Is Seattle Theatre Critic Selling Press Comps On Craig's List?

It's traditional that theatre critics receive two complimentary tickets when reviewing a production and by traditional etiquette a reviewer will return an unused ticket if her or she is attending solo so that it may be sold to a paying customer.

It appears that a critic based in Seattle may have taken liberties with the concept of "paying customer."

Arts administrator and producer Howard Sherman reports on HeSherman that an ad posted on Seattle's Craig's List, in the Men Seeking Women section, claims to be from a local critic (see photo) offering to sell his extra press seats for below face value.

The ad, which is no longer on the free classified website, was headlined Seeking Theater Companion and read as follows:

I am a theater reviewer (also live music concerts, opera, ballet, etc.) for a major online site. I almost always get "plus one" tickets for shows, and I am compiling a list of people who would like to purchase these single great seats for the performances. I plan to sell the ticket, and the price will less than half of the face value. In addition, your input might well be reflected in my review.

I generally attend events within the first week or two of its run. Venues I frequent include, but are not limited to: ArtsWest, ACT Theatre, Café Nordo, Seattle Musical Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Village Theatre, Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle Rep, Tacoma Musical Theatre, Driftwood Players, Paramount Theatre, Book-It Theatre, Chateau Ste Michelle (summer concerts), Triple Door, Bathhouse Theatre (Green Lake), Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballard Underground.

My seats are always excellent (why give a reviewer anything but the best?), but there is no guarantee. My plan is to send my upcoming list of events to those who want to consider the offer every couple weeks. Each event will have a price. If you buy the ticket you will pay in advance and meet me at the venue.

If you're interested in participating, respond with your name and email address. I will then reply with my blog address (to prove that this is a real offer and give you an idea of what I've reviewed in the past few months) and the first list of upcoming events.

Thanks for considering this proposition and helping me to keep these seats from being empty in the future.

While Sherman writes that he has seen Facebook links suggesting who the critic may be, he will not post them without absolute proof.

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