Discount Tickets for Returning Audience Members

[FACTplayers]

We usually only do two performances of our shows because it can be difficult to draw a large enough audience to fill the house on the third night. However, everyone involved in the production would like to put on a third show. The only thing holding us back is the kids (middle & high school actors for a talent show) don't always seem very enthusiastic about performing for a house that is less than half full (capacity is 198. Yes, 198).

With that being said, we are trying to think of a way to get audience members (parents and family mostly) to return to a Sunday matinee by offering discounted tickets (50% off at the very least). Our fear is that people will buy the tickets and turn around and give them to other relatives who couldn't make it on the first two nights. This wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but I was hoping the CB community had some insight for us.

 

[josh88]

The first thing I think of is that it would be hard to verify unless they are have a name associated and require ID somehow. I also think that this is a good learning moment to further reinforce "keeping it fresh". Emphasizing that every night should be the best night and students need to push through being tired and lack of motivation because there are ALWAYS more performances and tough crowds, it's part of what we do. It may never get through to them but if it sticks with a few leaders they'll help keep each other up and interested.


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[AudJ]

How large is the community you are in? If you are adding shows to reach a wider audience, where will they come from? More mqwarketing, etc.? I ask these questions because it doesn't seem to me that you should try to fill seats just because. I bet a little research could tell you if it makes fiscal/PR sense. The electric bill alone is a consideration.

As far as a reduced-price ticket, ticket-takers would have the extra burden of verifying, or taking names the first night. If you are just trying to fill seats, does it really matter if the person attending the second show is a different individual? Maybe just perforate a few two-fer tickets together, and make it easy.

 

[TheaterEd]

I recommend adding a show to the front of the run. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are generally the best turn outs.

 

[gafftaper]

I recommend adding a show to the front of the run. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are generally the best turn outs.

Agreed. You'll do better on a Thursday night than on a Sunday matinee.

What is the purpose of the third show? Is it to make money or is it to just enjoy doing the show once more? If you are doing it for the sake of performance, then you shouldn't care who pays the money for those tickets.

 

[MNicolai]

Sunday matinees are hard to fill, especially as the weather gets nicer. I'd say if you're going to do it, do it, but don't bother with the verification. It's a lot of work for little difference, and actually, you're probably more likely to fill if you leave it open for people to give discounted tickets away to friends and family who likely wouldn't otherwise come to the show.

As for the performers, I've seen a number of Sunday matinees where the audience members could be counted on one or two hands, and even then half of them would end up falling asleep during the show. It's not a decision to take lightly -- if you're going to do it, do it, but understand you run the risk of playing to a mostly empty crowd. For academia, this isn't as big a deal because you're not counting on ticket sales to cover the cost of the performers going up on stage for that day's performance. If you were in professional theater and paying the actors and crew and house management staff, then you'd want to be more careful about how you're spending your money.

Part of the gig though is knowing that you're not always going to have packed audiences. This is actually more psychological than anything else. A 200-person crowd in a 250-person theater seems like a full house, but a 200-person crowd in a 700-person theater seems dead and empty -- regardless of whether that's on, above, or below average attendance for that venue's audiences. If you're concerned about the audience being "into it", only allow ticket sales for the first X number of rows, and only in the center section --- or something like that. The closer together the audience is packed, the more laughter and applause will be built between audience members than if everyone is isolated in their own islands with 3-4 empty seats in every direction from them.

 

[FACTplayers]

Wow! Lots of feedback. Thank you all. I'm going to try to answer a lot of the questions that were generated.

The first thing I think of is that it would be hard to verify unless they are have a name associated and require ID somehow. I also think that this is a good learning moment to further reinforce "keeping it fresh". Emphasizing that every night should be the best night and students need to push through being tired and lack of motivation because there are ALWAYS more performances and tough crowds, it's part of what we do. It may never get through to them but if it sticks with a few leaders they'll help keep each other up and interested.

I agree it would be difficult to verify and that's one of the issues we saw and didn't want to deal with. We wanted to make it as simple as possible. Also, we do reinforce "keeping it fresh" and that every night should be their best and the students do a great job even when the house is half full. But anyone who has worked with (young) new performers know exactly what I mean when they have this look after they get done performing. It's not a look of disappointment, but it's not a look of "this was the coolest experience ever".

How large is the community you are in? If you are adding shows to reach a wider audience, where will they come from? More mqwarketing, etc.? I ask these questions because it doesn't seem to me that you should try to fill seats just because. I bet a little research could tell you if it makes fiscal/PR sense. The electric bill alone is a consideration.

The community is small and not many people come out to support us besides families of the performers. The ONLY goal is to give the kids another performance so they don't spend countless hours rehearsing only to perform twice. Also, let's just assume (in this case) that fiscally it doesn't matter because we will break even. (Please don't try to debate this point.)

Agreed. You'll do better on a Thursday night than on a Sunday matinee.

What is the purpose of the third show?

From our experience (11+ years), Thursday nights are the best, followed by Friday nights. Sunday shows do better than Saturday night (or day) performances; however, they still do not fair well. See above for the purpose of the show. I do agree with you that since it isn't to make money, then let anyone come.

If you're concerned about the audience being "into it", only allow ticket sales for the first X number of rows, and only in the center section --- or something like that. The closer together the audience is packed, the more laughter and applause will be built between audience members than if everyone is isolated in their own islands with 3-4 empty seats in every direction from them.

This is great advice and I think it may be exactly what we are looking for! We are still discussing if we should offer a discount to people who attended a Thursday or Friday show (sell them in advance), or just make the Sunday tickets available to anyone at a discounted price. Maybe offer them something like 60% off if you purchase before (after - is one time better than the other?) the show on Thursday / Friday and 40% off if you buy at the door Sunday. Thoughts?

 

[gafftaper]

You can also things like give 2 for 1 coupons to the high school/middle school drama program or the senior center. It's all about butts in Seats!

 

[josh88]

You can also things like give 2 for 1 coupons to the high school/middle school drama program or the senior center. It's all about butts in Seats!

Our children's theatre used to give out a free ticket to any student who has taken one of our classes. Took awhile to convince the business office but eventually they realized most of these kids have siblings and a parent or two to bring them. Most of these people wouldn't have come till they got the free ticket and we sold one or two more and our attendance increased. Which now that I re read, is exactly what 2 for 1 is. Oy, long day.


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[TheaterEd]

I would also consider offering 2 for 1 student tickets to any nearby schools, or schools that have recently done that show. We had one high school travel over 250 miles round trip to see our production because they were doing it later in the year.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

You could not announce any deal. then have a booth with discounted sunday tickets set up as patrons leave the first two shows.