people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Zeitoujo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/3/06
#1people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:14am
don't you hate that? when people pay 2o bucks to stand but then 10 minutes into the performance they find orchestra seats?! that makes me so mad- i feel like they are cheating the theater and it's not fair that they only have to pay 20 dollars for 110+ seats. ughhh does anyone else agree?!
#2re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:18amWell if the seats are open, they might as well sit in them. They obviously couldn't afford to pay $110. It would be kind of dumb not to sit if there are seats available. No harm, no foul.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#2re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:25amNo. If the seats are open, knock yourself out. I'm all for it.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#3re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:27amIs this a big problem? Don't most shows only sell SRO after the whole show is sold out?
#4re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:30am
It is perfectly acceptable to do this, IMO. For a performance of Julius Caesar, I got a SRO ticket because that was all I could afford. While I was standing during all of Act 1, I noticed a seat in the second row orchestra that hadn't been taken, so after Act 1 was over, I sat there. The person obviously didn't show up, so I sat there. (the show was not very good, by the way, and many left at intermission)
Updated On: 1/8/07 at 11:30 AM
#5re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:31amhappens at the met all the time.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#6re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:31am
Is this a big problem? Don't most shows only sell SRO after the whole show is sold out?
Yes, but there are always people who don't show up.
#7re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:34amHow is the theater being cheated, exactly?
#8re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:42amBecause it's losing money from that rush of people who come in to pay full price for leftover orchestra seats at intermission.
#9re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:46amThis is how I saw most theater in the 80s.
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#10re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 11:47am
I think the real problem we should be concerned about is people posting multiple pointless threads.
If the SRO doesn't go on sale till the show is sold out, that seat WAS paid for. So if a butt is in it or not, they made their money.
#11re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:07pm
left over seats being sold at intermission? what? this is a new one. why would anyone pay for half a show? why would a production sell tickets for half a show?
personally i've paid for standing tickets and sat down in seats and didn't feel one bit of guilt or that i was cheating anyone.
have you looked at the back of a ticket? all tickets are non refundable. even if that person doesn't show up the seat is still paid for the theatre makes it's money and you get to rest you'r legs for a little bit.
what is being done about people sneaking in at intermission?
Vespertine1228
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/30/05
#12re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:12pm
It would be illegal for the theatre to resell an orchestra seat if someone already bought it and didn't show up. They can't make money off the same thing twice. Since most SRO occurs only at a sell out, I really don't see the problem, unless the people with those seats do show up during intermission. Then the SROs should give them up.
Also, the SRO people should wait until intermission if the free seats are in the middle of the row so as not to disturb people.
#13re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:19pmI stood at Beauty and the Beast back in 1995 and the usher informed me of an empty seat in the 2nd row and she sat me there herself!!
#14re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:21pmYes, Dottie, that used to happen to me a lot as well. As long as you're not disruptive in getting to the seat, and it's empty, the theater staff has no problem with the seat being used.
#15re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:26pm
I don't see this as a problem at ALL, provided that the SRO person waits a significant amount of time to see if the ticket-holders show up and doesn't disturb the surrounding people (i.e. takes the seat at intermission). They're not "cheating"... they weren't guaranteed a seat and were buying their ticket knowing full well that they were likely going to be standing the whole show. If there are unclaimed seats, why not let them sit there? It's good luck, but it doesn't seem unfair.
There are ushers who will move people who bought student rush or cheaper back-of-house tickets up into unclaimed seats if the show doesn't sell well. Do you think that's wrong, too? They didn't pay the price to sit in the better seats.
#16re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:35pmOn a related note: This one time, I was flying from Copenhagen to New York, and because the flight was oversold and coach, I got bumped to first class. However, I absolutely demanded from the flight attendants that they put a wedge in the seat in front of me to lessen my leg room, that I pay for all of my alcohol beverages and that I be served the coach meal, because it wouldn't be fair otherwise.
myManCape
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/26/05
#17re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:36pmI saw Hairspray SRO and at intermission the ushers upgraded almost everyone in the last row to better orchestra seats that were empty then invited the SRO's to sit in the last row. The theatre has already made its money twice (once for the unused seat and once for you SRO) so they could care less if the seats empty or if you sit in it.
#18re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:52pm
No i dont like it. For one reason. Who's to say WHO gets those seats. If they did a general lottery of EVERYONE in the theatre who would want different seats. Then its fine. But to single out SROs no i dont think its fine. Why should they get it as opposed to someone in the last row of Orch who paid but those seats werent avaialable at the time.
... course that all being said i think it looks better to have those rows filled.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#19re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:54pm
I once had an acting teacher that told me, as an actor you MUST see theater. As much as you could, no matter how you had to do it. Sneak in, usher, pilage, knock over small children....SRO moving is not that big a deal. Not everyone has the cash.
SO, yeah....no it doesn't bother me.
blueroses
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/18/04
#20re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 1:30pm
"How is the theater being cheated, exactly?"
I agree. This is just about someone who paid full price for an orchestra seat being pissed about someone who paid $20.00 getting a better one.
#21re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 2:34pm
This whole thread is a joke, right? I mean, this isnt serious, is it?
Good grief.
Zeitoujo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/3/06
#22re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:25pmseanmartin why do u need to make dumb and asshole comments? if you dont want to read it dont click it!
#23re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 4:04pmPLEASE STOP STARTING MEANINGLESS THREADS
millie_dillmount
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#24re: people paying for SRO but then sit in orch seats.
Posted: 1/8/07 at 4:27pm
At Spamalot, I got SRO but during intermission moved to the front row on the right orchestra. Before the show began, the usher was telling someone that they couldn't move. It seems like it depends on the show and the usher you get as to whether it'd be okay with them whether or not you can move.
I personally don't see it as a problem. If the seat was bought, and the person doesn't show up, doesn't the theater gain the money of the seat plus the SRO ticket? I mean, if I had SRO, I'd wait till intermission to move to the empty seat.
The theater isn't really losing money. They only sell SRO when the show is sold out or if they have very few seats left.
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