Hedwig Advice

[PlayItAgain]

^ see above comment, it is not illegal to sit on a nyc sidewalk as long as you don't obstruct the flow of pedestrian traffic.

[macnyc]

When I did standing room for Lucky Guy last year, I was sitting on the sidewalk in front of the theater. Two cops walking by told me to stand up because it is against the law, they said, to sit on a sidewalk in NYC. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! But I did stand up.

[Jane2]

"Jane, the issue is whether or not there is legal standing (pun intended) for the theatre to require people to stand for hours on end on a public walkway. "

Ya think? Did you read my post? oy

[center]

I said this in another thread as well, but yes, they are being super strict about no sitting on the sidewalk outside the theater. Their policy and/or enforcement have changed, though, as in previews I brought a small folding chair a couple of times and was fine until they started setting up the barricades for the line to enter the theater an hour before the house opens. So it was a surprise - and, honestly, kind of a pain - on Saturday night, because that's 4-5+ hours of standing for people who were there for the 10:00 ... before the show even starts. The house manager said on a past occasion when people didn't want to stand up, "I'm trying to run a business here!" I understand that he doesn't want the theater looking sloppy, but a) that doesn't seem to be a problem at Book of Mormon, where this has been happening for years, and b) part of me thinks it's actually good PR for them to show high demand for tickets.

Regardless, I'm not about to start making demands of people who grant me access to see a show I love at steeply discounted prices. It's their prerogative, and I don't want to interfere with their ability to do their job as they see fit. It just adds a cost to the financial one to know you'll be standing for several hours rather than 90 minutes.

[Matt Rogers]

Why the hell do you want to sit on a filthy NY sidewalk so much anyway?

[Jane2]

" The house manager said on a past occasion when people didn't want to stand up, "I'm trying to run a business here!" I understand that he doesn't want the theater looking sloppy,"

The house manager is a woman, though.

[center]

Oh, sorry, false assumption on my part - I don't know his title, then.

[brdway411]

The sidewalks in front of BOM and other theaters on the other side of broadway are double wide.... In front of the Belasco, they are not.

[haterobics]

There is a sitting law as far as discouraging homeless/begging situations, but it seems a stretch to extend that to a rush line, as long as there is a way to have people sitting AND there still be some sidewalk available to pedestrians.

As for people saying they will be sitting since it is legal, it is also legal for the theater to not sell you a rush seat later for not listening to their instructions. So, you will be legally sitting and legally not standing at the back of the Belasco for the show that night.

[brdway411]

^^^ this. I wanted to say that... THANK YOU!!!

[Jane2]

If you guys arrive 5 hours early, that is YOUR CHOICE. No one owes you a seat. How entitled!

[darreyl102]

Entitled? Really? Ok.

[Rainbowhigh23]

That house manager mist have been the warden of Cell Block H. Don't mess with her! She did a wonderful job of keeping that rowdy house in line and I was grateful that she was there.

[brdway411]

I was not being B###chy or entitled. I understand how rush/Lottery/SRO lines work. Have been doing it for shows for years. This was just a weird one for me. I have never seen an SRO line so structured and watched (by the house) so much before (the MET comes close). I get it. There is a show going on inside, keep sidewalks clear. Keep noise down. They have a job to do. I get it. I never said it was a problem. I was just passing on info so that others can enjoy the experience and know what to expect.

[Jane2]

^ well then I wasn't addressing you specifically, was I. Those who are complaining they should be allowed to sit on the sidewalk because they have to stand for such a long time have decided to be there such a long time and they know what it entails.

Personally I'm glad sitting on the sidewalk is not permitted. Besides it being filthy and taking up pedestrian space, it looks extremely déclassé. LOL!

[brdway411]

^ understood. Just making sure.

[haterobics]

Cabaret got around this issue by just selling its bar rail spots on their website for $122. It's not like any theater HAS to do day-of standing room... if you don't like people queuing up on the sidewalk outside the theater, stop selling things that inspire lines on your sidewalk.

The show is nearly sold out all the time anyway, a lot of people would totally buy them online in advance. Can even release them daily on telecharge, or set up something like Shakespeare in the Park, where you have to register by noon, and at 1 p.m., they e-mail the winners with instructions on how to pick up their tickets, etc.

[Rainbowhigh23]

At Saturday's 10pm the first shout out was "We love you, Hedwig!" to which Hedwig said nothing. Then the person who yelled "NEIL!!", which was ignored as well. When the person yelled "We love you, Neil!" Hedwig answered, "I refuse to kneel!"

[frogs_fan85]

This is a sit-lie ordinance. I've read that it's heavily enforced in San Francisco.

[haterobics]

"it's heavily enforced in San Francisco."

I lived in SF when this passed. It is only selectively enforced in San Francisco. It is mainly used to make undesirables keep moving, in many cases they were setting up semi-permanent structures as housing, as well as reducing business traffic because the homeless would hang outside certain stores, etc.

[Jane2]

"if you don't like people queuing up on the sidewalk outside the theater, stop selling things that inspire lines on your sidewalk. "

I thought the issue was sitting on the sidewalk, not merely lining up. Every theater seems to have lines outside. standing.

[darreyl102]

Explain to me how wanting to sit in line is being entitled. now, if the line is moving, then I get it, but standing four hours in the exact same spot, "Not going left, not going right", I don't see what the problem is with sitting.

[haterobics]

Every line I ever waited in for rush has been sitting on the sidewalk.

[Jane2]

"Explain to me how wanting to sit in line is being entitled."

Because you think the rules are for someone else, not you.

[Jane2]

You know what, folks? Sit your ass on the filthy sidewalk, take up pedestrian space, whatever. I don't care enough to continue arguing.

[haterobics]

"Because you think the rules are for someone else, not you."

Technically, they are. These laws all started as a way for police to arrest/move homeless people in public spaces but since that sounded discriminatory, they just had to say they were concerned with anyone sitting in one place in public for too long. But, they have never been equally enforced, and never will be.

I'm not saying that is a good thing, but it's like "stop and frisk," it applies to everyone... technically. But as a white dude on the upper west side, I've never had it happen to me. When I looked up when it has happened in my neighborhood, there seemed to be a pattern to who was stopped and frisked.