BCEFA Refuses My Money

[Anshel2]

Just tried to buy a signed DEH poster but because I hadn’t seen the show today, they refused to sell me one. Has anyone on here been refused a donation from this charity. Lots of charities out there that will happily take my money.

[Sondheimite]

Chill. 

[IlanaKeller]

I would think they may have limited numbers per performance during Gypsy of the Year collections, which would give preference to ticket-holders. It's not like buying socks in this case.

They didn't refuse your donation, they likely did not have the item you wanted in exchange for it. If you were intent on making a donation to them, I'm certain BC/EFA would gladly accept it. 

[PianoMann]

At what time of day did you try? I ask because I've bought cast signed posters for shows on days that I did not see the performance, and have always had luck after the show started. I once tried to get one about 20 minutes prior to curtain and they turned me away because they were understandably too busy trying to get all of the patrons into the theater and in their seats. I went back that same night during Act 2 of the show and it went smoothly.

[trpguyy]

1) Nobody working at the theater is representative of BC/EFA.

2) They didn't refuse your money, they couldn't sell you something that they either didn't have or had only a limited amount of. If you tried to hand them cash in exchange for nothing and they refused your donation, then you could claim that they refused your money.

[Anshel2]

It was after the show, sale was going on, they had plenty of posters. Refused my money. Pretty simple fact pattern. Money will go elsewhere.

[IlanaKeller]

So you wandered into the theater while the curtain call collection was going on?  

How do you know how many posters they had available or how many already had been sold? 

If you did wander in at that time, how would they know whether you were an audience member or not? 

Let us know which charity you decide to donate the funds to. I'm always on the lookout for worthy causes. 

[Wick3]

So they let you inside the theater after the show. Did they ask you to show your ticket stub when trying to buy a poster? I'm quite sure had you given your money to the person behind you who did see the show that person most likely would have bought the poster for you and given it to you. Just saying there are ways to go around that rule if that is a rule.

[dshnookie]

I was able to walk in after curtain and buy a signed DEH Playbill with no problem. Perhaps try again?

[StefanieBway<3]

dshnookie said: "I was able to walk in after curtain and buy a signed DEH Playbill with no problem. Perhaps try again?"

I’ll be seeing the show in two weeks, I didn’t realize any were still available!

[JayElle]

I waited on cancel line on Oct 25 for 8 pm show. When I didn't get it, I asked to see the house manager who came out.  I told him I waited all day so I could buy a Broadway Cares signed poster and playbill.  He told me to come back at end of show and I could buy them then. So I would have to wait until end of show at      10:30ish.     

If you want it, ask for house manager.  I did the same thing with Hamilton.  I told both that I support broadway cares and even if I couldn't get in, I wanted to buy poster.  In case of both Ham and Hansen, I told manager that I already seen the show in the past.  In case of Hansen, I said that I couldn't get in but I really wanted poster.  He said, No prob.  Come back.  With Hamilton, the house manager, Mr. Tim., told me to ask for him and when I came back he came out with poster and I gave him $.  Don't take no from the workers.  Ask for the top man or woman....in both cases, the house manager is a man.  Mr. Tim at Hamilton...and Mr. I forget his name at Hanse.  They won't say no b/c they have to give Broadway cares a dollar number and to turn away a person is stupid.  You probably dealt with security who are clueless and have no involvement or ticket  person.

 

[IlanaKeller]

JayElle said: "You probably dealt with security who are clueless and have no involvement or ticket person."

Ooooorrrr, potentially dealing with a security issue of a person who entered a theater at a time they shouldn't have without permission? I'd still like to hear some clarification on that timeline.

[JayElle]

No, there's no getting in the theater without a ticket.  I get signed posters all the time and I make myself clear at the outset.  In both Ham and Hansen, I wasn't going to show b/c I had already seen it earlier but I wanted to support the effort.  

I always asked for the house manager who is always more than willing to help. I explained that I had seen the show but really wanted to support effort.  In both cases, they said come back at show's end and "ask for me."  For Ham, the manager gave me his name (Mr. Tim).  In Hansen, he simply said, "ask for house manager."   

I collect these posters and have for years.  The ticket  box office folks and security always say they have no idea what's going on b/c it's not in their responsibility. Ticket folks are employed by one company and security by another.  The house manager will always help. It's the theater company who is trying to sell these posters for contributions.

I went for one with Springsteen, but they said he donated tickets for $10K each in lieu of signing posters.

I also called the Broadway cares folks to get schedules so I could land a poster.  They don't require or ask theaters when they are in previews so I couldn't get one for Latin History or Meteor Shower. But  if it means selling them, the house will cooperate if brought to the attention of the right folks.  And yes, I've found security in Ham and Hansen to be less than consumer friendly even if you ask a simple question.

 

[IlanaKeller]

Not questioning your methods, but those of the OP  - who says he or she was in the theater, without a ticket, at the time things were on sale and has not clarified exactly what happened. My suspicion is that those circumstances had a lot to do with being denied the opportunity to purchase a poster.

Springsteen's opening night raised more than $1 million for BC/EFA.

[billis2]

I had the same problem at Hamilton last year.  The security guy wouldn't let me in to buy a poster after the show, and wasn't very nice about it.  And they definitely had the posters, because other people were walking out with them.  I was kind of upset at the time.  But that had nothing to do with BCEFA.  Broadway Cares is a great cause. 

[TheGingerBreadMan]

OP - It seems like you’re more concerned with the material reward, and couldn’t give a sh*t about donating to BC/EFA.

[PThespian]

TheGingerBreadMan said: "OP - It seems like you’re more concerned with the material reward, and couldn’t give a sh*t about donating to BC/EFA."

^This

Jonathan Schulman is the House Manager at the Music Box. Not only is he one of the nicest House Managers on Broadway he is also one of the nicest people you ever want to meet in your life. I have no doubt that he will help you if he can.

It's really not a big deal. People come in to buy merchandise at the end of the show all the time.

[B.JAMES]

I’ve seen the show 4x by now, and I’d really like to get a poster. Maybe I’ll try to go get one for today’s matinee after I get off work. Can someone tell me how much the donation is? And silly hey accept cards or just cash? Thanks in advance :)

[dramamama611]

TheGingerBreadMan said: "OP - It seems like you’re more concerned with the material reward, and couldn’t give a sh*t about donating to BC/EFA. "

This,  1000%.

[Wick3]

B.JAMES said: "I’ve seen the show 4x by now, and I’d really like to get a poster. Maybe I’ll try to go get one for today’s matinee after I get off work. Can someone tell me how much the donation is? And silly hey accept cards or just cash? Thanks in advance :)"

$300 for a signed poster by the cast. Given how RBJ is out on a cruise right now, they probably just a have a limited amount of these for sale.

[Anshel2]

This had nothing to do with the house management.  I went into the lobby and approached the BCEFA volunteer.  It was clear which direction I was coming in.  I had cash.  I asked to buy a poster and she asked if I had seen the show.  I said no, but had seen it many times before and wanted a poster and support the cause.  She said she couldn't sell me a poster because I hadn't seen the show that day.  I thought she was kidding and I asked if she was seriously turning down $300 cash.  She said she was at which time I told her that I've never had my money refused before and would donate elsewhere.

As for the statement that I was in this for a material reward.  Talk about being a judgmental ass.  I wanted a poster and wanted to contribute to BCEFA.  I put cash in these buckets all the time when I see a show without buying something.  I wanted a poster of the original cast as Ben is leaving shortly and wanted to donate.  Win-Win.  This is why they sell them correct?

Have you every purchased an item for BCEFA?  Buy it for material reward?  Did you take the tax credit?  Yeah, there are financial benefits to contributing and I'd be foolish not to participate in them.  Selling signed items encourages people to donate otherwise all they'd do is have the red buckets which wouldn't bring in as much.

BCEFA is a great cause however it is not the only charity in need of funds.  I stand by my statement.  If they don't want my money, there are many other charities that do.

Have at it.

 

[billis2]

Anshel2, I'm sorry that happened.  That is definitely not BCEFA policy.  I have gone after shows several times to get BCEFA merchandise (which is part of the reason why the security guy at Hamilton pissed me off so much).  

To put it bluntly, BCEFA wants your money.  They are not going to turn it down without a very good reason.  It sounds like they should have trained this volunteer better, though.

[Marianne2]

Maybe that volunteer wasn't informed of policies clearly? Like maybe they thought they were only allowed to sell to people in that audience. Also wondering if there is another side to this story that nobody here will ever know as we weren't there.

As others have mentioned, talk to the house manager if you really want one. No reason to threaten to give your money elsewhere because you dealt with 1 person who may not have been 100% correct.

[everythingtaboo]

Wow, that really sucks. What volunteer would turn away $300 for a poster? Easiest money they would have made that day.

[Sondheimite]

They are a volunteer who was probably trained for all of thirty minutes.  You didn't get an expensive piece of paper you wanted because they were reserved for people who had tickets to that night's show.  I don't see how this warrants a thread or complaints.  I'm sorry you didn't get the expensive piece of paper.