interesting!!! I didn't know that's how they would do it with the SASE and everything


Now I find people posting questions about "What show should I see?" and "Are these good seats?" It makes me wonder if today's theater-goers have difficulty making up their minds or are just too lazy to do the research involved in picking a show.

As far as seating is concerned I've heard some people say that they wouldn't see a show if they were seated more that 10 rows back from the stage.I'm always happy to sit anywhere with very few exceptions.

I'm not here to criticize; rather I'm observing a real change in this aspect of theater-going and I'm interested in learning your views or impressions on the subject."

 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 8:56am

I know back in the early 90s when my family visited NYC they purchased Broadway tickets by physically going to the box office or TKTS or going through hotel concierge.

If a show is a huge hit and is selling out back then, it's probably best to order in advance through SASE and money order/check.

Though I don't see this nowadays but even in the 2000s I recall seeing scalpers physically selling tickets outside the theater. I'm guessing reselling is mostly done through stubhub/ticketmaster/seatgeek nowadays.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 11:18am

Early on most of my research was done by reading and clipping ads that interested me from the Soho Weekly News and Village Voice.  I’d keep the clippings in my date book and then solidify plans by just going to the off Broadway theater same day or purchasing tickets ahead at the Broadway box office.  

I spent a lot of time with that date book because I used TDF quite often and in those days you had to mail your request in with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. Many days were blocked waiting to hear back. 

I would also use Hit Show Club slips sometimes referred to as two-fers at the box office but rarely by mail.  Remember these?


 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 12:00pm

dramamama611 said: "Basically: EVERYTHING changes. You were happy to find out what seats you had - because that was all we knew back then. You looked through newspapers, because you had no other options."

I did have other options. The local television stations had theater critics (Stuart Klein comes to mind) and radio stations WABC-FM had a daily program of show music hosted br Allen Jeffries that not only played cast albums but shared lots of theatre gossip.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 12:00pm

Dollypop said: "I'm enjoying these responses immensely

"

It's a great thread idea.

 

A big thing that has led to the "what is the right show for me?" questions is the lack of quality documentation out there of what shows are playing.  Back in the day, you could find reviews of shows in any of the local NYC papers, or for those of us who lived 200 miles to the Northeast, you could subscribe to NY Magazine, where you knew they'd review all the Broadway shows and a bunch of the Off Broadway ones, and they had that little section EVERY issue with a one paragraph synopsis that at least would remind you which show was which.


Once NY Mag got rid of that feature, and I still haven't found an online equivalent (not a fan of Show-Score, but I use it when I have no alternative), word of mouth through messageboards became much more useful to me for inquiries like this.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 12:12pm

Wee Thomas2 said: "Dollypop said: "I'm enjoying these responses immensely

"

It's a great thread idea.



A big thing that has led to the "what is the right show for me?" questions is the lack of quality documentation out there of what shows are playing. Back in the day, you could find reviews of shows in any of the local NYC papers, or for those of us who lived 200 miles to the Northeast, you could subscribe to NY Magazine, where you knew they'd review all the Broadway shows and a bunch of the Off Broadway ones, and they had that little section EVERY issue with a one paragraph synopsis that at least would remind you which show was which.


Once NY Mag got rid of that feature, and I still haven't found an online equivalent (not a fan of Show-Score, but I use it when I have no alternative), word of mouth through messageboards became much more useful to me for inquiries like this."

I used to subscribe to NY Magazine but canceled my subscription when the grandkids came into the scene. The magazine had a cover story about Elliot Spitzer with a full body photo of him and an arrow pointing to his crotch indicating that's where his brains were. As the children loved to browse through magazines, I felt that wasn't something I wanted them exposed to at that time.

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 3:02pm

Back then was it really common to just watch the 2nd act for free?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/11/23 at 4:33pm

Wick3 said: "Back then was it really common to just watch the 2nd act for free?"

Yes. And when Pearl Bailey was in DOLLY! my sister and I might see another show but knew that Pearl and Cab Calloway did a "Third Act"  so we'd see a show and then rush over to the St James Theater, climb the fire escape to the balcony, where the emergency exit was never locked and watch the two of them entertain the audience for another half hour.

I did my share of traditional "second acting" as well. The last one I recall was the Dorothy Louden/George Hearn SWEENEY TODD.

 

 

 

[bear88]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 5:19am

This thread is fascinating to me, because I never knew all the ways people got tickets many years ago. I never knew TDF once was a mail-in service, with first, second and third choices. I never knew about the "Third Act" of Hello, Dolly! and the creative way to get in.

Our idea of nostalgia was the fun of racing to the TKTS booth if we arrive in time and catching a show with a minute to spare, or just deciding when we arrive even if we have more time. That can still happen, as it did on my trip last month.

My wife doesn't really enjoy the increasingly pre-planned nature of New York City trips, and she has a point. But there are some shows that, for out-of-towners, require it or punish you financially if you can't plan. I'd love to see the Merrily We Roll Along revival this fall, but I don't know if a trip to the city is possible for us - so I have watched the ticket prices soar. The Sweeney Todd revival was the same thing, though I was able to act in that case.

One thing about the inevitable changes in ticket buying is that, for everything lost, something else is gained. People on this message board have been enormously helpful to me when trying to choose seats or strategize the best way to see a sold-out show. In 2017, when I was hoping to get tickets to Dear Evan Hansen without paying absurd prices, someone posted a suggestion to check Telecharge on particular days of the week and time. And it worked. I got a lot of help when trying to figure out Sweeney Todd seats. I have seen, many times, people mention that a bunch of good seats just became available to a popular show.

And gibsons2 is absolutely right about how terrific it is to get accounts from people who have seen the show you're considering. This board is a tremendous resource because, while Seat Plan and A View From My Seat exist, getting first-person accounts of what the seating is like at a particular show you're thinking of spending a fair amount of money to see is a great value. And if you're not planning on spending big bucks, it's very helpful too because people here are constantly looking for bargains and posting the information they find.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/15/23 at 10:09am

I almost forgot about Macy's and their in-store box offices:

In the mid-60's Macy's had had box offices in all their branches where you could buy Broadway tickets while you shopped. This was pre-computer days and the clerk did the transaction by phone and issued the customer a voucher that they brought to the theater. The good thing was you could charge your tickets to your Macy's account.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 4/15/23 at 2:51pm

Personally,  since I work in the theatre district I tend to go to the box office since that is very easy to do. I don’t really have a preference as to where I sit. And, due to that, depending on the show, I sometimes am able to get a better price for it. When it comes to live theater, my mindset is simply that I’m just happy to be there and thank god that I am not ushering there.

 

professionally, rush tickets are my pet peeve. Those who buy them regardless of the show, like clockwork come to me stating that they can’t see the full stage etc. I do often reply with that that is where the rush seats are and there’s not much that can be done about it .

I mean, no show has to offer a rush or lotto. Yes it’s become the norm these days but no show is required to do so. I think of it as a gift in that it’s nice that a show Is doing it despite the fact that it’s not a requirement. It seems to mostly be younger people who complain to me about this. They don’t understand that considering what the person three rows behind you paid, a 40 dollar ticket is nothing to scoff at if you take into account what full price is these days .

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/16/23 at 6:54pm

I tend to go backwards. Enter a bunch of lotteries, and then see where the seats are (when you know in advance). Yesterday, we won for Shucked and Good Night Oscar, and Shucked was box office pickup, but as soon as we got the GNO tix, I was on AViewfromMySeat to see if they were good (they were, row B, mezz). But I hardly ever book in advance anymore, it is almost exclusively rush/lotteries, and if I don't win anything, I just stay home.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/16/23 at 7:16pm

As I’ve gotten older and reached a place in my career where I have more flexibility in ticket pricing, I’ve gotten a lot more discerning about where I sit (within reason - premiums are still ridiculous). In my 20s and early 30s it was all about lotteries and rushes and just being in the theater, but the turning point was seeing Violet from the nosebleeds and feeling so disconnected from the show - it felt like I was watching a postage stamp and hearing the music from a distance. After that I decided I’d rather spend the money on a good seat, even if it meant seeing one or two fewer shows that season. And I don’t regret that decision at all - it’s made my theatergoing that much more memorable. 

Now I almost always wait for the mailer and buy the best available seat with the discount code. I don’t think I’ve ever posted here about where to sit, but I do read those threads and check out aviewfrommyseat to determine whether mezzanine or orchestra is better for a particular show. Something like Life of Pi, for example, I’m glad I researched ahead and bought a mezzanine seat. 

As far as what show to see I typically stay on top of the season enough to make my own decisions, but respect tourists who post asking for recommendations - especially if they have limited time in NYC and want to spend their money the best way they can for their taste. I see that as using the resources now thankfully available to us such as these boards - it’s a positive thing imho. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/16/23 at 7:19pm

With full price tickets being quite expensive (common to see last row of rear mezz or rear balcony to cost $89+ nowadays), I also just do rush/lottery/standing room. If I absolutely loved the show from whatever seat I sat in from rush/lottery/sro, then I'm willing to spend money on a full price ticket to see the show again from the seat I want to see it in.