Ahmanson and Taper to discontinue HotTix program.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 5:05pm

Grey Gardens will be the last show to offer Hot Tix.  Box office just told me. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 5:09pm

Ew. Did they say why? 

[Adair Haywind]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 5:14pm

Noooooooooo This was how I saw all shows with Center Theatre Group.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 5:17pm

They didn't say why.  They said they will still have balcony seats for $25.00 at certain performances.  But I never did that.  I always got side orchestra.  It really sucks.  

Updated On: 7/27/16 at 05:17 PM

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 5:40pm

Of course, the year I really start taking advantage of this program, they discontinue it. This really sucks. True, it was the reason I wasn't buying a season package, so I'm probably not the only one.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 6:09pm

I've always taken advantage of their discount programs.  I used to go to all their "pay what you can" performances in the 90's.  I wonder if they are getting rid of it because not enough people took advantage of it.  I have never had a problem getting a good seat for anything thru Hot Tix.   And people never used to know about it. Just hard cores like us on this board. 

[Alessio2]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:03pm

This makes me very sad...it is literally how I see every single show there! such an amazing deal...it was good while it lasted. Guess I'll be getting a subscription now!

[ABB2357]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:10pm

Really terrible news, I hope it's not true. I see almost every show at CTG via Hot Tix, and almost always have great seats (side orchestra as Dame mentioned). For GREY GARDENS I was in Box B on the side, which was a perfect unobstructed view - and closer to the stage than the mezz or balcony (aka Siberia).

I don't know what their motivation is, but I'm not the only one I know who'll stop frequenting CTG if Hot Tix are no longer an option. The quality of their recent productions (particularly at the Ahmanson) has been questionable. I might be willing to pay full price at the Taper, which is a more intimate space, but to charge $100+ for a seat in the barn that is the Ahmanson is pretty ridiculous. Especially when the shows frequently do not sell out. I saw GREY GARDENS the night after opening and it was maybe 2/3 full.

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:21pm

I received this in a post card from CTG yesterday. 

"Good news! In honor of our 50th season, we've simplified our pricing structure and expanded the number of $25 tickets available at every performance. While we will no longer have a formal Hot Tix program, we've improved the seating locations of $25 tickets in all three theatres and are making them available as soon as single tickets go on sale.    Don't delay - these low-priced tickets won't last long. Order July 28 when single tickets go on sale!"

I don't know how the program worked before as I only used it one time. So I don't know if this is better or worse than it used to be. 

[DAME]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:25pm

It will be interesting to see what exactly they offer.  

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:30pm

Agreed. In the Hot Tix program were the tickets usually only available in the few weeks before the show, or could you buy them months ahead? This program seems to be geared towards purchasing way ahead of time, but I'm not sure. 

[DAME]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:33pm

Weeks before the show.  If I remember correctly it is usually one month before the performance?  ( someone might correct me on that) . But I am not sure.  usually I get them a week before and always excellent seats.  

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 7:41pm

That matches my memory for the one show I saw there last December. I was visiting LA and was able to buy side orchestra for Bridges of Madison County a week or two before the performance. Seemed like a great program. But the theatre was fairly empty so maybe they are trying to encourage more early sales and really will offer more of these seats. 

[ABB2357]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 8:06pm

Jud's point about early sales makes sense... Generally Hot Tix become available a few weeks before performances begin, after single tickets have already gone on sale. But you can buy them on the day of the show if available. For in-demand shows I try to buy in advance, but had no problem getting great seats to GREY GARDENS and MATILDA the morning of.

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 8:10pm

If anyone tries to buy some tomorrow when they go on sale, be sure to post about it. 

[cglaid]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 8:51pm

I've never seen a sold out show at the Ahmanson... or come to think of it, the Mark Taper. In fact, the last few shows I've been to have been overwhelmingly empty (I saw almost everything this past season thanks to HotTix). I have only ever gone to either theatre thanks to the HotTix program and don't see myself returning unless those $25.00 are in the side orchestra like the HotTix were.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 7/27/16 at 9:32pm

I was told a number of years ago that the Hot Tix program was funded by a grant from a donor. Perhaps this grant ceased being funded?

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 12:29am

I'm wondering if they were seeing stronger ticket sales from Goldstar and thus the reason??

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 4:18am

DAME said: "Weeks before the show.  If I remember correctly it is usually one month before the performance?  ( someone might correct me on that) . But I am not sure.  usually I get them a week before and always excellent seats.  

 

The usual threshold was 3 weeks before the first performance though if it was an extended run, availability for the latter half of the run was delayed.

This is REALLY disappointing news. Since I started going to their shows in 2005, I've probably used the program 30-40 times. I don't live in the L.A. area but visit quarterly so if my plans changed as they sometimes did and I had to eat 1 or 2 $25 tickets (or $20 until a few years ago), it wasn't the end of the world but anything much higher and I'm going to have to be a lot more cautious as to what I buy. I thought the side orchestra seats in the Ahmanson at $25 were a great view but if the $25 seats are now in the balcony or rear mezz, I'll pass. It's just too large a theater to really enjoy the show from back there. The Taper may be a little different since it's much smaller and it probably won't affect the Douglas at all since the hot tix seats were the same price as the regular price for the seats they put you in and they hardly have anything there any more anyway. Will have to keep my eye on this and see what develops.

FYI, the last 2 shows of the current Taper season which runs calendar year, Ma Rainey and Beauty Queen, will still offer Hot Tix as previously advertised. 

Updated On: 7/28/16 at 04:18 AM

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 8:54am

This disportments me greatly , I usually grab a hot tix when ever I'm in town and can go and see a show. I don't like the idea that I have to buy something a few weeks to get a decent seat, Gentlemens guide I ended up in the stalks in the second row getting a ticket two hours before the performance 

[DAME]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 2:13pm

They are having tons of trouble with their website this morning.  I was finally able to get through to the A View from a bridge tickets.  the $25.00 seats are the stage seats.  Anyone who saw the New York staging know how these seats are?   I still can't buy anything that far in advance.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 2:20pm

$25.00 seats for Amelie for the performances I looked at seem to be gone. They were the side orchestra seats.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 3:02pm

Their site is down again.

[brettarnett]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 3:07pm

For advanced HotTix, is the ticket quantity limited to two per person?

[DAME]

Posted: 7/28/16 at 3:15pm

There is no more Hotix