better tickets at the box office?
better tickets at the box office?
#1better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 4:48pmwould I get better seats if i purchased tickets at the box office rather than online..and spring awakening accepts the printed out email discounts?
george95
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
#2re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 4:53pm
Not necessarily. There have been a few times where I would check the availability of tickets on telecharge.com, and if I saw that good seats were available, I would hop on the subway and buy them at the theater to save on the convenience fees. Pretty much every time, the box office would try to give me worse seats than telecharge.com offered. So I would say "how come telecharge said that there were seats available much closer to the stage?" And then the box office guy would look again and he'd be like "oh yeah there are better seats".
The weird thing about buying tix at the box office is when I use the School Theater ticket flyers or the playbill.com printouts---I usually try and ask for tickets and then I show them the discount AFTER they offer me the full-price seats. The only time it got weird was once at the Nederlander Theater, the box office guy was like "why did you wait to show me that? You think I was gonna cheat ya?? Is that what you thought? You think i'm not gonna give you good seats cuz you got that piece of paper? huh?" It was weird.
#2re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 4:56pmand what are the box office hours at the eugene o neil?...i plan on purchasing the tickets this sunday
#3re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:08pmi've definitely gotten better seats right at the box office. often times you can get partial view (or box) seats, which are usually fine, and much cheaper - but they don't always sell them on telecharge or ticketmaster.
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#4re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:14pm
In cases where telecharge handles the show, it's been about equal ~ sometimes better just because maybe there was a cancellation or release of seats between my checking online and my getting to thee box office. But with ticketmaster shows, I agree that there are times the box office either tries to give you worse seats or say they're not available. (and no, they didn't disappear while I was on the train...I got home and they were still there. I just didn't want to get into it with red-haired woman at the Lunt box office.)
I have found that sometimes with the discount codes ~ even giving them the email print out as soon as I get to the window ~ that they'll give me better seats than I was finding online. The box office at the Music Box did that several times during The Vertical Hour ~ the code online would give me far side seats, but at the box office they'd give me center.
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#5re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:29pmI walked up to the box office for the Sweeney Todd revival after not being able to find them on discount and looking for a regular priced seat online and got a great mezz. seat for that afternoons performance. I went to the box office around 10:00am.
Just give the world Love.
#6re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:30pm
I always struggle with whether or not to buy tickets online, or get them at the box office to try and save a little money.
My first question at the box office is always, "Do you have any discounted seats?". I got a great front row seat at CURTAINS that way.
This year, I'm gonna TRY and hold out and get tickets once I'm in town.
The Overture is part of the show, people. Please shut your pie hole.
#7re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:33pmI'd much rather buy tickets at the box office, I've lucked out with finding better seats there compared to the ones on telecharge/ticketmaster, plus you don't have to pay the extra charges. I also like the fact that you can ask to see if specific seats are available such as in the front row if you desire.
http://two-sails.blogspot.com/
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#8re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:40pmI definitely prefer the box office to save on the stupid fees. And I've found that with the exception of the red-haired woman at the Lunt, a little kindness and courtesy goes a long way. :)
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
DaneSaw
Stand-by Joined: 5/31/07
#9re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:42pm
I try to avoid the hastle of the box office, as every encounter I've had with a box office employee has been a negative one. I just find a lot of them incredibly rude and presumptuous.
My favorite is when I'm seeing a show that I KNOW hasn't been selling out but the person at the box office tries to tell me that the only seats they have available are either 1) in the last few rows of the theatre or 2) cost more than 100 dollars. Idiots.
However, Ticketmaster and Telecharge are a gamble. Sometimes I'll look for tickets for a show months in advance and all I get are listings for the mezzanine or orchestra row R or some crap, but sometimes I'll look for tickets a week in advance and get front orchestra. I looked for Spring Awakening tickets on a whim the week before I went to see the show during the summer and got two 2nd row seats out of nowhere.
Really it's up to you.
Updated On: 1/10/08 at 05:42 PM
#10re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:44pmWhen I was in NYC last month I bought tickets at the Box Office for Spring Awakening on a Wednesday afternoon for the Saturday night show, (so just 3 days in advance) and was in the 3rd row! They were great seats! I would try the Box Office route. Enjoy the show!
"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."
WestVillage
Broadway Star Joined: 7/20/05
#11re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:46pmI prefer to go to the box office as well, and have found box office personnel to be patient and willing to work with me to find the best seats. I am very flexible w/dates because I live here, so scrolling thru dates to find great seats can be time consuming, but I'm a seat snob and would rather wait til good seats are available. I've never encountered a problem w/ Box office personnel checking numerous dates. I've also had great luck in getting wonderful seats the day before or the day of performance, at the box office.
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#12re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:49pm
Generally, the box office is the best bet for great tickets on the day of the performance. Any cancellations that happen appear there first, so its just a matter of luck. This has always been the winning bet for me, especially for sold-out shows or super-difficult-to-get-great-seats shows, like THE BOY FROM OZ, WICKED, THE PAJAMA GAME (with Harry Connick, Jr.) and even THE BLUE ROOM (with Nicole Kidman).
I was able to score 2 great seats in the first 5 rows orchestra center (for the shows mentioned above) by doing this.
#13re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 5:51pmNew York has probably the rudest and uninterested box office staff in the world! -and ive traveled! BUT despite this i will always go to a box office before online.
A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!''
Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#14re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 6:01pmThe problem with the box office is that you have to deal with the "person" in the cage. Box office staff have only slightly better customer service skills than Broadway ushers. If you ask one too many questions while spending $300+ for tickets, they get cranky. If you should happen to interrupt their conversation on "Is Betty Buckley's career over?" you are guaranteed seats in the last row.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#15re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 6:03pmlol
A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!''
Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
#16re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 6:06pm
My experiences with box office people in NYC has always been very, very good. Case in point.....
I was in NYC during Christmas and caught the last performance of "The Drowsy Chaperone." First I tried the lotto.....over 100 people showed up. Didn't get picked for that, so I went into the TKTS line. By, the time I got to the window, it was 10 minutes to 7pm....curtain. All they had was back 2 rows of the Mezz. I went to the box office, by now it's 6:55pm, and asked if they had any discount tickets........Playbill, Broadwaybox, Theatremania, etc. The box office guy said that there weren't any discount tickets this week.
Since it was the last performance, I asked him if there were any comps that were still left over.....no shows. He smiled, gave me 1 comp ticket.......4th row Orchestra. I ended up sitting next to the guy who did the lotto, when the 100 people showed up.
Another interesting box office story, one time when I was in NYC picking up tickets, there was a guy in front of me giving the box office gal attitude like you wouldn't believe. He just couldn't get it through his head that the discount didn't apply on Saturday nights. Then the next day, here on his board, he had the nerve to post that the girl was rude to him? WHAT THE F???????
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#17re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 6:12pmRumor has it that, in Sweeney Todd when Mrs. Lovett says "Look, a customer", Sondheim took that image from a box office attendant at "Follies".
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
jigblob
Stand-by Joined: 11/30/07
#18re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 7:17pm
When I am able to make a trip to new york, I go all out and try and get orchestra seats for the shows I see. It depends on the day you go, as well as the popularity of the show, but I've been lucky a lot of times. Examples:
-went to phantom at like noon and got 3 12th row center orchestra tix for the matinee
-when we tried to get tickets for an evening performance of jersey boys early last january, they said it was sold out till april, but we waited at the theatre and somehow tickets got released and we got a 3rd row center and 2 a few rows back toward the right.
-got legally blonde 5th row center tickets (3) about an hour before the show at the 1/5 saturday matinee
-spring awakening got 6th row center (2) at 5:30 pm for the 8:00 show on 1/5 saturday.
#19re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 10:52pm
The topic of proper etiquette when purchasing discount tickets at the box office has been addressed recently in other threads.
Withholding discount flyers until late in the transaction in antagonistic to the box office, as it unduly delays the prompt completion of the transaction. For the most part, you not fooling anyone. You merely delay yourself, along with anyone else that may be waiting behind you. Clearly, a stupid move. Also, the locations quoted may be ineligible for the discount you hope to receive. Pointing out the fine print to bozos that don't even bother to read anything on their offer is one of the many highlights of my day.
george95
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
#20re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 11:04pm
Hey Senorvoce,
I'm one of the BOZOS youre referring to. But nothing in the find print of ANY of the offers I use says "you must show this to the guy at the box office before placing your order"
I kind of enjoy the box office guy getting on his Huffy bike when I pull out the discount late in the transaction. Its a delicate ballet we are dancing, and yes I do think i'm fooling EVERYONE with my evil and fiendish plan.
#21re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 11:10pmI think the box office is kind of a gamble - it totally depends on who is working when you go. I recently went to Wicked, not having any tickets in advance (knowing that they're sold out) but also knowing that Ticketmaster currently had tickets available to the next evening's show, which is what I wanted to go to. I figured I'd get them at the box office to save on fees only to have the guy working there insist that there were no tickets available. I called Ticketmaster immediately after that conversation and got my 3 tickets without a problem.
I wish I could go back to college. Life was so simple back then. - Kate Monster.
"Who here feels like they have no idea what they're doing?" - George, Grey's Anatomy
"Who here feels like they have no idea what they're doing?" - George, Grey's Anatomy
george95
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
#22re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 11:18pm
A lot of people are talking about how the box office had great front-center seats available just a couple hours before the show. Those seats would be available on telecharge/ticketmaster.com too if you looked a couple hours before the show. Ever since "The Producers", all of Broadway is now doing the Premium seating, so they hope that when people walk up to the theater (or go online) asking for the BEST seats, the production can always offer front and center for 150 or 200 bucks.
But sometimes, if it looks like nobody's gonna take the bait on the premium seats, they'll releaes them at the $111.00 level. Therefore, if you check telecharge the night before, they might say that only Row V is left or something. But if you check back just a couple hours before show, chances are some of the premium seats will be released. I know at least in the case of RENT, they will even knock them down to 50 or 60 bucks. wow!
#23re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 11:39pmYes, bozos that can not understand that they must show their discount offers at the beginning of their transaction are a sad lot.Some even want their discount without their flyer. Maybe those folks are just plain dumb, but why oh why are they proud of it?
george95
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/1/08
#24re: better tickets at the box office?
Posted: 1/10/08 at 11:42pmoh senorvoce, I am NOT proud of the fact that I do not understand how to conduct my discount transaction at the box office. I am proud of the fact that I can get into a totally pointless argument with people on a internet message board.
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