Hamilton-Chicago- limited view seat for $177- worth it?

[irishgator1]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 8:36am

I have a chance to see Hamilton in Chicago, but the cheapest ticket I can find is at $177 (not including tax and fees) for a limited view seat. It would be Orchestra Right, Row E, Seat 20, which is the last seat all the way against the wall.  Ticketmaster says brief portions of the show may be missed due to far side seats.

I haven't seen Hamilton before and doubt I would ever see it in NY.  I'm also limited to the one particular day as I'll be in town for work.

Is it worth it to pay a total of around $200 for a far side seat?

[macnyc]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 9:27am

I paid $199 for a lower box seat in NY and considered it well worth it! 

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 10:10am

When the formerly named Shubert Theatre in Chicago says "limited view", often they ain't playing. I'd be cautious. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 10:17am

I paid the same last July for a "partial view" seat on Broadway (literally the extreme right seat of an orchestra row).

Unless they changed the staging (I doubt it), most things happen downstage center and center stage. You may miss a bit on the scaffolding, but it was often transitory in nature (stage movements) and I therefore considered it negligible.

If you can get a HAMILTON ticket that cheap, I'd do it. You may never be able to do that again for a LONG while.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 10:17am

What jpbran said. Also, I found this blog to be very helpful whenever I see a show there.

[Rainah]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 1:19pm

If you have a few hours to spare, it's worth checking out the Cancellation Line. I am 90% sure there's one for chicago too, and they sell excellent seats for $200. Have to be willing to get up early and wait in line, but it's really an incredible experience.


Even if you can't, go for it. THe chicago cast is really strong right now

[irishgator1]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 3:34pm

Rainah said: "If you have a few hours to spare, it's worth checking out the Cancellation Line. I am 90% sure there's one for chicago too, and they sell excellent seats for $200. Have to be willing to get up early and wait in line, but it's really an incredible experience.

Even if you can't, go for it. THe chicago cast is really strong right now."

How early is "early?"  I don't think I could swing this, sadly, as I have an all-day meeting that starts early.

Thanks for the link to that blog, Valentina. That was helpful! The seat in question is definitely in their caution zone, but not in their most obstructed view zone.  Hmm...

 

[adagio]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 3:51pm

They actually did tweak some of the staging in Chicago due to the horrible obstructed side views (for example, Jefferson in the epilogue doesn't stand at the top of the stairs, but rather a few steps over more towards center stage). It's all minor, but that should give you an idea of how bad it is.

OP, if you're OK with missing some of the action, definitely go for it - the Chicago cast is on fire. Even Wayne Brady doesn't suck, though he's no Joshua Henry (I'd still put Brady above BVD).

Updated On: 2/27/17 at 03:51 PM

[Nycat63]

Posted: 2/27/17 at 3:56pm

I was able to get a good deal on a TM resale ticket for Joshua Henry's last show (by good deal I still mean over face but just by a bit) and was row K far left aisle.  I definitely missed some things on the left staircase but nothing significant, though I'd seen it in NY. I would say it's still worth it - you aren't going to see Hamilton anywhere for less unless you win the lottery.  If you can't do cancellation line for a chance at  better (but still regular priced) seats then I say buy the ticket.  You won't regret having seen Hamilton and you won't miss all that much.  

[velevele]

Posted: 2/28/17 at 7:55am

A few things to consider:

(1) How badly do you want to see "Hamilton"? I know that if I had had only one opportunity to see it at a price I could afford, I would have leapt at that opportunity, obstructed view or not, rather than not seeing at all, or having no idea when I might be able to see it in the future. I was that deeply in love with the recording and that desperate to see it live.

(2) The Chicago theater is awful. When I saw "Hamilton" there, I paid face value for a seat in the left orchestra (row G, about halfway between the aisle and the wall) that was not listed as obstructed view, but there were definitely things on both the left stage and the left balcony that I couldn't see. (I would have been a lot more annoyed if I hadn't already seen it in New York.) Although most of the main action does take place in the center, and not on the balcony, if it bothers you to have any obstructed view at all, understand that, as others have said, when this theater says "obstructed view", it definitely means it. If you're all the way against the wall, your view will definitely be obstructed. The people sitting to my immediate left, closer to the wall, complained loudly to each other about their view.

(3) Only you know what "worth it" means. Only you know how much it means to you to see "Hamilton", how much the $177 means to you (as in, what else you could do with the money other than buying this ticket), and how unhappy you'll be if your view is obstructed. I'm curious as to what you'll decide! Or may have already decided.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/28/17 at 7:58am

Depending on where you live, it might be touring near you. So you could just hold off until then. 

[irishgator1]

Posted: 2/28/17 at 8:47am

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone! I love that there's a place people can come to discuss things like this, because only two people in my own life would ever tolerate such angst :)

I'm still deciding, but am leaning on NOT doing it, for several reasons.

1. While $177 is much cheaper than the handful of remaining seats (at $497 each!), it's not an insignificant amount of money for me, and for it to be a quite obstructed view certainly stings the wallet.  I'm not dying to see Hamilton, but certainly would be more convinced if there was a better view. I'm short, which presents enough problems seeing as it is.

2. I'm about to begin a campaign to convince my husband to see Great Comet again (would be the third time for me), springing for full price banquette seats.  We're already seeing Anastasia in May, and just saw Great Comet and DEH two weekends ago, so his head might explode if I mention Great Comet AND Hamilton.

3. Probably the most important factor- I forgot that work can cancel my trip. It doesn't happen frequently, but it's happened on occasion, and if so, I'd hate to be out money for a ticket. I guess I could try to resell it, but it doesn't seem worth the agita.

Call_me_Jorge- a tour is a good idea, but unfortunately, I'm in DC, where the Kennedy Center said that if you want a chance at subscription tickets, you actually had to subscribe to TWO seasons- the season of the show, and the season before.  They said they'd release single tickets once they see what's left after the subscribers get their chance, and that tickets would undoubtedly start at $500. 

Like I said, I'm still mulling it over, but if I don't buy the ticket, I might just throw my hat in the ring via digital lottery and see what's meant to be.

[freewilma]

Posted: 2/28/17 at 8:56am

A new batch of Chicago tickets go on sale today at 10:00 (eastern?  central??).  You might have a better seat choice then?  

[BroadwayMomma]

Posted: 2/28/17 at 9:38am

I am going to be in Chicago in July and looked at seats on Ticketmaster.  There were some limited view available (so I will look at that link), but there were many orchestra premium seats available at $497.  Do you think these will come down in price at some point?  Or are these seats offered to the cancellation line if they don't sell?