TDF Stages

We're restarting our Meet the Member series with a devoted member of our community who's been with us almost since the beginning!

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Carole Gladstone-Ramos joined TDF at age 18. Fifty-two years later, she's still a member, and an active one at that. While the process has changed—"I've been around long enough where I used to get the mailings!"—she says she goes to more theatre than ever these days and is willing to take chances because TDF tickets are so affordable. We chatted with Gladstone-Ramos about her incredible half century journey with TDF.

Raven Snook: Did you grow up going to theatre?

Carole Gladstone-Ramos: Although I was born and raised in Manhattan, my parents were not what I call culture vultures. The only thing I remember my parents taking us to was the musical in the shtetl, Fiddler on the Roof. I became a culture vulture as a result of feeling deprived of that in my childhood. Now I go to the theatre all the time. I'm even going tonight!

Snook: TDF Membership started in 1971 and you joined just two years later. How did you find out about us?

Gladstone-Ramos: I started as a college student. I don't remember how I found out about it, but I'm pretty resourceful. I've always looked for ways to do things at not a high cost. Once I graduated, I became a union member because I worked for New York City, so that's how I continued my membership. I did not grow up going to theatre, but once I started going all the time, I fell in love with it.

Now I am married to someone who retired from the military. And because he's mobility-challenged, we also have a TDF Accessibility Programs membership.

Snook: He should also look into our Veterans Theatregoing Program because he qualifies for that, too!

Gladstone-Ramos: TDF does so much. Sometimes I go to your half-price tickets booth when I can't get a show on TDF. It took me quite a while to realize TKTS was under the same umbrella.

Snook: You're not the first person to say that. We do a lot! So, in your 50-plus years of seeing shows with TDF, what's your theatregoing strategy? How do you choose what you're going to see?

Gladstone-Ramos: I go at least once a week, mostly twice, sometimes three times. When I log in, I don't have any filters checked. I want to see everything being offered. I have a car so I can easily go to venues outside of Manhattan, in Queens or New Jersey. I mostly love theatre, but I see dance at The Joyce and some concerts. I just went to Moulin Rouge! and loved it. I do quite a bit of Off Broadway. I recently saw The Art Tour and took a friend, and we both really liked it a lot. I've developed an intuitive sense of what I will enjoy. I try to be really open.

Snook: Do you try to convince your friends to join TDF? And if so, what's your pitch?

Gladstone-Ramos: I am responsible for a bunch of TDF Memberships! A lot of times I'll take friends to a show through TDF and then I'll say, "You know, these tickets are normally like $200, and we're paying $60." Then they say, "How can I become a member?" I explain about the eligibility categories. In my age group, most of them are retired. Some of them don't live in the city and maybe they don't use it enough. My personal opinion is the only way to benefit is if you look at TDF all the time. You have to check the offers daily!

Snook: Have you downloaded your TDF Digital Membership Card yet? We send push notifications when hot new shows go on sale and you also get Member Perks like discounts at restaurants in the Theatre District.

Gladstone-Ramos: I feel like this is a reciprocal interview because I'm getting a lot of wonderful new information.

Snook: Even longtime TDF Members can learn new tricks! After 52 years and thousands of performances, are there any shows that stick out in your memory as particularly special?

Gladstone-Ramos: The problem is, I see so much stuff, it's like it gets pushed to the back of the file cabinet. Let's see, I loved Buena Vista Social Club. I liked Punch. I saw Real Women Have Curves twice. I went with two different friends. For work, I'm a licensed clinical social worker, and I do psychotherapy. What I love about the theatre is I feel like I'm watching psychodrama. I'm an observer. I like to watch—it's part of my work, right? I'm watching people's lives unfold in front of me. So I love watching good acting, like I saw in Oedipus. Because I work for myself, I make my own schedule. So I go to a lot of Wednesday matinees. That gives me a better shot at some shows I think.

Snook: What's coming up that you're excited about?

Gladstone-Ramos: I'm very interested in Bug. I love Tracy Letts and his wife, Carrie Coon, is in that. I saw the play downtown years ago. It was very good.

Snook: You clearly really take advantage of your TDF Membership.

Gladstone-Ramos: Completely—to the point where I've occasionally, over the years, joined other theatre ticket membership services. But I found that I didn't really need to do that. They never really had as good stuff as TDF had. I'm a very loyal, long-term member. I'm super happy. TDF makes my life better.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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