RentBoy86 - I tried the lotto tonight and considering only older people won and that almost every single person there was over 50, I'm guessing the Wed. matinee will be just the same as all the other shows.
hey *bump* i'm going in this weekend and I was wondering how the lottery has been for this? I know it's probably always packed, but i'm curious to know how many people/any strategies? I know i've heard that iTH lottery they said to be one of the last ones to be there..yeah I don't know haha. thanks guys!
Featured Actor Joined: 10/2/08
I usually have luck with Tues. evening shows, for they start an hour earlier; however, that didn't seem to matter at the "West Side Story" lottery. There were a ton of people there for 18 seats...I lost. :-P
Swing Joined: 7/20/06
Go see this show even if you have to pay full price! It was great and I'm seeing it again next month (front orchestra seat again). I personally think the closer you sit the better, provided no one's head is blocking your view (I get that WAY too often). I also want to mention that I don't think Matt Cavenaugh is miscast as Tony. Also, the singing and dancing are superior in this show IMO. Just mesmerizing...
well since it's sold out I can't get full price anyways haha, but we'll see. West Side Story is one of my favorite shows of all time so I'm making sure I see it no matter what.
Can we talk about how I've lost 4 times....wah waaaah
I've seen it three times so far and I'm going back on May 5th and June 9th. LOVE this show, and yes, it is worth paying full price for.
I wanted to see the show this weekend, but of course it's sold out.
So, I'm trying the lottery. I know I won't win though...
Does WSS have a SRO policy?
Swing Joined: 7/3/09
So has anyone tried this lottery recently? I am going to be in NYC next week and I want to see West Side Story. Am I better off buying tickets or trying my luck at the lottery?
Swing Joined: 7/6/09
I haven't tried the lottery, but I would just buy a ticket if I were you (and contrary to what some people say, I would sit in the orchestra as close as possible if you can afford it). I saw it twice and loved it.
I tried it in May and I was with 13 people and we all lost and it wasn't even crowded. Rigged lotto.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/05
Reminds me of A Chorus Line.
Either way, they should just make it a standard student rush.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/3/09
Why don't they just do student rush like N2n, SA & LB did?
WSS lottery is not rigged. I entered 3 times, and won on the 3rd.
Lottery is better than student rush because it gives more people a chance. At student rush, the same people can line up early whenever they want and be guaranteed rush tickets and see the show multiple times for cheap. At lottery, its all up for grabs. And besides, there are plenty of people who are not students who can only afford lottery prices anyway, so its good that they also have the opportunity to get cheap tickets.
For a wildly successful show like this, a rush would be a terrible idea. The line would get insane, and it just wouldn't work. Look what happens with N2N's rush, and a WSS rush would certainly attract even more people lining up.
The lotto is great.
I personally like lottos better because I don't have to wait on line for hours but a rush would be good for this.
A rush is an absolutely awful idea for this show, it would be like starting a rush for WICKED.
Plus there's really not much waiting space outside of the Palace.
I agree, I think a lotto is by far better for a show like WSS. The show sells out almost every night. I can only imagine how long the lines would be outside The Palace. Being located on Broadway, there is no space for a line because its such a busy street.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/3/09
Yeah but think about it this way
With a lotto you are never certain to get tix.
If they have a rush as long as you are in line early you pretty much are gonna get a ticket.
I think what they could do to stop ppl from rushing so much is do like Jersey Boys did and say you can only rush once every 30 days.
I think rush is a better idea b/c like I said if u get their early you're gonna get a ticket and it doesn't have to be just for students it can be a general rush like N2n so everyone who wants tix can get em if they get their early.
I hate how ridiculous the next to normal rush has gotten. Absolutely, completely, ridiculous that you have to line up at or before 6 AM to get a ticket. They need to switch to a lotto like WSS.
Yes, with a lotto you aren't guaranteed anything, but at least you don't throw your morning away sitting around. If you lose, you find another show to see. End of story.
Incidentally, when Legally Blonde and Aida played the Palace, both had rush, and the line snaked towards the Times Square Visitor Center. I don't recall it being a huge hindrance to foot traffic. Regardless, I don't want any kind of rush. Stick to lotto.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/3/09
Yes but then the thing with lotto is that most of them draw at the same time 6PM for the 8PM show with Only 2 exceptions that i can think of Rock of Ages & 9 to 5 which draw at 6:30 for the 8PM show.
If WSS had rush and you didn't get rush b/c u didn't get their early enough you would still have time at night to try a lotto. With most of the lotto's drawing at the same time it is harder to get really cheap tickets if u lose a lotto b/c then u only have 2 choices left and TKTS (which isn't rly that cheap)
So I think WSS should have a rush so that way ppl who really want to see it can see it but like I said they should implement the 30 day policy so the same ppl can't keep rushing over and over again.
The N2N isn't really that crazy depending on what day you go. I went this past Friday, got in line at 7:00, and was 7th in line.
I totally agree with tking001. There are some instances where loosing a lotto is okay because there are other options, but that is rarely the case if you can't pay for TKTS tickets. I love rush because, even though you're "wasting your morning" at least you know you're seeing a show. As someone who has to pay to take the bus in from Jersey, it's unnerving knowing you may just have to turn around and go home. I'm sure people will say 'just buy a ticket in the back so you know you're going', but I love sitting close (as most rushes let you).
West Side Story raffles off a total of 18 seats, which means most times, 9 names are drawn. If they switched to a rush, can you imagine how early you would have to line up to be one of the 9 people?
Videos