Karma Blog

Buddy proves that he can perform under pressure.  Watch as he goes to the extreme to snag some great Britney Spears tickets.

GoAnimate.com: Britney Tour by seatkarma

Your feedback on what you would like to see Buddy do in future episodes is more than welcome!

For a list of current shows, please see our Broadway show ticket page.

In most industries, there is a gold standard; a company, group, or product that embodies everything that is most desired by the consumer.  For English-speaking theater, that ideal is known as “Broadway”.  But what is it that makes a show a Broadway show?  Is simply showing in New York enough?

First, Broadway is geographic.  The section of Manhattan designated  as Broadway is a dazzling collection of theaters  of various dimensions and capacities.  While this area accounts for thousands of showings each year, the plays and musicals that qualify as Broadway shows represent only a small fraction of New York city productions.

The criteria is really pretty simple – a show can be called “Broadway” if it is showing in one of the 39 theaters that are considered Broadway.  This designation may seem inconsequential at first, but  only Broadway shows may be nominated for Tony Awards.

The 39 theaters considered Broadway houses  are, for the most part, located in 10 blocks in Manhattan’s West Side.   Broadway theaters on average seat more people (between about 500 and 2000) than other theaters in New York.

An early morning tour bus accident on December 6 has landed Weezer’s leading man Rivers Cuomo in the hospital with minor injuries.  In response to the accident, Weezer has cancelled its remaining December dates on the Raditude Tour. According to TicketNews.com, Cuomo “sustained three cracked ribs, internal damage and a lower leg injury”.  Cuomo’s assistant also fractured two ribs and a lower vertebrae in the accident.  There were others on the bus including Cuomo’s wife and child, but no others were injured.

The three shows cancelled as a result of the accident include the December 7 concert at Agganis Arena in Boston, December 9 at Patriot Center in Washington DC, and December 10 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ.

According to the Weezer’s website, the plan is to reschedule these shows.  We’ll keep you informed!  Get Weezer tickets.

Just what we need, another secret formula in College Football! Wondering how your team’s bowl ranks against others in terms of ticket demand? Using a proprietary formula which evaluates each event based on data from a variety of industry and internal sources, Seat Karma has provided the following list of bowl games that are in highest demand by fans (to view available tickets, see this post or go directly to SeatKarma.com):

Well, it’s official!  The bowl game pairings for the 2009-2010 college football season have been released.  Among the games there are a few surprises and of course plenty of controversy over who made it into the BCS National Championship Bowl.  Here’s a look at the schedule for your viewing pleasure.  For sports event tickets to any of these games, simply click on the name of the teams in the “Matchup” column.

Contributed by Reed Terry, ReedsTickets.com

Billy Elliot – An Endearing Musical About The Enduring Human Spirit

The opening show of Billy Elliot, the Broadway musical, was held on October 8th 2008 in New York at the Imperial Theater. Since then, the show has continued to enthrall audiences so much that people simply cannot stop smiling even after the show is long over. The critics have been enthusiastic about heaping honors and praises on this uplifting and endearing musical that celebrates the courage and strength of a young boy in the face of adversity, despair and poverty. The greatest strength of the show is the young stars that wonderfully portray the title character.

The Story Of Billy Elliot

The story of Billy Elliot is set against the backdrop of a coal miners’ strike that takes place during the tough, economic periods of mid 80s in England. The year-long strike has reduced the town to poverty and starvation. 11-year old Billy belongs to the rough working class community. After the death of his mother, Billy’s coal miner father is now bringing him up. A ballet class allows Billy to find relief from the violence and poverty all around him. The ballet class gives him a reason to dream and hope. The classes are conducted by Mrs. Wilkerson who soon turns into Billy’s mentor and sole source of inspiration. Billy desperately desires to attend the Royal School Ballet in London and Mrs. Wilkerson spurs him on.

However, things are not favorable for Billy back at home. His family and neighbors consider dancing as unmanly. Billy soon has to face bullying, taunts and other obstacles. Although his father has forbidden dancing, Billy is intent on following his dream. Dance and ballet mean the world to Billy. He decides that he will allow nothing to deter him from pursing his dream and resolutely prepares himself to face the tough road ahead. The story beautifully and realistically portrays how desire, determination and faith together can help one triumph against the toughest odds.

Creative Force Behind The Musical

The pleasant yet realistic musical production was written by Lee Hall who also penned the screenplay of the movie under the same name. Elton John has created an outstanding musical score to enhance the solid storyline. In fact, the musical score adds to the entertainment level of this musical with uplifting and inspiring songs that honor the strength of the human spirit. Under the choreography of Peter Darling, the young dancers fascinate the audience with some impressive and dazzling dance routines. Direction is by Stephen Daldry and is especially notable. Daldry has succeeded in superbly crafting and handling scenes to optimize the emotional impact without affecting the real values in this endearing story.

A Bright Future Ahead

With 10 Tony Awards, this musical has been labeled as the best musical production of all times. Billy Elliot also won awards for the best actor and best musical, making it a modern classic. Billy Elliot has already enchanted audiences in over 1300 performances. As the show continues to be a sell out one, the tickets to this musical are becoming increasingly hard to come by. However, you will still be able to find tickets with online ticket brokers. Browse online for a reputed ticket broker and purchase your tickets today.

A Broadway Tickets and Show Guide : A site with great articles on musicals and plays as well as sources for getting Broadway tickets when in New York City.

Broadway producers are continuing to make strides in search of next “Wicked” or “Billy Elliot” . Three  new shows are about to make appearance on Broadway Theaters in the next few weeks.

“Ragtime” is based on the classic 1975 novel by E.L Doctorow that weaves together the stories of 3 very different characters;  A WASP housewife, an Afro-American musician, and a Jewish immigrant, all living in NYC, the greatest melting pot on earth.  Ragtime  is a classic Broadway musical featuring a 28 piece orchestra, and a cast of 40 actors.  Ragtime premiers on Nov 15th at the Neil Simon Theatre.

“In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play” is directed by Les Waters and will perform in Lyceum Theatre. The show tells the story of a Victorian era doctor who gives his depressed patients a unique treatment that has them keep coming back.. The first preview showing is scheduled for Nov. 19.

“Fela!” is inspired by the life story of the Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Anikulapo–Kuti. The show is dubbed as a mix of a dance and a musical. The show boasts dynamic Afrobeat rhythms and tunes.  First showing is scheduled for Nov. 23rd at the Eugene O’Neill theatre.

As always, you get get you tickets to these new exciting shows, as well as all the other Broadway shows at out Broadway Theatre Tickets page.

The Broadway musical Wicked,  has celebrated its sixth anniversary on Friday 30 Oct 2009. The show opened at the Gershwin Theatre on 30 Oct 2003.  Wicked has been a mega-hit from the get go.  It regularly sells out, and is normally the  top ranked show in terms of ticket sales according to ticketnews.com

Wicked tells the “backstory” to The Wizard of Oz – a creative version of what happens to Elphaba, the supposed ‘wicked’ witch and Glinda, the reputed ‘good’ witch during the college years.

Wicked is base on a novel by Gregory Maguire.  The musical features original  music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.  It is directed by Joe Mantello.

SeatKarma features a 3D rendered map of Gershwin Theater – the home of Wicked on Broadway.  This makes comparing Wicked Broadway tickets a breeze.   Click on the link to search for the best tickets for this fantastic show.

Wicked - Click for Tickets

A new Broadway show is currently playing at the  Gerald Schoenfeld Theate.  A Steady Rain is a powerful story about two Chicago police officers, Denny and Joey.   Their lifelong friendship is put to the test when they mishandle a seemingly simple domestic dispute in a poor neighborhood, which later becomes a terrible tragedy.

The show features a star-studded lineup:  The two protagonists are played by Daniel Craig (aka 007), and Hugh Jackman (aka Wolverine).  Both are no stranger to the theater stage:  Jackman won a Tony award in 2004 for his role in “The Boy from Oz”,  and Craig was part of several theater productions in the West End in London.  A Steady Rain was written by Keith Huff and directed by John Crowley.

If you are interested in seeing the play, you better act fast: “A steady Rain” is playing for a very limited time. The last play is scheduled for Dec. 6th.  Unfortunately we don’t have a 3D map of the venue yet, but the seating chart we have is very detailed and readable.  Click here to compare “A Steady Rain ” tickets.

"A Steady Rain" - Cast

Legendary film star July Andrews is about to undergo surgery to restore her world renowned singing voice.   Andrews lost most of her vocal ability in a failed surgery to remove a non-cancerous node from her throat in 1997.  This surgery is supposed to remove the scar tissue that was inadvertently developed as a result of the surgery twelve years ago.   Doctors are hoping that Andrews’ signature Soprano will be restored.  We are crossing our fingers for this wonderful performer, and hope to hear  her singing “Chim Chim Cher-ee” again in the opening act of Mary Poppins.  In the mean time, check out the SeatKarma Broadway Show Tickets page for your tickets to see the super talented Laura Michelle Kelly’s take on the good nanny.