I’ve been in ticketing for almost thirty years. From sports to opera to theater, I think I’ve seen almost everything. I’ve been with BIC from almost the very beginning and it’s amazing to see how we’ve grown and become the envy of the country.
There’s never a dull moment at the three BIC Box Offices. We get all kinds. Especially now that we’re really an international destination. The UN has nothing on us.
Here are some untrue myths you should know about getting BIC tickets:
We’re always sold out. No, we’re not. Never assume we are sold out. If at first you do not find tickets, keep checking. Availability changes all the time. Why? Don’t ask why, just believe. Of course, in general, it’s easier and cheaper to go to shows Tuesday to Thursday.
Limited View means you can’t see anything. Definitely not true. “Limited View” means different things for different productions. We usually don’t know exactly what you’ll miss until the show gets here. But in general, you’ll still see a vast majority of the show. Once the show is loaded in and on stage, we can assess the sight lines and answer any limited view questions for you. Limited view seats are generally a good bit cheaper than top price seats (a good deal). I’ve seen some patrons request limited view seats repeatedly because the limitation may be so slight that the show is still enjoyable from these seats.
Our seats are odd numbered, they’re not together. Again, not true. Common ticketing practice is to have odd numbered seats together and even numbered seats together. Why? I once heard it helps the ushers to seat you.
Tickets are so expensive. I can’t afford it. Definitely not true. Prices vary from production to production, but there are always a variety of prices. Also, you can come to our box offices for one-on-one service and no additional fees. Check our website for deals and specials.
A few quick tips for getting the best seats:
Buy season tickets. We offer season ticket packages several times a year. You get priority seats, possibly a discount, advance notice of non season events, and other benefits. These are especially valuable for short run shows (most of our shows run 2-3 weeks).
Buy a group (usually 20 or more). Our group sales department offers great deals and advance purchase for all our shows before the public on-sale.
Look for special pre-sales. Often (not always), American Express, Visa, and other possible sources sponsor special sales before the public.
Make the effort to go to a Tuesday to Thursday performance. I know it’s tough but the reward may well be worth it. Easier to get good seats, cheaper, easier to get dinner reservations. The Tuesday to Thursday shows start a little bit earlier (usually 7:30pm).
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A WARNING:
Be careful when ordering on-line. There are many web sites that sell tickets. Only two are official: BroadwayinChicago.com (most direct link to our seats) & Ticketmaster.com. At the windows on the nights of the shows we often see patrons who order from “other web sites” that are in some way disappointed or misled in their purchase for a number of reasons. Very often, you can be redirected to a web site that is not associated with us. If you are not comfortable with any part of your on-line experience, stop. Remember to search for our shows through Ticketmaster or BroadwayinChicago.com, not by the show name.
I’m sure I left a number of questions unanswered, but stop by our box offices and we’ll do our best to help you. We love new & unusual questions…
-Jim, Box Office Treasurer
