Saturday, May 31, 2008
Little SJ Rep Update
So i finally broke down and called the SJ rep again, resisting my hasty impulse to stop payment on my check and forget the whole idea. After much being put on hold and confusion I was finally connected to the original guy who called me. I honestly don't think he really knew who I was or what I was talking about at first, even though he was trying to answer my question and get me off the phone. But I will not be dismissed so easily, especially when his "answers" seemed completely unrelated to my questions...and he didn't seem to get that he had called me.
Bottom line: I'm still not really sure, but I think his original call was only to inform me that he couldn't guarantee the same seats as I had requested. That was it. Just a little heads up.
It's just a shame that it took 4 phone calls and a lot of wasted time on hold and trying to explain my question to figure this out.
Bottom line: I'm still not really sure, but I think his original call was only to inform me that he couldn't guarantee the same seats as I had requested. That was it. Just a little heads up.
It's just a shame that it took 4 phone calls and a lot of wasted time on hold and trying to explain my question to figure this out.
Labels: customer service problems, San Jose Rep
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
I guess the San Jose rep doesn't want my subscription?
Sometimes I really don't understand.
Almost three weeks ago now I sent in a subscription renewal for the San Jose Rep. The S.O. and I were given a mini-season for a wedding present, and we decided to renew for a full season. I sent in our form, a request to keep our same seats, and a hefty check.
Then the confusion started.
I got a call from the Assistant Box Office Manager, saying that because this season's subscription was a mini-season, we really couldn't request the same seats, so we'd have to pick new ones, and I should call him. I did, getting his voicemail and leaving a message including both my work phone and cell phone.
A week later (!) I called again, and he finally called back, trying only my work phone, and left another voicemail, saying to just call the regular box office number and anyone would be able to help me.
So, I did call the box office...where they, of course, had no idea what I was talking about and had no record of me, my order, my check. So, they dutifully took my info and said they'd check with mr. asst. box office manager and get back to me.
And still haven't.
I mean, they haven' cashed my check either, so that's good.
But my goodness, with the way theatres whine about needing more subscribers I cannot imagine how they put me in a position of having to call them what will be, I think, four times just to make them take my money.
I'm an impatient person. I'm also someone who thinks companies that give poor customer service don't deserve to have me as their customer. I'm this close to just stopping payment on the check and giving up on the whole idea.
Do I make one more attempt? Stay tuned...
Almost three weeks ago now I sent in a subscription renewal for the San Jose Rep. The S.O. and I were given a mini-season for a wedding present, and we decided to renew for a full season. I sent in our form, a request to keep our same seats, and a hefty check.
Then the confusion started.
I got a call from the Assistant Box Office Manager, saying that because this season's subscription was a mini-season, we really couldn't request the same seats, so we'd have to pick new ones, and I should call him. I did, getting his voicemail and leaving a message including both my work phone and cell phone.
A week later (!) I called again, and he finally called back, trying only my work phone, and left another voicemail, saying to just call the regular box office number and anyone would be able to help me.
So, I did call the box office...where they, of course, had no idea what I was talking about and had no record of me, my order, my check. So, they dutifully took my info and said they'd check with mr. asst. box office manager and get back to me.
And still haven't.
I mean, they haven' cashed my check either, so that's good.
But my goodness, with the way theatres whine about needing more subscribers I cannot imagine how they put me in a position of having to call them what will be, I think, four times just to make them take my money.
I'm an impatient person. I'm also someone who thinks companies that give poor customer service don't deserve to have me as their customer. I'm this close to just stopping payment on the check and giving up on the whole idea.
Do I make one more attempt? Stay tuned...
Labels: San Jose Rep
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tony Nominations are out
You can see the column and full list of nominations at the NY Times.
I agree with the Times that one of the most interesting things is to check out who got snubbed. Young Frankenstein got snubbed big-time. Little Mermaid did too. (Although I notice it's nominated for Best Original Score, so I have to ask: how "original" is it? What's the ratio of new songs to songs from the movie? This seems odd to me, but I haven't seen it, so can't reall comment intelligently about it.)
Sondheim is getting a lifetime achievement award, so they must be thinking he's never going to bring another new musical to Broadway. (And if you read some of his comments back form when he was working on Bounce, they might be right.)
Hard to root for anyone when I've seen exactly one nominated show, but I'm going to guess that Patty LuPone wins...what are your predictions?
I agree with the Times that one of the most interesting things is to check out who got snubbed. Young Frankenstein got snubbed big-time. Little Mermaid did too. (Although I notice it's nominated for Best Original Score, so I have to ask: how "original" is it? What's the ratio of new songs to songs from the movie? This seems odd to me, but I haven't seen it, so can't reall comment intelligently about it.)
Sondheim is getting a lifetime achievement award, so they must be thinking he's never going to bring another new musical to Broadway. (And if you read some of his comments back form when he was working on Bounce, they might be right.)
Hard to root for anyone when I've seen exactly one nominated show, but I'm going to guess that Patty LuPone wins...what are your predictions?
Labels: Broadway, Tony Awards
Friday, May 09, 2008
Taking a look at past Tony winner and losers
The Oxford University Press blog has Thomas S. Hischak, author of The Oxford Companion To The American Musical: Theatre, Film and Television, to provide commentary leading up to the Tony Awards this summer.
He kicks off with a post exploring which shows won, but probably shouldn't have; lost but probably shouldn't have, and laughed their Tony-free way all the way to the bank.
I agree on some calls, not others. From the lists he provides I agree the most shocking losers are:
West Side Story
Follies
Sunday in the Park With George
OTOH, there's not a single musical on his list of the biggest money-makers that didn't win that I feel is a stunning omission.
Finally, he has a list of those that did win that shouldn't have, and I must disagree about Avenue Q, but I couldn't agree MORE about The Will Rogers Follies.
When you check out his list, what's your reaction?
He kicks off with a post exploring which shows won, but probably shouldn't have; lost but probably shouldn't have, and laughed their Tony-free way all the way to the bank.
I agree on some calls, not others. From the lists he provides I agree the most shocking losers are:
West Side Story
Follies
Sunday in the Park With George
OTOH, there's not a single musical on his list of the biggest money-makers that didn't win that I feel is a stunning omission.
Finally, he has a list of those that did win that shouldn't have, and I must disagree about Avenue Q, but I couldn't agree MORE about The Will Rogers Follies.
When you check out his list, what's your reaction?
Labels: Tony Awards
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Local Production: Arclight Repertory Theatre
From my Inbox:
WHAT: Arclight Repertory Theatre presents the first annual “Shakespeare on the Square Festival” in downtown San Jose.
WHEN: June 6th – June 28th (Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm)
WHERE: Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro Street above Peggy Sue’s Restaurant
HOW MUCH: $15 and $10 for students/seniors (65 and older) and Theatre Bay Area members
HOW TO GET TIX: Reservations can be made through Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com
SHOWS: Twelfth Night, re-imagined on the ancient Indian island of Illyria, plus The Green Show—a free performance of Indian classical music, dance and love poetry presented by the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose one hour prior to the Twelfth Night performances on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Green Show performances are on Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 6pm outside on San Pedro Street next to Peggy Sue’s Restaurant.
About Arclight Repertory Theatre (ART)
WHAT: Arclight Repertory Theatre presents the first annual “Shakespeare on the Square Festival” in downtown San Jose.
WHEN: June 6th – June 28th (Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm)
WHERE: Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro Street above Peggy Sue’s Restaurant
HOW MUCH: $15 and $10 for students/seniors (65 and older) and Theatre Bay Area members
HOW TO GET TIX: Reservations can be made through Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com
SHOWS: Twelfth Night, re-imagined on the ancient Indian island of Illyria, plus The Green Show—a free performance of Indian classical music, dance and love poetry presented by the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose one hour prior to the Twelfth Night performances on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Green Show performances are on Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 6pm outside on San Pedro Street next to Peggy Sue’s Restaurant.
About Arclight Repertory Theatre (ART)
ART—a professional, nonprofit performing arts organization is partnering with the The Abhinaya Dance Company, Lincoln Glen Church and The San Jose Downtown Association to present the first annual “Shakespeare on the Square” festival. ART is dedicated to producing original, classical and contemporary plays in imaginative and innovative ways. ART offers educational outreach programs to underserved and at-risk youth in Santa Clara County and develops new voices for the theatre through its “Sparklight Play Development Series.” Arclight Rep will present Mark W. Jordan’s original adaptation of Henry IV entitled, Henry, Harry and Sir John on Sunday, May 18th at the Theatre on San Pedro Square at 7pm. Last summer, Arclight Repertory Theatre presented Shakespeare’s dark comedy, Measure for Measure. The San Jose Metro critic Marianne Messina described it as “an extremely lucid production” and added that “Pushing creatively on the text, Arclight’s production adds revelation between the spoken lines, which makes it full of surprises”.
Labels: Arclight Repertory Theatre
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Divas For Life 2008
Molly Bell is at it again...producing her fourth Divas For Life benefit for the Relay For Life: American Cancer Society.WHAT: Divas For Life, a benefit
WHEN: Monday, June 2 Show time is 7:00 PM with a VIP reception to follow at 8:30 PM.
WHERE: The Eagle Theater, Los Altos High School, 201 Almond Ave, Los Altos.
HOW MUCH: $25, $50 for VIP (front & center seating plus reception) and $75 for Super VIP (VIP perks plus autographed DIVA t-shirt).
HOW TO GET TIX: Go to www.missmollybell.com
This year’s highlight is a special preview of songs from the upcoming world premiere of Becoming Britney, a show co-written by Molly Bell and Daya Curley about Britney, a character whose fame and foibles turn her to rehab where she discovers her life’s purpose in a musical.
Oh, and who are the divas? This year they include: Katherine Von Till, Kristin Sharpley, Kathryn Foley, Kristin Stokes, Riette Burdick, Angela Gunter, Annmarie Martin, Carrie Madsen, Dani Marcus, Nicole Tung, Daya Curley, and Molly Bell herself. Matt Hohensee, Musical Director of Becoming Britney, serves as the show’s "Divo of the Keys."
Enjoy the divas :)
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Friday, May 02, 2008
The intersection of two interests
You know I loves me some Bernadette Peters...she's idol.
And you may know that I'm an animal fanatic...no really, down to the whole vegan thing.
Now, those two worlds collide as Bernadette Peters has written a book, Broadway Barks.
Actually, Broadway Barks is the charitable organization Bernadette started along with Mary Tyler Moore. And I must say both Bernadette's site and the Broadway Barks site do woefully little to promote this book, so I had trouble finding other info.
The Orlando Sentinel article above did give me info I hadn't known: That Bernadette's husband was killed three years ago in a helicopter crash! Wow.
Anyway, thank goodness for Amazon, so I can provide you the ordering info I know you want:
Cute cover, huh?
And you may know that I'm an animal fanatic...no really, down to the whole vegan thing.
Now, those two worlds collide as Bernadette Peters has written a book, Broadway Barks.
Actually, Broadway Barks is the charitable organization Bernadette started along with Mary Tyler Moore. And I must say both Bernadette's site and the Broadway Barks site do woefully little to promote this book, so I had trouble finding other info.
The Orlando Sentinel article above did give me info I hadn't known: That Bernadette's husband was killed three years ago in a helicopter crash! Wow.
Anyway, thank goodness for Amazon, so I can provide you the ordering info I know you want:
Cute cover, huh?
Labels: Bernadette Peters
