Anyone Been Berated In Rush Ticket Line By Al Hirschfield Ticket Personnel?- Page 3

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 8:14pm

Matilda is still limiting people -- you can't win lotto more than once every 30 days. Or, rather, you can, but they check a list, and if you do win, you can't have them.

[tking001]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 8:30pm

I've never heard of a lotto limiting people?
I wonder how strictly they enforce this "30 day limit"

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 10:44pm

The Jersey Boys rush line assault story

[VotePeron]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 11:07pm

TKing: They have 2 lottery personnel. After the winners have been drawn, one lottery workers checks IDs, while the other one checks a typed alphabetical list on a clipboard for each and every name to ensure no one breaks the rule. It is handled very well, IMO. They do a great job by making the rule clear and executing it. The rule is definitely enforced.

As for Kinky, the rush policy seems confusing to me now. If they are hiring someone to monitor the line, I understand. But why does this person also count out people/tickets needed before the box office opens 90 minutes later? Doesn't that just make the people behind those in line leave? Why have people standing there if a Kinky Boots personnel told them that they are not getting tickets? It's almost like having rush at 8:30am instead of 10.

I think it's time Kinky switched to a lotto. Especially if they are already paying someone to monitor a line, they might as well build up even more hype with a huge lotto.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 2:46am

Isn't it NICE of the management to officially tell the customers that they are wasting their time? I know I'd appreciate my time being returned to me. Why should they stay when they KNOW the tickets won't be forthcoming?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 7:10am

^ I agree with mama. When I was rushing Vanya... several weeks ago, I watched the line monitor at Pippin send people away well before the box office opened for a two show day, and I thought that was very nice of them, to let people know beforehand that they wouldn't be getting tickets. I actually think a few people even came across the street to get into the rush line for Vanya.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 8:54am

Note; Nyla hasn't returned to the thread, so either she realizes that her parents exaggerated, or she realizes that her fabrication of events got shot down thanks to our eyewitness.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 10:12am

...or maybe hasn't had the chance to get back online.

Why the hate?

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 10:37am

People (albeit, scalpers) are getting there at 3:00 AM to see this show?! Oy.

Whatever the true story is, I do think there is something to be said for employees being aggressive and hostile without being provoked and creating a worse situation for everyone. I am sure this stems from a defensiveness created by hostile patrons in the past, but it only makes it worse to enter into a transaction with a patron assuming all patrons will behave like this. There is a way to be firm about rules without being rude. (Not saying this is what happened in this situation, but I have witnessed this one too many times.)

Also, I think the OP was mainly lamenting the behavior of the line monitor and less about the 15 minute rule.

And, not that this should allow anyone who doesn’t know the rules to get their way, but I don’t think this older couple should be getting criticized for not knowing them or thinking they could step away. To some, especially to us who attend the theatre a lot or know how in-demand tickets can be, this might be obvious, but it might not be to others. They may have heard that they needed to get there early, but not known much about rushing aside from that. This lack of knowledge doesn’t warrant them tickets, but I also don’t think it warrants them harsh criticism (a lack of knowledge along with assuming they have a right to these tickets no matter the rules is another story, though).

I think trading off is perfectly fine. Who cares what body is there as long as it is the same amount of tickets gone?

I wish theatre’s would put up a board listing the theatre’s rush line policy – seems like something easy enough to do that could help to deter many of these disputes. I am sure people would still claim “I didn’t see it!” but at least it would be a lot more accessible and something line monitors/box office attendants could physically refer to in disputes. Also, if there were actual written rules in front of them, patrons would more likely abide by them (hopefully). I feel like most of many of these issues stem from not knowing the rules or lines not having/specifying rules, etc.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 11:06am

No hate at all. But silence is deafening. Most of us were totally on her side about the misbehavior of the line monitor...until a 3rd party told us there WAS no misbehavior.

[iamjwk]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 11:17am

I rushed today and the monitor was a very nice guy. He came by and clearly explained the rules. He also counted and told us how many tickets were available and told the people who wouldn't get tickets so they didn't waste their time waiting. I would much rather be told I wasn't getting in so I could go do something else rather than waste my time for nothing. Very glad they have the monitor and he kept people from cutting in line, and did so firmly but not rudely. Good job to him!

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 11:38am

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the reason they don't post rush policies at a theatre is because it could dissuade people from purchasing full price tickets that don't know about the rush otherwise.

I'm also a huge proponent for line monitors. I have no problem telling someone they can't cut in line but other people aren't as brazen. Also I would like to know that I'm not standing in a line for hours just to come away empty-handed. Why wouldn't you want that?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 11:39am

Don't some theatres put rules up, but not until the box office opens? (And by then, there could be a significant line.)

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 11:55am

"And, not that this should allow anyone who doesn’t know the rules to get their way, but I don’t think this older couple should be getting criticized for not knowing them or thinking they could step away."

Sorry, I have to disagree partially with this. If you step away from a line - whether you are getting rush tickets or buying groceries at the store - you should not be entitled to your old spot in the line, no matter what space savers you put there. Like I said, the fact that the theater allows quick bathroom breaks is generous.

Also, we understand that the OP was lamenting the behavior of the line monitor moreso than the "15 minute" rule, but it appears there is some inconsistency with Nyla's story and another account. In fact, it seems as if at one point the man put his hand on the line monitor. All this because of some apparent misunderstanding about "the rules." In fact, like dramamama said, most of us were in agreement with her regarding the behavior aspect of it. Not sure what the true story is here, but I'm still interested if nyla ever comes back to respond. Looks like this has been his/her only post so far.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 12:10pm

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the reason they don't post rush policies at a theatre is because it could dissuade people from purchasing full price tickets that don't know about the rush otherwise.

This makes sense. I was wondering if it had to do with not wanting to advertise for cheaper tickets.

Millie, I am not disagreeing that the couple was in the wrong in this case (as far as we can tell from the witness). My comment about the fact that the OP was more concerned with the behavior of the line monitor as opposed to her parents not knowing the 15 rule was in regard to many responders who seemed to be defending the rule, saying the couple was in the wrong. I didn’t get the impression that the OP was trying to argue whether or not her mom could have stepped out for that long, but rather the fact that her parents were treated poorly by the line attendant (despite whether that may be true or not).

And, I agree that it is extremely generous that the theatre allows bathroom breaks. I just thought people were reacting a bit harshly to the fact that these people didn’t know the rules. And, while it does seem like common sense (you get out of line, you lose your place), I could easily see a couple of senior citizens thinking that as long as one of them was there and as long as she got back in time (and since she was there for most of the time) that nothing was wrong with that. Again, I don’t think this lack of knowledge should allow them to get tickets (rules are rules) nor do I think it is okay for them to act entitled to these tickets even after finding out about the rules, I just thought they shouldn’t be criticized so severely for initially thinking this was okay.

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 1:17pm

They allow Bathroom Breaks for rush lines now? Back in my day we had to bring our own urine containers just to make sure we didn't lose our place in line!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 1:50pm

Gilmore: I think she was trying to do both...that darnnit, her mom was "only" gone for 1/2 hour (although other reports say otherwise) as well as put all the blame on the line monitor.

Regardless, her story has been uprooted as there seems to be NO truth to the part of a disrespectful line monitor. (Granted, we don't know if the parents or the poster is the one that embellished the story). Please remember the 3rd party that witnessed what happened has no stake in what happened so it is easier to believe his report.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 2:29pm

dramamama, I definitely put more stock in the witness’ account. I never meant to come off as condoning or defending this couple’s behavior (assuming that behavior was not provoked by the line monitor, which, it seems from the third party’s report, was not). I just thought it was easy to see how this couple, who may have never done rush before, could have thought that as long as both of them got there early and both were there when the box office opened, that one of them leaving for 45 minutes would have been acceptable. I definitely don’t think it is okay (especially as at a rush that is in such high demand and not everyone in line is gets tickets), but just didn’t think the couple deserved criticism for not knowing this.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 3:25pm

We don't know what they did or didn't know. But if you weren't aware of protocol, wouldn't you ASK before you deviated from something? I'm pretty sure I would.

(And I'm just having a conversation, not criticizing you in any way.)

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 4:21pm

No criticism taken, dramamama, no worries. :)

In answer to your question, I definitely would inquire before doing something I was unsure was allowed, but when thinking of some of the senior citizens in my life, I could see how they wouldn’t even think about whether there was a rule regarding this or not. Especially if these people are not usual theatre goers (which, granted, we have no way of knowing whether the couple in question are or not). I could see relatives of mine knowing that it is a hot ticket and being told they need to get there early, but not really thinking about how serious scoring a ticket can get (and, therefore, how this rush line might have strict policies).

I am constantly surprised at some of the things my non-theatre going friends assume about the theatre (or any part of the process, including ticket buying) that, to me, seem like common sense. Sometimes I take for granted the things I am aware of within the theatre community.

Now, I would hope people who don’t know the process would ask regarding any policies or rules (as I would inquire if I was put in a situation I had little knowledge of), but I could also see how they wouldn’t even know to think of whether there are rules or not.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 4:34pm

Are they senior citizens? I'm sure lots of posters here have parents that are not yet senior citizens. And even if they are, that certainly doesn't mean incapable of thought. My own parents (in their 70s) are certainly fully "with it" and not "old" or dottery in any way. While I can't imagine them doing a rush line for themselves, yet alone anyone else, I'm sure they'd "get" the requirements.

[binau]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 4:51pm

"I've never heard of a lotto limiting people?
I wonder how strictly they enforce this "30 day limit""

What a great idea..I've tried a lotto for Wicked when it was in Australia before and lost to a girl who had already seen the show something like 50 times (I hadn't seen it). It just didn't feel 'fair'.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 4:52pm

^Yeah, there's a reason some of the participants need cheap tickets...they have too much time on line so they can't get a job.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 7:48pm

dramamama, the OP mentioned that her parents were senior citizens, which is why I brought that up. And, I never meant to imply that all senior citizens were so out of it they wouldn’t think to seek out any policies. My Grandma is 94 and as with it as they come, but I could also see her telling someone, “Of course you can go run an errand! You have been sitting here this whole time and will be back!” I just don’t think that she would even think that there might be rules restricting that. And, I think that would have much more to do with not knowing much the ticket buying process (and the different ways to go about it) these days as opposed to age. In fact, I could see one of non-theatre going peers thinking the same thing. I just have a feeling many who aren’t aware of how hard it can be to get a ticket to a hit show these days don’t realize how intense and strict things like the rush line need to be, so they don’t even think there are these rules in place. (Note: I do not think the OP’s parents are as old as my Grandma, was just using her as a point of reference.)

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 8:03pm

Regarding the original post, I would just note that this is all being relayed to us by someone who was not even there. It is essentially hearsay, something that is not even admissible in a courtroom. So there is probably a good deal of conjecture involved here, and who knows how it all actually went down.