Why Can't People Learn To Stay In Their ASSIGNED Seats???

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

So, I work at a performing arts theater, like for plays and concerts and stuff. At my theater, there is a price difference between levels, but you wouldn't know because the last two levels are connected by stairs. On evenings when a performance doesn't sell very well, you have empty seats between the break in price. At times, people would move from the cheap seats to a more expensive seats, about $10+ difference. Some are good about it and move back, but then there are some that complain and whine that there are nobody are sitting there. They even try and say that people are kicking their seats so that's why they want to move up. I mean, if you want to move closer, they could of fork out the extra cash to sit there.

Why can't people stay in their seats??

[GaTechGal]

Just to play devil's advocate here, if the seats aren't sold, then after the performance starts what does it matter as long as they aren't creating a disturbance?

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

Just to play devil's advocate here, if the seats aren't sold, then after the performance starts what does it matter as long as they aren't creating a disturbance?

Would it be fair for you if someone from the nosebleed secttion move to the more expensive seats that you paid $20 more to get??

[Amphigorey]

I don't see a problem if they're not disturbing anybody and the seats are empty anyway.

[Shios]

Would it be fair for you if someone from the nosebleed secttion move to the more expensive seats that you paid $20 more to get??

This is the problem with express tickets. When people have the ExpressPLUS passes, they can only use them on each attraction, ONCE. Every now and again, I'll scan the tickets and it will come up with the error message "Exceeded usage" meaning they have already been through the express line. They'll stand there and argue with me for 3-4 minutes about why they can't just go ONE MORE TIME through the express, and I just tell them "Well look, if I let you through one more time, then I will have to let everybody else behind you that has listened to this conversation through again as well, because you paid the same money that they did, and it wouldn't be fair if you got to use it more then intended and they didn't, and I really can't allow that."

:rolleyes:

[Ms. Matterhorn]

Assigned seats? I think the problem begins in High School...

On the other hand, don't the performers prefer to look out and see a full house? At the Academy Awards, they have people who are "seat fillers" who fill in the empty seats in front if somebody goes to the restroom.

Try looking at it this way...those seat jumpers are performing a service!

[DisneyMom]

When we were at the Rush concert in Irvine, the seats in front of us were empty until the start of the concert, after which we had no less than 4 or 5 different groups come and go.....guess the seats (although stolen) weren't good enough for them...:rolleyes:

[ktulu]

When I was younger and attended concerts on a regular basis, my friends and I often upgraded ourselves to better seats. When we got caught and escorted back to the lawn (aka the cheap seats), we'd wait for the next band to start and a group of us would upgrade once again. Ah, good times...

[Disneyguy85]

Why can't people stay in their seats??


Eh, because they are people, that's why. ;)

For the same reason why people will go to a movie theater and pay for a ticket for a certain movie, then sneak into the auditorium for a completely different movie.

I guess people just like to cheat the system and dance with danger.

[Syndrome]

I don't have a strong feeling on this one way or another, but I guess the main unfairness would like in the fact that a certain number of people paid $X extra for their good seats, while the others get the same type of seat for significantly less. Would it be fair to refund the difference to the poor devils who didn't think of buying the crummy seats and hoping for a free upgrade? And what if there are more self-upgraders than there are available empties? Do they fight it out in a cage match?

On the flipside, Mr. Syndrome and my brother went to see "On the Record" in Chicago (only true Disney fans remember that colossal flop). My nephew and niece were at the same performance, but in the nosebleeds where their season tickets were located. An usher actually gave them permission to sit near bro and the mister since there were empty seats.

This brings to mind an only vaguely connected story: One day Mr. Syndrome and I showed up to see Evita in Chicago, only to discover that our view was totally obscured by a hastily-installed soundboard. We were moved to the second row...pretty sweet. Dunno if the people around us resented having paid more, but hey, not my problem in that case.

[aixia]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Hi! :waves:

I'm a House Manager in a university theatre. We have one of our theatres broken out by level, with a price break in the balcony. However, on a fairly empty night with only a handful of patrons in the balcony, I'll quite often just tell everyone with a balcony ticket to go take a seat on our lower level instead. They get an upgrade, the other patrons don't know the difference, and it puts more people closer to the action, which is always better for the performers. Nothing like being onstage and looking out over a sparsely populated theatre; the least I can do is fill in the close spots so it looks a little better.

Now, on a full night? You bet I'm watching like a hawk to make sure people are heading upstairs when they're supposed to be. However, if someone comes to me at intermission and asks to move into empty seats downstairs that they saw, I tell them to go for it.

In some theatres, I can totally understand being strict about staying in the assigned seats. Doesn't make sense for my theatre though, it's not worth the headache to police it.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

WELCOME!!!

and I agree, your solution seems to make a lot of sense, in that type of venue!

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Hi! :waves:

I'm a House Manager in a university theatre. We have one of our theatres broken out by level, with a price break in the balcony. However, on a fairly empty night with only a handful of patrons in the balcony, I'll quite often just tell everyone with a balcony ticket to go take a seat on our lower level instead. They get an upgrade, the other patrons don't know the difference, and it puts more people closer to the action, which is always better for the performers. Nothing like being onstage and looking out over a sparsely populated theatre; the least I can do is fill in the close spots so it looks a little better.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm............ what are the price ranges??

Any advice or suggestions to convice my House Manager?? My theater has a different policy.

[GaTechGal]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Hi! :waves:

I'm a House Manager in a university theatre. We have one of our theatres broken out by level, with a price break in the balcony. However, on a fairly empty night with only a handful of patrons in the balcony, I'll quite often just tell everyone with a balcony ticket to go take a seat on our lower level instead. They get an upgrade, the other patrons don't know the difference, and it puts more people closer to the action, which is always better for the performers. Nothing like being onstage and looking out over a sparsely populated theatre; the least I can do is fill in the close spots so it looks a little better.

Now, on a full night? You bet I'm watching like a hawk to make sure people are heading upstairs when they're supposed to be. However, if someone comes to me at intermission and asks to move into empty seats downstairs that they saw, I tell them to go for it.

In some theatres, I can totally understand being strict about staying in the assigned seats. Doesn't make sense for my theatre though, it's not worth the headache to police it.


That just makes total sense. If you buy a cheaper seat, you're not guarenteed the chance to get an upgrade, but you might. If the house is full you have to keep the seat you have.

[aixia]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm............ what are the price ranges??

Any advice or suggestions to convice my House Manager?? My theater has a different policy.

Our prices are fairly cheap, we are a university after all. $20 lower level, $12 balcony. It's not a huge price break, so moving people isn't likely to set off an entitlement firestorm from the people who paid more.

As for convincing your House Manager, you're probably best off to ask questions about the policy and the reasonings behind it, then spark a conversation from there. With most of these sorts of rules, the rule comes about because of people abusing laxer policies, so there may be a reason from way back as for why it's done that way. Once you understand the reasons, you can better combat them.

[BRWombat]

...On the flipside, Mr. Syndrome and my brother went to see "On the Record" in Chicago (only true Disney fans remember that colossal flop). ...It was considered a flop? Really? I'm surprised. It packed out the theater here in Dallas, and my family and I loved it. Granted, it had pretty limited appeal, mainly to die-hard Mouse fans, but I thought it was great, and the crowd I saw it with seemed to agree. To this date, the soundtrack CD's are among the most listened-to Disney music in both my house and my in-laws.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Hi! :waves:

....I like your solution, aixia. My own take is that the people paying higher prices are getting what they paid for as far as their own seats are concerned, and so long as those that move from cheaper seats are not disruptive, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Oh, and :welcome: to :sgt: from :wallaby: and :wombat:!!! :D: :D: :D:

[DisneyMom]

When I was younger and attended concerts on a regular basis, my friends and I often upgraded ourselves to better seats. When we got caught and escorted back to the lawn (aka the cheap seats), we'd wait for the next band to start and a group of us would upgrade once again. Ah, good times...

I didn't think that was you at the Rush concert, but Hubby and I both said that you and Jill seemed downright familiar when we met you....;)

[Syndrome]

It was considered a flop? Really? I'm surprised. It packed out the theater here in Dallas, and my family and I loved it. Granted, it had pretty limited appeal, mainly to die-hard Mouse fans, but I thought it was great, and the crowd I saw it with seemed to agree. To this date, the soundtrack CD's are among the most listened-to Disney music in both my house and my in-laws.
In Chicago it didn't sell well at all (hence my nephew's upgrade), but I personally think a lot of it was that it was barely promoted. It only lasted a year from opening till final touring performance...I think it had a lot of potential, but they just didn't support it.

[BRWombat]

In Chicago it didn't sell well at all (hence my nephew's upgrade), but I personally think a lot of it was that it was barely promoted. It only lasted a year from opening till final touring performance...I think it had a lot of potential, but they just didn't support it.That's a shame. In any case, I kind of got the impression that it really wasn't designed to be anything with legs -- it's not your typical long-running Broadway fare -- so I wasn't surprised by the one-tour-and-it's-done.

On the positive side, we could say that we saw Ashley Brown in a Disney musical before she became Mary Poppins on Broadway.

[Syndrome]

Yeah, Mr. Syndrome and my brother really enjoyed it (I was supposed to be there instead of bro but I was sick...ugh). Bro's not even all that into Disney, but he likes plays and Broadway music so it still appealed to him.

We've already got our Mary Poppins tickets for Chicago (good excuse for me to fly out there and briefly see the family too).

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

Our prices are fairly cheap, we are a university after all. $20 lower level, $12 balcony. It's not a huge price break, so moving people isn't likely to set off an entitlement firestorm from the people who paid more.


Maybe that's why you guys can do that. The cheap seats ranges around $20 and the most expensive seats are around $65 depending on the configuration and performance.

[Cheshire Figment]

As a native New Yorker, I used to do a lot of "second acting" as a teenager. I would go into Manhattan (nicely dressed, of course) and go to near the theater (or concert hall) I wanted. At the end of the first intermission (especially with all the smokers) I would enter the theater, hang in the back of the auditorium, and then spot where there were two or more vacant seats together and go take one of them. I would then see the remainder of the show (or hear the rest of the concert) but always miss the first part.

Of course, all it would cost me was subway fare each way.

[ktulu]

I didn't think that was you at the Rush concert, but Hubby and I both said that you and Jill seemed downright familiar when we met you....;)

I think we're famous, just no one tells us and there is a huge conspiracy to keep us from knowing we are famous. We seem familiar to lots of people!

See, your comments play into my paranoia, I've never been to a Rush concert!

[DisneyMom]

I think we're famous, just no one tells us and there is a huge conspiracy to keep us from knowing we are famous. We seem familiar to lots of people!

See, your comments play into my paranoia, I've never been to a Rush concert!

Never been to see Rush? That's too bad.
But maybe we'll see you at the Metallica concert we're going to on the 12th;)

[hobie16]

But maybe we'll see you at the Metallica concert we're going to on the 12th;)
Tell them to come to Maui!!!

[DisneyMom]

Tell them to come to Maui!!!

I will, Hobie, just have to perform all kinds of sexual favors to get backstage, tho!;)

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I will, Hobie, just have to perform all kinds of sexual favors to get backstage, tho!;)

Disneymom!!!!

[DisneyMom]

Disneymom!!!!

What? Ktulu told me he got backstage at Metallica once......:p:

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

What? Ktulu told me he got backstage at Metallica once......:p:

Ktulu!?!?!?!?!?!

jeeze, maybe I should start a band!!!


I could play cowbell!!!!

heheheheh

[hobie16]

i will, hobie, just have to perform all kinds of sexual favors to get backstage, tho!;)
Thank You!!!

[hobie16]

I could play cowbell!!!!
Don't belittle the lowly cowbell. Used properly it's an integral piece in the wall of sound.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Don't belittle the lowly cowbell. Used properly it's an integral piece in the wall of sound.

I Got a FEVER, and Cowbell is the only cure!!!

[Ms. Matterhorn]

Ktulu!?!?!?!?!?!

jeeze, maybe I should start a band!!!


I could play cowbell!!!!

heheheheh

I'll be your first groupie!

[hobie16]

http://brandon-hall.com/janetclarey/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/cowbell.jpg

[hobie16]

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j82/jessywoman/More_Cowbell.jpg

[ktulu]

Never been to see Rush? That's too bad.
But maybe we'll see you at the Metallica concert we're going to on the 12th;)

I wish!

What? Ktulu told me he got backstage at Metallica once......:p:

More than once actually, but there were no favors of the sexual kind needed. See, when you are famous like I am, they just give you passes to hang out...

[DisneyMom]

I'll be your first groupie!

No, not a Groupie- a Band-Aid;)
(Did you see Almost Famous?)

[DisneyMom]

More than once actually, but there were no favors of the sexual kind needed. See, when you are famous like I am, they just give you passes to hang out...

Well, I'll see you backstage, then!:p:
Too bad I'm not famous, then I wouldn't have to work so hard to convince all those bands to go to Maui for Hobie.....:rolleyes: Boy, am I tired.I sure hope Hobie appreciates this!

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I wish!



More than once actually, but there were no favors of the sexual kind needed. See, when you are famous like I am, they just give you passes to hang out...

HEY...Other peoples girlfriends are in there!!!

hehehehe

[turkeyham]

I wash we had a few cowbells at the park. It was very busy. :eek:

[Main Streeter]

I wash we had a few cowbells at the park. It was very busy. :eek:
Not even a large cowbell could be heard on Main Street last night. The street was an absolute zoo! Candle Light 2 xs Sat. & Sun. is beautiful but clogs & stops everything on Main Street. The use of a cowbell would only create a small "dong" in the throngs I was trying to move around in. :eek:

[hobie16]

Well, I'll see you backstage, then!:p:
Too bad I'm not famous, then I wouldn't have to work so hard to convince all those bands to go to Maui for Hobie.....:rolleyes: Boy, am I tired.I sure hope Hobie appreciates this!
Thank yeeewww, thank yeeeewwww very much!!

[Ms. Matterhorn]

No, not a Groupie- a Band-Aid;)
(Did you see Almost Famous?)

Almost famous, no I don't think so. But I could be a bandaid if I get a peach colored dress with white polka dots. (Scary!)

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Almost famous, no I don't think so. But I could be a bandaid if I get a peach colored dress with white polka dots. (Scary!)

Well, I suppose that ONE costume you could wear!!!!

hehehhehe