Sections of the Theater
The Orchestra. The main floor of the theater is called the Orchestra. (This can get confusing if you're going to an orchestra concert and your seat is in the Orchestra. That doesn't mean that you'll be seated onstage with an instrument in your hands!)
Balconies. In some theaters the balconies have special names like Loge, or Founders' Circle, or Dress Circle. Sometimes the front part of a balcony has one name, and the back part of the same balcony has another name. These names, and what they mean, are different in every theater.
Boxes. Boxes are small booths for a few people, usually located in one of the lower balconies. Boxes often have extra privacy. Not all theaters have them.
Standing room. In some theaters, you can buy a cheaper ticket that entitles you to stand in the back, behind the last row of seats. If you're hardy, this can be a great way to see operas.
Special seating. Occasionally, when the performing group is small and the audience is big, extra chairs are set up on the stage, surrounding the musicians. If you like to watch performers up close, this can be a great place to sit. Some concert halls are designed with this kind of wraparound audience in mind; they have permanent seating behind the musicians.
Visual obstructions. Some theaters have a few seats with only a partial view of the stage. Maybe there's a handrail or a pillar in the way, or maybe the architect was a nut case. These obstructed seats are sometimes extra cheap.
The Kindness of Strangers
At almost every concert, there are people waiting out front with extra tickets to unload, and other people looking for tickets. More than once while I waited in long, discouraging ticket lines, a total stranger has approached me to offer a ticket. "I've got an extra ticket, do you want it?" Sometimes the stranger won' t take any money, but just wants to see the ticket used. Sometimes I have paid for the ticket.
Be careful, though: in some places it is illegal to resell tickets near the box office. Also, sometimes there are scalpers who resell tickets at inflated prices.
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