DON'T TAKE 'SOLD OUT' FOR AN ANSWER LEARN THE SECRETS OF GETTING TICKETS TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer Sold out. That sign greets ticket-buyers at venues all across town this summer as tourists and locals vie for the hottest tickets to live performances. For the musical ``Wicked,'' now playing at the Pantages in Hollywood, the show is so insanely in demand that its very star has been spotted in the daily ticket lottery line trying to win the tickets she simply can't otherwise get for her guests. Granted, ``Wicked'' is an exceptional case, one which requires extra effort, persistence - and, yes, time spent in line - to ensure victory. But it can be done. ``You need to have some idea of how stiff the competition is - and you need to be ahead of the competition,'' is the advice of Rob Gordon, a computer worker and veteran of the cancellation line who claims he has never missed a performance he wanted to see. ``I make it a principle never to pay more than the face value of a ticket. Normally it's not necessary, and I don't deal with brokers.'' Hot-ticket hunters offered a mixture of insider tips, from working the phones, the Internet and the cancellation lines to plain old common sense. Their wisdom is good for events with multiple live performances, where brokers and scalpers come into the picture. Be patient, be bold
Be bold may refer to:
Buy the season Call it the pre-emptive strike Noun 1. pre-emptive strike - a surprise attack that is launched in order to prevent the enemy from doing it to you coup de main, surprise attack - an attack without warning approach to ticket buying - become a season subscriber. Subscribers already have their tickets in hand - and occasionally have the option to buy extras - once a show becomes a hot ticket. For venues like the Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a small thrust stage with 745 seats at the Los Angeles Music Center built by Welton Beckett and Associates. It has presented innovative plays since 1967. The world premiere of Angels In America was produced here. , the Ahmanson Theatre The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprise the Los Angeles Music Center. Through the generosity of philanthropist Robert H. Ahmanson, construction began on March 9, 1962. , the Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse (or the Geffen) is a not for profit performing arts theater in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property in 1993. UCLA's then chancellor, Charles E. or Broadway L.A. that often have sold-out shows, the subscribers get the good stuff, and the single-ticket buyers get the leftovers. If you call up randomly and end up with a good seat through the box office or via a cancellation line, chances are you've bought a seat that a subscriber couldn't use. If you're not a subscriber, call someone who is and see if they have an ``in.'' Remember, the aim is getting a hot ticket. So lose the timidity. Mark that calendar OK, so you don't want the entire season, just one show that you heard was a hit in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and is finally coming here. Fair enough. If a show has a six-week run at a 1,200-seat theater, even with subscribers taken care of, that's still a lot of seats to fill. So find out when individual tickets go on sale and call the box office on that day. Yes, it involves planning ahead and marking a date on the calendar possibly months in advance. But the early call locks the ticket in place and prevents later headaches when the show has arrived, is in demand and everybody is calling. ``Don't wait until the last two weeks of a show,'' cautions Jim Royce, director of marketing for Center Theatre Group. ``As soon as you see something in the paper that sounds like something you want to see, organize your friends, move on it, and get tickets.'' Join the line OK, so you didn't plan ahead. Now the show's here, and you can't get the day, time and view you want. In fact, the person on the other end of the phone informs you that you can't get in at all. The offerings on Web outlets like eBay, Craigslist and the brokers are out of your price range. But you really want to see the show. Go to the theater in person. And go early. Check at the box office. If there's still nothing available, ask where the cancellation line starts. If there isn't one, start it yourself. And wait. As most marketing managers will tell you, a ``forget-it-no-seat-available'' occurrence is rare. Theaters routinely pull a number of house seats or press seats that are released shortly before curtain. Those tickets become worthless once the performance starts, and theater management wants as few empty seats as possible. The closer to the front of the line you are as performance time nears, the better your chances of being able to snap them up. Unused tickets for charity or nonprofit promotions can also be acquired last minute the same way. The vicinity of the box office is also the best place to be standing to encounter people looking to get rid of an extra seat or two. Someone fell ill, plans have changed, and Joe or Jane ticket holder has a pair of prime orchestra seats they can't use. The practice is less common at fine-arts events, but you may also find someone who is selling a ticket for considerably more than the ticket's face value, or ``scalping.'' If the transaction is conducted on venue property without the venue's permission, scalping is against the law. Conventional wisdom suggests that a single-ticket buyer has a better chance of getting a same-day cancellation than people looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. two or more seats. On the other hand, a single can maximize his entrance potential by making friends with another single in the cancellation line and agreeing to jointly buy a pair if two tickets become available first. ``If there are two of you, have one person stand in the cancellation line and the other one wandering through the crowd looking for somebody who has tickets to sell,'' counsels Gordon. ``And if you have a ticket to sell, sell it to the first person in the cancellation line. That helps everybody in the line.'' 'Wicked-ly' lucky It's 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday at the Pantages Theatre There are multiple venues named the Pantages Theatre: Canada
the terror of Oz. [Am. Lit.: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz] See : Evil Wicked Witch of the West uses her powers to upset the plans of Dorothy and her friends. [Am. Lit. and Cin. - or for any other performance during the remainder of the run, which concludes July 31. The cancellation line has about 30 people. Heading the line is Matt Cohen Matt Cohen may refer to:
Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out . People submit their names at 5:30. At 6 p.m., a tumbler is spun, and names are drawn. Twenty-six prime orchestra seats for that evening's performance, at a cost of $25 per ticket, are raffled off to the winners. Cash only. Resell them at your peril, since the management will take them back if they catch you. Arnie Cuarenta, up from Long Beach with his nephew and two nieces, is delighted as the family's name is drawn twice, meaning all four can attend the evening's performance. Less fortunate that evening is Stephanie J. Block Stephanie J. Block (born Stephanie Janette Block on September 19, 1972) is an American stage actress and member of Actors Equity and the Los Angeles Musical Theater Guild. She most recently played Grace "Grania" O'Malley in the Broadway show The Pirate Queen , who plays the title role in ``Wicked.'' Minus the green makeup, Block stands in line with the rest of the lottery-minded masses. Her name isn't drawn. ``I would get there as soon as I could after work on a weeknight week·night n. A night of the week exclusive of Saturday and Sunday. week  nights ,'' advises Gordon. ``I'd ask the first person
in the cancellation line what time he or she got there. Then the next
day, I'd show up even earlier than that. Get the earliest estimate
you can and then beat it by a half-hour.''
Evan Henerson, (818) 713-3651 evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com 6 of L.A.'s hottest engagements Here's some advice on getting tickets to these in-demand events. ``Wicked,'' Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , daily except Monday through July 31. Advice: Show up super early and stand in the cancellation line. If this doesn't work for one performance, come back the next day and try again. While holding a spot, also enter the daily lottery, which is held before every performance at 6 p.m. (and at noon for Saturday and Sunday matinees.) ``Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,'' Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, also known as LACMA, is the official and world-renowned art museum of the County of Los Angeles, California, located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. , 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, through Nov. 15. Advice: A much-ballyhooed exhibition, certainly, but very viewable. Call (877) 888-8587 or visit www.kingtut.org to select your desired day and time. Weekends and weekdays (during the day) are in higher demand. A $75 VIP ticket gives the flexibility to choose your time on a given day. Yo-Yo Ma
Ancient trade route that linked China with Europe. Originally a caravan route and used from c. 100 BC, the 4,000-mi (6,400-km) road started in Xi'an, China, followed the Great Wall to the northwest, climbed the Pamir Mtns. Ensemble, Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheatre at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances. The "bowl" in this context is the natural cavity in the earth into which the amphitheater is built, rather than the shape of the , Aug. 7. Advice: Tickets are going quickly for this one. Fortunately, we're talking about a venue with nearly 18,000 seats. Visit www.hollywoodbowl.com, or call (323) 850-2000. If you don't like what's available, check back often for cancellations. Stacked and/or costly parking make same day walk-ups a gamble. If you're going to show up on the night of the show without a ticket, be prepared to stay. Kris Kristofferson and Steve Earle Steve Earle (born Stephen Fain Earle January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, well known for his rock and country music, as well as for his many political views. He is also a published writer, a political activist and has written and directed a play. in concert, UCLA's Royce Hall Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison (James Edward Allison, 1870-1955, and his brother David Clark Allison, 1881-1962) in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and completed , Sept. 18. Advice: Single tickets for UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX Live's entire season are now available by calling (310) 825-2101, or visiting www.uclalive.org. If you're going to try to snag a seat on the day of the show, get to the box office 60 to 90 minutes before show time. ``The Cherry Orchard cherry orchard focal point of the declining Ranevsky estate. [Russ. Drama: Chekhov The Cherry Orchard in Magill II, 144] See : Decadence ,'' Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, Feb. 12 to March 19, 2006. Advice: Anton Chekhov packing the aisles? It will when you've got Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is a Golden Globe-, BAFTA- and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning American actress. Biography Early life Bening was born in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Shirley and Grant Bening, an insurance salesman. and Alfred Molina headlining the cast. No way of knowing yet whether the celeb ce·leb n. Informal A celebrity. draw will zap the Taper's $12 rush seats held two hours before every performance. If that avenue isn't available, single tickets for all Taper shows will be available in either September or October. Check out www.taperahmanson.com. ``Dead End,''!off Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, Aug. 28 through Oct. 16 Advice:This Depression-era drama about street gangs will feature Jeremy Sisto, Tom Everett Scott and an orchestra pit full of water to replicate the East River. Much the same deal as for ``Cherry Orchard'' except that, since the Ahmanson is a much larger house than its across-the-plaza neighbor, there should be more tickets available. Single tickets for ``Dead End'' go on sale July 31. www.taperahmanson.com More ways to save A few more tips for ticket hunters: Always check availability at discount ticket outlets such as LAStageTIX at www.lastagealliance.com or www.goldstarevents.com. These agencies offer tickets to theater and other arts and entertainment events for half price or less, plus a service fee. Ask about rush discounts. Many venues will offer discounts to seniors, students and other select groups less than two hours before curtain on the day of the performance. At some theaters, the rush price applies to everybody. Join the opening night standby line at any of the Center Theatre Group venues (Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre and Kirk Douglas Theatre The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located in Culver City, California and in 2004, was acquired by the famed Center Theatre Group. The theatre is the most intimate of the groups 3 stages and seats 317 patrons at max occupancy. ). When they become available, all released tickets are handed out free of charge. CAPTION(S): 6 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) ``King Tut'' (2 -- cover -- color) ``Wicked'' (3 -- cover -- color) ``Dead End'' Jon Gerung/Staff Artist (4) ucky winners in the daily ticket lottery for ``Wicked'' not only get orchestra seats for $25, they also get this button, as displayed by Bob Walton of the Pantages box office. (5) Hundreds line up outside Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in hopes of securing one of the 26 seats sold by lottery for that evening's ``Wicked'' performance. (6) Mia Chiromonte of Hollywood, left, and Kecia Kennedy of Burbank are happy winners in the ``Wicked'' lottery. Photos by Evan Yee/Staff Photographer Box: (1) 6 of L.A.'s hottest engagements (see text) (2) More ways to save (see text) |
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