Book of Mormon Performance Cancelled - PLEASE HELP!

[AlliCat]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:22pm

My husband and I are going to be in NYC 5/28 thru 6/4 just to see Broadway shows. I bought two center orchestra Row B seats to Book of Mormon when tickets went on sale last October. Telecharge just called and told me our performance (6/3 matinee) has been cancelled and there are no other tickets available during the time we're there. I'm literally almost in tears, not helped by the fact that I'm pregnant and who knows when we'll make it back to New York (from Houston).

Is there ANYTHING I can do?! I can't believe they're not trying to accomodate us for another performance. We already have tickets for most of the other days, but we're willing to lose the money to see the Mormon Musical. I don't even want to tell my husband, because he'll be so disappointed. This was at the top of our list before the show ever opened. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to try to get tickets during the time we'll be in New York.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:27pm

Craigslist or Ebay. That's probably your best bet, though you run the risk of phony tickets.

[Popular]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:28pm

Oh I am so sorry

That is almost exactly the time frame I'll be in NY as well so thank you for posting about the cancellation. I was going to try getting there early for standing room tickets. I don't know if that's what you'd want to be doing while pregnant but it's an option.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:28pm

hat really sucks. I would suggest that on the day you were to see it, get in line early for standing room. However, you mentioned that you are pregnant so i don't know if you will be up to standing for two hours. So sorry to hear this.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:28pm

So sorry to hear that's happened- did they give any reason why it was cancelled?? Your best bet is to go to a broker website, but you'll have to pay quite an extra charge for it. If you think its worth it, that's your best option to seek out. Stubhub (http://www.stubhub.com/the-book-of-mormon-new-york-tickets/) is a legitimate option, but there are others out there as well. Again, they are marked up A LOT, but if you are absolutely desperate to see it, that's the way to go. You could also line up super early and get standing room tickets, in which case I would refer you to one of the threads already on that topic- it seems people are lining up 2+ hours early for it, so if you were willing to take time out of your trip to do so, that would be another possibility.

Best of luck with your situation! And if you find out a reason, let us know!

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 6:46pm

I pass he theater a lot on the way to work. I would suggest getting there at 3:00 for an evening performance for standing room. Maybe a bit earlier. I walked past at around 4:30 yeaterday and there were about 10 people in line.

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 7:10pm

Hey -- I had tickets for that same date (I come in from SF 3 times a year for my family visit and theater fix). Did you CALL the Telecharge people and talk to a Customer Service rep? I am alone so I only had ONE ticket to replace. I called about 3 weeks ago and I got a ticket for Wed matinee (6/1) in a side orchestra aisle seat (my original ticket was first row of front mezz - so the trade was a little better seat wise). I know it is a POPULAR show, but if you TALK to Customer Service, they can usually accommodate something for a replacement (don't even try to tell me they don't have ANY seats during your visit). Mind you, all of my slots were filled, so I had to double-book the Wed matinee slot. Stupid me, I accidentally booked over Anything Goes. When I realized my mistake, I called Telecharge back and the Client Services rep checked best availability for BOTH Mormon and Anything Goes on different dates I gave her. We ended up keeping Mormon and moving Anything Goes (YES even with the NO CANCELLATIONS AND NO EXCHANGES policies - you would be amazed at how accommodating they can be given the right circumstances - BUT you have to be nice).

CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE and talk to a PERSON. Explain your situation and ask for some accommodation. If that person cannot accommodate, ask to speak to a manager. Be PERSISTANT (but not rude of course) and I think you may be surprised at your luck. Be willing to take two separate/individual seats that are not together (or however many you had booked originally). At the very least, they have the expensive seats or even house seats that they may be able to release to you. I was leary of booking a Friday matinee and was sorry I did when I got my cancellation email (didnt you get one when they cancelled the performance?).

I would be curious to hear how it goes for you. Please post here once you get a resolution one way or the other. Good Luck.

Updated On: 5/12/11 at 07:10 PM

[theatreguy]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 7:22pm

The Friday matinees were cancelled over a month ago. That's really weird (and annoying) that it took Telecharge so long to contact you.

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 7:24pm

They did not just cancel the single 6/3 matinee performance, they canceled all Friday matinees through the summer.

As to the reason for the cancellation, my guess is that they realized an extra weekday matinee (especially a weekday) was not as lucrative as another evening performance. I cannot remember if they were dark on Sunday and Monday or if they did not have a Wed matinee. In any event, they probably realized the counter culture schedule with a Friday matinee was not being booked as heavily and moved to a more standard schedule.
Updated On: 5/12/11 at 07:24 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 7:45pm

I booked A ticket for 6/25 and the pickin's were quite slim. It is very possible that they do not have TWO SEATS TOGETHER during the days they are in NY. This is, after all, the hottest ticket on b'way right now.

That doesn't make it suck any less -- but there is only so much they can do -- if they don't have empty seats, they don't have empty seats. You are pretty limited in when you can go as well.

[binau]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 7:50pm

Does this mean that all the premium tickets are being sold too?

[theatreguy]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 8:01pm

I just checked on Telecharge and there are no pairs of tickets (even premiums) until July 2.
Updated On: 5/12/11 at 08:01 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 8:59pm

NM.

edited because the above post got edited.

Updated On: 5/12/11 at 08:59 PM

[CromTO]

Posted: 5/12/11 at 9:50pm

Stubhub is the site I tend to use. Sometimes you'll pay an arm and a leg for the tickets, but they're legitimate so it's worth it.

[Patty3]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 12:52pm

Would you be willing to take two single seats? I was able to do this a few years ago when and out of town friend wanted to see Jersey Boys. We ended up with seats a row apart in same seat number so we were front and back of each other instead of next to each other. If it is something you really want to see I would consider doing that. Also single seats may be cheaper on Stub Hub or other ticket outlets. Updated On: 5/13/11 at 12:52 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 1:19pm

This is a pricey way BUT you do get a tax receipt for the extra $$. BCEFA has a number on their site to call for CareTix. They charge double whatever the ticket price is But like I said you get a tax receipt for a charitable donation for the second half, rather than going to a scalper or for profit site. The lady's name is Kat and she is great. ( that's how I got my sold out seat for Peter and the Starcatchers) It's a judegement call do you have the extra $$ for a donation? ( ps I COULD have got a tkt for a Sat Matinee for BofM through them but figured it'd be around long enough to delay seeing so I know CareTkts does have this connection) Good Luck!

[AlliCat]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 3:18pm

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I've tried all of them but unfortunately, without success. CareTix would have been a great solution - I wouldn't have minded paying double with the profits going to charity, but unfortunately, they don't have anything until late June. There are no single seats available through the box office until July and no doubles until September.

Telecharge said that they sent us an email 2 months ago letting us know the show was cancelled, but for whatever reason, we never received it. There are tickets of course on Stub Hub, but so far, I haven't found a full-view seat for less than $500 each, and the idea of paying that amount for worse seats than I had when I was one of the first people to buy tickets for the show, just isn't digesting well.

Regarding standing room only, how likely are you to get in if you get there early?

[WDBNYC]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 3:43pm

There are tickets on StubHub for much lower than that. I'm seeing as low as $200 each over your date range. Mezz but full view.

[mikem]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 6:47pm

That stinks about the tickets. The Actors Fund and the Damon Runyon Foundation both also do the charity ticket thing -- try them if you haven't already.

[brettystar]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 3:21am

That is awful for you.
I think it is poor form - the producers should have honoured the existing Friday performances before changing their performance schedule as far as I am concerned.
Thanks goodness you were called though - imagine turning up and being told.
I hope something works out and you get to see it.
I suffered a similar experience when my partner and I travelled from Australia and he was desperate to see Xanadu. It was still in previews and it was cancelled 5 minutes before curtain due to a malfunction with their computer. He was so upset. I got to see it the next year on a return visit but he did not come that time.
Fingers crossed something works out for you.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 4:55am

Poor form? How long should they have waited? I'm not trying to be nasty to the OP at all, but an email was sent (can't tell you why they didn't receive it-maybe they thought it was junk mail, or maybe it went to thier junkmail -- who knows.). As far as they knew, the people weren't interested in rebooking.


Here's a thought: why not go to the box office the day you arrive in NY and explain the situation. (Bring proof of the purchase or cancellation or something) Maybe they can bend the rules for you to sell you standing room or put you first for the cancellation line or SOMETHING. (I know a telecharge rep would NOT be able to do this for you.) Don't be afraid to mention your pregnanacy as a reason to avoid the line and THEN later standing for the show. (And depending on HOW preggers she is makes a big difference on how long she can/should be standing.)

Also, remember that sometimes more seats get released (house seats) as you get closer to the date, so you can also keep checking.

Best of luck!

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 7:10am

Its not worth crying over, its a load of over hyped crap!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 9:38am

The box office has a limited number of "emergency seat holds" that get released closer to the performance date. You should try to get tickets for your performance date twice a day, when the box office closes and again around 4pm.

This is especially the case day-of. Seats often are released the morning when the box office opens.

Also -- do write a letter to the producers. It can't hurt your chances.

[Overkill]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 11:57am

"Its not worth crying over, its a load of over hyped crap!"

Says the person with "Women on The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" as their avatar...

[sowren1020]

Posted: 5/14/11 at 4:09pm

Excellent suggestion! There are house seats that the producers and sometimes the actors have that are let go at half hour, so it is worth trying to stand in line to see. I showed up a day late at the sold out performances of GRAPES OF WRATH decades ago with my family and I will never forget the sweet ticket office person who got me four mid orchestra seats at twenty minutes to curtain to replace my tickets, tickets that were for the day before...at no added charge!