the NEW dirty rotten lottery

[JaredBway]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:18pm

well today I couldn't decide what I wanted to see... wanted to try Wicked but knew getting in would be impossible, so I decided to try Dirty Rotten instead. When I got there, the usual pads of paper that you signed up with were gone, it was just scraps of colored paper, so I thought nothing of it...maybe they just ran out of those pads, but about 5 minutes later the nice man who runs the lottery said "oh I need to inform you all that the lottery is now in the boxes, same price as before $26.25, and it's partial view, it's no longer the front row.... also instead of 21 seats there are only (now I dont remember which one but he either said) 16 or 18" So I got annoyed with that, yes it's cool the producers of the show still do lottery, but I wasn't happy with that, I figured it was someone telling me to go try Wicked, which I did, I left DRS and went to Wicked where I proceeded to lose that lottery...lol...oh well, ended up seeing DOUBT which I loved, with the exception of Heather, I guess she was good, but whats with that accent?!?!

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:26pm

Oh ..Now I know what lotto I'm not doing..along with Hairspray.

[mabel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:27pm

Well that's pretty bogus! They only did 78% last week too, it's not like they're totally sold out and the lotto seats are a serious hindrance. Boxes suck, as a general rule (The Pillowman at the Booth wasn't all that bad, but I'd say that's the exception from my experience). They really shouldn't sell them at all, and while I guess it's somewhat more justified to sell them for $26 (my motto is 1/4 the price to see 1/4 the stage)...I don't know. Doesn't really seem fair, imho.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:28pm

This is cheap producers misinterpreting what the lottery was all about. Jonathan Larsen thought that people shouldn't have to pay out the nose for GOOD seats, so when his show opened RENT's producers decided to offer front row seats for $20. To clean up the overnighters, they switched to a lottery. Shows that don't offer GOOD seats for their lotteries should just do away with them, since the purpose of them isn't being utilized. Isn't this why "Hairspray's" lottery isn't very popular?

[new_philosophy_girl]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:29pm

It seems that more and more lotteries are starting to do this...I've heard of a few switching to this format recently, which sucks for us poor people

Threadjack - girlfortags...I loved your old sig!! BRING IT BACK!

[moljul]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:30pm

How can they get 16-18 seats out of the 2 remaining boxes? There are only 4 boxes to begin with and one front box is used in the production and I believe the other is full of lighting. Are you sure you heard correctly?

[mabel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:31pm

At least w/ Hairspray (unless they've changed it recently, I haven't done it in a long time) you had a decent view. Is it still in the last row? Being pretty much centered in the very last row is still a hell of a lot desirable than being in boxes.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:37pm

Producers suck! They can't have one lousy row for the poor kids?! BASTARDS!!!

[Magdalene]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:39pm

Well, isn't this a bummer....scratch it off the list!

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:42pm

New Philosophy Girl - I'll try and find it again, just for you :)

[new_philosophy_girl]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:43pm

YAAY!!

[mabel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:44pm

Wasn't it a somewhat "less than popular" lotto anyway?...comparatively speaking, what w/ the crazy crowds at Q, Wicked, Spelling B. I'd be willing to bet they do away w/ it altogether, because once the word gets out that the lotto's for obstructed seats, I'd imagine even fewer people will show up (especially after the summer rush of people is gone).

Updated On: 8/17/05 at 04:44 PM

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:47pm

I can understand why people are complaining... but think of it in another light: the majority of the people in the theatre paid over triple what you are paying for the front-row seats. I definitely sympathesize because I did go to the DRS lottery because the seats seem so great, but at least they are not getting rid of it altogether.

"Always look on the bright side of life"
==korenglish

[NJgirl]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:49pm

they changed the lotto policy on their website so its definitely true....this stinks.

as for it being easy to win....i tried twice and lost...and there were at least 80 people there both times. Its definitely popular enough to turn a considerable amount of people away each night.

its not like their grosses were way down to where they had to charge full price for front row..theyve been running considerably over 90% (cept these weeks john is out)....or change balcony prices like ASU...

[greatdct]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:52pm

I've already seen this show twice, so I really don't think I'll ever see it again. But that's still a bummer for people who play the lottery.

[Pinguin]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:53pm

That is SO messed up -who the heck is gonna want to sit in the boxes? I'm so glad I already did the lottery when it was front row.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:56pm

I know it sucks, but think about it - you're paying like a quarter of the regular price.

[sanda]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:57pm

I tried lotto three times and lost all. I hope this policy could discourage some people so I finally can get a chance to see it (even a partial view).

[mabel]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 4:58pm

I totally forgot JL was out last week, so that's probably why the attendance was down. I haven't really been following it, but I popped onto Playbill to see what last week's was for that earlier post.

I've never tried the lotto, but I had heard it was easier to win than most of the others...I don't know. I'd rather have them do a lotto for the last row than the boxes. If I were to go back, I think I'd rather shell out the extra $15 to be in the rear mezz than deal w/ the hassle of a lotto for box seats. While it's nice of them to have any "affordable" option at all, this still seems kind of...something. Annoying, I guess.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:22pm

Yes, I should be grateful that those producers still have some sort of lottery for the poor little people. I'll kiss their asses and thank them next time I see them smoking Cubans at Sardis.

[sanda]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:28pm

Well, I don't think taking a lotto ticket is kind of kissing-ass attitude. Maybe for someone who have seen the show and taken advantage of best seats again and again and still unsatisfied, this is really a bad policy.

I think lotto ticket sucks though. They should do general rush. The person getting in the line earliest should get ticket.
Updated On: 8/17/05 at 05:28 PM

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:28pm

those boxes aren't half-bad in terms of how much you miss. my mom and i were center rear mezz. and moved up to the box that freddie comes thorugh during the first act. (we got there during the second act). i actually really liked the seats, you didn't really miss any of the action, i thought. they're not like partial-view at the met where it really is partial view. it's only a tiny portion of whichever side of the stage you're on. i would definitely pay $26 for those seats.

[MatureDignity]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:30pm

This sucks. I won for the first time last week. I guess that'll be the last time I see it from the orchestra... I want the show to do well, but are 21 seats really going to make that much of a difference at the B.O.?

[broadway betty]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:37pm

Sanda: I've never won the DRS lotto. Lost several times. I'm mad b/c they started with this lotto policy and they've done very well at the B.O. and now are changing their policy to make some extra $$$.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/17/05 at 5:39pm

Yes, but as a producer, isn't that the point? To make money? To keep the show open? I know it sucks, but just think about it. And honestly, it's a smart move on their part, because people WILL pay A LOT for front row seats.