New Yorkers..help with ? about play HAIRSPRAY
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to NYC for several days in early April. I was trying to plan way ahead and purchase tickets for Hairspray but after looking at the ticketmaster website I see it is ending in early March!! I've heard it is sold out everynight so thought it may be extended due to popular demand. Have you heard anything or does this happen often?? If a play is extended how would I find out? I was so in hopes of seeing it if possible. Thanks! Becky

Ticketmaster is CURRENTLY selling tickets only through early March. That doesn't mean the show is closing! Keep checking.

There's no way Hairspray is closing less than a year after it opens; don't worry.

Donna is correct. Currently, they are only selling tickets thru next March. You can be assured that it will definitely be playing next April. You're wise to plan far ahead for this one. I suggest the obvious--wait about 2 or 3 weeks and try again.

Thanks for the encouragement! I feel much better knowing that I'll get to see it....even if it has a different cast by then. THANKS! Becky

I would check Ticketmaster every day. This show is the hottest on Broadway at the momen, and when more dates are released, everyone will be lying in wait for the opportunity to grab tickets. Also check Playbill.com for news frequently. Most cast members are signed for one year. Playbill publishes news of changes, vacations, etc.

I've been checking every day, and it's only gone up through March 2 for a number ofweeks now. Does anyone know if there's a system to the the release of tickets? I imagine the show's producers want to be careful about not over-extending, but a solid hit like this is guaranteed to run for several years. <BR>

We got our tickets after calling every week, they finally opened to Dec. Now it is March. I think when they have booked all seats for those months, they will open another block of time.<BR>This is just my guess. But it seems to be the way they do it with hit shows, they did this with The Producers also.

Hit shows only sell tickets for x months in advance for mundane practical reasons. They'll release the next block of tickets before the current block is all sold out. Just keep checking regularly, but you don't have to check every day. Tickets for next April are not likely to sell out the first day they are available!

Becky- Try these websites:<BR><BR>http://www.newyork.com/city/theater/<BR><BR>All Tickets, Inc., 201-224-7400<BR>Americana Tickets, 212-581-6660<BR>Applause Theatre & Entertainment, 212-307-7050<BR>Backstage Theatre Tickets, 800-445-7074<BR>Broadway Ticket Connection, 212-931-6818<BR>Center Charge, 212-721-6500<BR>Continental Guest Services/Golden Leblang’s, 212-944-8910<BR>Group Sales Box Office, 212-398-8383<BR>Group Tickets, Inc., 718-548-7202<BR>Keith Prowse & Co. (USA), Ltd., 212-398-1430<BR>Nederlander Organization, 212-262-2400<BR>Showtix, 212-302-7000<BR>The Shubert Organization, 212-239-5817<BR>The Actor’s Fund of America, 212-221-7300<BR>Theatre Development Fund, 212-221-0885<BR>Theatre Direct, Inc. 212-541-8457<BR><BR>Other Ticket Options<BR><BR>I have used APPLAUSE for years and you get to know where your seat is BEFORE you pay for it--- I hate going thru<BR>Ticketmaster--<BR><BR>Try Applause first-

Andy,<BR>What fees do these organizations charge per ticket?<BR>(PS: You can find out what seats you have with Ticketmaster before purchase.)

Andy, I just visited the website to look at tickets for both Hairspray and The Phantom of the Opera. Their prices are quite a bit higher than "face value" and it says that they charge something like a 30%(?) service/brroker fee! Maybe this is a good site for shows that are SOLD OUT at the last minute but not so sure about using this site to order tickets way ahead of time. Also, it didn't tell me what my seats were. What gives??

I always use Applause or Keith Prowse-<BR><BR>THey do have some sort of upcharge,but it's not more than 10pct..NOT ticket scalper prices by anymeans--<BR><BR>Hope this helps- I don't usually book online- I normally call these places and talk to a live person--

Ticketmaster or Telecharge are the official ticket sellers for most broadway shows. If you're getting them through another resource, you are paying higher prices, as those brokers get their tickets from Ticketmaster and Telecharge. With both Ticketmaster and Telecharge, you can see exactly where your seats are located before you purchase the tickets. If dates have not been released to Ticketmaster, the others won't have them yet either. Up until a few years ago, brokers were guaranteed and bought up blocks of the best seats, which they customarily marked up an outrageous percentage. Fortunately, this no longer happens.

Marie, I'm happy that the best seats aren't scooped up by the brokers...curious when/how did this change through the years??? Even limiting tickets to say 4 per customer or the like, still seems like the brokers and their "shells" would get the best seats. Curious??

When someone (like Becky) is ordering tickets that far in advance, there's no reason to go elsewhere and pay more than the Ticketmaster/Telecharge surcharge (around $6 per ticket) to anyone to get tickets.

My husband and I are figure skating junkies. For many years, we'd phone Ticketmaster the MINUTE tickets went on sale, and, after being on hold for sometimes up to a hour, never could get seats in lower than the 15th-25th row. One year, we thought we had other plans, but then set about getting tickets at the last minute. We were advised by Ticketmaster to check the yellow pages under "tickets". Sure enough, various brokers in the yellow pages had tickets for seats ON SHORT NOTICE, for a 50-100% mark-up. My husband really wanted to go, and was excited about front row seats, so paid the price. When I went to pick them up, the clerk there told me that they were "assured" a block of seats in rows 1-15 for all Ticketmaster events. AND, that if the event is cancelled, you are refunded "only the face value" of your tickets. We vowed that we would never attend another Ticketmaster event again, unless it was something we REALLY HAD TO SEE. Not long after that, I read and heard that many "fans" were complaining big time about these goings-on. More than one rock group (Aerosmith, for one, maybe?), cancelled the rest of their tour due to Ticketmaster's practices. Thank you whoever! After Ticketmaster went on line, I would inquire about tickets off and on. One day, I received a lengthy survey via e-mail, which I completed, including questions specific to this ticket broker business, and I filled it out completely with lots of lengthy comments. All I can figure is that lots of folks did likewise. Because, things have certainly changed since then!

An ad in this morning's NY Times says that a new block of tickets just went on sale, so you might try again today!

Just as a go-by, the December tickets went on sale on Aug 15. I don't know what the future release of tickets would be, but I would start checking alot in December/January for April tickets.

oops! Just checked Howard's info on the ticketmaster site and he is correct. Tickets through May go on sale today at 10 AM. Good luck!