It’s the holidays.  There’s a lot of seasonal theater around, and many people make attending an annual tradition.  To that end, I would like to offer a few insights into how to make picking up your tickets quick and easy.

At the Time of Purchase
• When purchasing your tickets, you will be asked how you would like to receive them.  There’s no wrong answer, but do know which one you have selected!
• By mail:  This means it’s your responsibility to remember to bring the tickets.  That being said, if you purchased the tickets directly through the venue, the box office can reprint them if you forget them.
• By email:  Most likely, you won’t even need to print the tickets.  All you have to do is make sure you can pull them up on your phone.
• Will Call:  The tickets will be held for you at the box office onsite and you need to collect them upon arrival.

Will Call
• Tickets are organized in the box office alphabetically by last name.  I am willing to bet that is consistent at venues around the world.  It’s as straightforward as it gets.  Do not give the box office employee a long order number; it won’t help.
• All you really need to pick up your tickets is your name.  Some venues will ask to see ID, and some will ask to see the credit card you used to purchase the tickets.

How to Pick Up Your Tickets
I wish every single person would walk up to the box office window and say some variation on the following, with a pleasant manner and without taking anything out on the employee:
“Hi there!  I’m picking up two tickets under Gaintner.  First name Ellen.”

Please avoid variations on the following:
• “What do you need?”
• “I have an order number.”
• “I think I might have tickets here.”

Please also avoid:
• Not greeting the employee.
• Providing only your first name if asked your name.

In Case of Problems
• It’s very helpful to know how you purchased the tickets.  Did you buy them directly through the venue or presenting organization?  If so, you’re probably in the system and the box office will be able to solve the problem quickly.  Did you buy your ticket through a third party?  A third party means:  Goldstar, TodayTix, StubHub, etc.  The solution may not be as simple, but it will help the box office find you and your tickets much faster if they know where they originated.
• If the box office can’t find your tickets under your name, please offer the following: your maiden name; the name of your spouse if different than yours; your Facebook name. In other words, know what name the tickets are under.
• The person who purchased the tickets needs to be the one doing the talking.  Full stop.

General Theater Stuff
• Everything is inside the venue, past the point where someone checks your ticket: the bathroom, bar, concessions, and coat check.
• There are ushers who will tell you where to go once you show your ticket.
• Your entire party does not need to stand in line to pick up the tickets.  Just the one person whose name they are under.
• Please don’t use your phone in during the performance.  There are a host of reasons why it’s a major no-no, but for now let’s go with this one:  the light from your phone is massively distracting to everyone next to or behind you.  Whatever it is can wait until intermission or after the show.  And if you can’t actually go an hour without looking at your phone, then perhaps you should look into an enforced digital detox.

And now, armed with this information, I hope you will go forth and buy a ticket and enjoy a show!