Shakespeare in Central Park 2010 Line Reports?

[Katurian2]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 9:29am

Now that previews for this summer's shows have begun, does anybody have any accounts of what time they arrived in line for the performance and tickets for it? I'll be even more curious after it plays its first full weekend w/Merchant of Venice- but in the meantime, what have people been seeing/what time have you been getting there?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 10:47am

I'm still trying to sort out how that virtual line works. Do they set aside a certain number of tickets for the virtual line? Or if there are enough people using the virtual line, do the ones waiting for hours outside just not get tickets? Should you do both? I don't mind showing up early and waiting a long time in the park. But I've only got one day I can see a show in the park and I don't want to waste half the day if I have no shot at getting anything because of the new virtual line system.

[angelplays]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 10:52am

I think the amount of tickets on the virtual line is very small. It's really hard to get them that way.

Be sure to check the calendar to make sure a show is playing on the day you've set aside. They have a really funky schedule this year since they're doing both shows at the same time rather than one the first few weeks and the other the next.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 10:56am

I overheard staff tell people at the theater last night that nearly everyone who waited in line received tickets yesterday and she then gave support to the claim that "it pays to try for tickets early in the run."

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 10:56am

The virtual "line" should more properly be called a virtual "lotto," as "Virtual Ticketing participants are chosen at random to receive tickets, not in the order requests are received."

From the Shakespeare in the Park FAQ from last year, re: # of virtual line tickets-

4. How many tickets are distributed on the Virtual Line?

It changes on a daily basis but the majority of Free tickets for Shakespeare in the Park are distributed via the Free line at the Delacorte Theater.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:11am

Agree about the virtual lotto comments: I literally tried every. single. day. possible. last summer until the very last week of performances when I just gave up and went to the park line.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:20am

For what it's worth, I did the virtual lotto both Wednesday and yesterday, and I won both days. My friend also entered yesterday, and she won. I don't think many people are signing up for the first week because they forgot it was happening. But Merchant is definitely bound to be the hotter ticket, so it might be harder to win today (Merchant's first performance).

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:22am

Unfortunately over the last few years, the Public has tweeked their ticket policy and it no longer aligns with Joseph Papp's viewpoint.

They've taken on corporate sponsors and as a result, several of the seats closest to the stage are reserved for them. When I sit on the line, I usually make an effort to get there early so that I am one of the first people on the line. But over the last few years, I've not received the best seats. So I don't even know if it's worth sitting in line anymore.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:27am

They're dark today, actually. MERCHANT first performs tomorrow.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:27am

The way the tickets are handed out in line is random. Being first in line does not guarantee a seat closer to the stage. I have waited in line many times over the years sometimes being in the first 10, sometimes at the very end. My seats seemed random to my position in line.

Updated On: 6/11/10 at 11:27 AM

[angelplays]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:30am

Congrats bjh. I entered both days and lost.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:36am

I used to have no problem with getting there 7,8 hours early to wait in line but over the years my patience has grown very thin with having to listen to high pitched 20 year old boys who sound like 18 month old girls squeal about Wicked for 8 hours while their "girlfriends" pass the time with endless supplies of Moon Pies and Little Debbies complaining about how Will Swenson or Gavin Creel (used to be Adam Pascal) just hasn't realized how much they love her yet so maybe she should use this time to work on her scrapbook so they'll know.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:44am

That is extremely helpful information, guys. Thank you!

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:49am

They've taken on corporate sponsors and as a result, several of the seats closest to the stage are reserved for them. When I sit on the line, I usually make an effort to get there early so that I am one of the first people on the line. But over the last few years, I've not received the best seats. So I don't even know if it's worth sitting in line anymore.

For what it's worth, I was among the first twenty people yesterday and got awesome seats--Row D, center section, aisle. I noticed some of the people who waited around me also had similar, very good seats. So while it is random, sometimes the good seats do go to the people up front.

I counted a fair amount of empty seats at last night's performance, and I believe everybody on the standby line got in.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:00pm

^ Oh yah. Definitely. There were about 100 empty seats in my section alone. Not even close to full.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:27pm

I sat in section L, row O seat 705 and seats 701-704 were empty as were two in the row in front of me - and many of the people around me had been given seats from friends/colleagues.

Michael Greif and Tom Kitt seated themselves in the section next to mine - section K near the aisle closer to my section, section L. In the rows around Mr. Greif - rows O, P and Q - there were maybe 8-10 people in seats including Mr. Greif and Mr. Kitt and the people sitting with them.

Funny story - 4 women had received tickets from a colleague or friend and were in the row behind me (row P) which was the same row Michael Greif was in and the row in front of Tom Kitt's. During the show, Michael Greif (rather loudly) whispered notes to his assistant, who was taking them down old-fashioned pencil-and-paper style. As we neared intermission, the one woman leaned over and "Shushed" Mr. Greif (finger-to-lips and all). He looked a little taken aback and I really couldn't help but laugh. At intermission, some staff member explained to her that he needed to take notes and they were very sorry she was distracted and annoyed. She was a little uppity and complained about how he was just too distracting and she couldn't enjoy the performance at all. In the end, the staff moved her and one of her friends to new seats. (In her defense, he was talking/whispering very loudly; in his defense, it was their first preview).

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:50pm

"The way the tickets are handed out in line is random. Being first in line does not guarantee a seat closer to the stage."

Maybe that's the way now, but it didn't used to be random. When George C. Wolfe was in charge the policy seemed the most fair method of distribution in the history of Shakespeare in the Park. During his tenure, the people first in line were all given seats starting from first row house left (side sections were given to the Senior Citizen line). For many productions, I could easily count the number of people and I could end up third row center, which are excellent seats.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:59pm

So you REALLY need to wait from 6:00am, or is it still possible to get tickets if I wait there starting at 8:00am? I will be in NYC this July, and fortunately/unfortunately, I can only see Merchant.

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:11pm

When a major celebrity is involved (a la Pacino), tickets become harder to get because people who wouldn't normally have any interest in Shakespeare will show up because it's free and they want to be able to say, "I saw _________ do Shakespeare." Come July, when reviews are out and it's been well-publicized, I would imagine that you'd need to get there very early to assure tickets.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:18pm

Bummer... that's what I'm afraid, and I have no patience to wait for 7 hours. 4-5, maybe, but 7? Well, maybe I should stick back the original plan and watch Ruthie's Chicago. Thank for the info anyhow!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:47pm

AC, that's what they want you to think, but it's not always the case. The Streep /Kline /Walken /Hoffman /Goodman /Harden /Portman /Monk /Spinella "The Seagull" was an example. They built up how hard it was to get tickets and people were sleeping over night to get them, but you could get in pretty easily.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:56pm

Does anyone know how many line waiting ticket seekers they let into the show these days post corporate payola? I'm thinking of getting to the park at about 7:00 on Saturday... hopefully that'll do.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:15pm

So, Gothampc, is it possible to get tickets if I wait there at 8am or 9am?

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:42pm

I was speaking from personal experience based on waiting for TWELFTH NIGHT (Hathaway) and MOTHER COURAGE (Streep/Kline). In both cases, the last person (in the morning, at least) to get tickets got on line around 7:30 am.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:49pm

Well, I think then, be there at 7 will be a safe tactic.