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imamember
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bullet Topic: Comp Tickets
    Posted: 1/18/09 at 4:29pm
I wanna get a conversation started here and this is just the beginning.

What are your policies on comp tickets? Also state if you're a CT with a lot of money and a building or a "gypsy" group.
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Nanette
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bullet Posted: 1/18/09 at 7:51pm
As the director, I am the one to give out the comp tickets.  They are usually sent to someone who has given a gift to the theatre, families (with multiple children) who couldn't afford to take them all out, folks who've never attended a show but I know will come to another and another once they've been, THE PRESS, neighboring theatres who have been kind enough to loan us stuff, etc.  Please don't think I give out tons of tickets for each show ... it's usually limited to less than a dozen.
 
We are a "gypsy" theatre with very little money, but with very big hearts and talent.
In a world of margarine, be butter!
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bullet Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:12pm
Interesting.

Okay people, let's keep this going!
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KEB54
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bullet Posted: 1/19/09 at 6:22pm
I give out a few comp tickets.  Generally it is because the receipient has saved the company cash.  For this last show I gave 2 tickets to someone that allowed us to use an expensive piece of equipment (I figured it saved us $175); 2 to a costumer that loaned us about 12 costume pieces; a builder that constructed for us french doors, stair railings and posts, a fireplace and assorted other detailed pieces; and 2 to a marketing person that did a bunch of pro bono work.  Heck of a deal for us! Smile
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bullet Posted: 1/20/09 at 12:22pm
As a general rule, each cast member/crew gets one comp ticket each.  We have comped tickets to others who have helped out or are in need.  We recently had a couple who are very active in the theatre want to see a running show but due to economy issues were not able to scrape together the dough.  We made sure they saw the show.
 
124 seat converted church owned by us.  All community open audition shows.
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bullet Posted: 1/20/09 at 9:28pm
So it seems that most people are in agreement that the purpose of comp tickets are to a supportive spouse, someone who has hooked you up by providing something that otherwise would have cost you quite a bit and perhaps as currency.

I think our theatre is doing it wrong and I don't like it.
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Nanette
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bullet Posted: 1/20/09 at 9:54pm
How is your theatre doing it?
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bullet Posted: 1/21/09 at 7:37am
Well I'm sure some comps go out the proper way but here's a recent example.

We've recently started a youth theatre branch. They did a play last fall, had a good audition turn out so they double cast most of the show. They're doing a musical this March and had a massive turn out. The director didn't want to double cast as he found it to be a nightmare last time. The stage is at a local church and not huge so he could only cast 33 of the 81 who auditioned.

He felt bad about turning away so many kids. So the board (cept me) decided that EVERYONE who auditioned would get two comp tickets to our mainstage March show 'Holes'.

Now the youth theatre is funded 100% by Consumers Energy grant and a Kiwanis grant.  Plus their tickets are only $1. Mainstage is nearly 100% ticket sales supported. I just had a huge problem not only with giving away 162 tickets but due to the dangerous precident it could set.

Now when the kids were notified I asked that it be crystal clear it's a one-time offering due to the unexpected turnout and that tickets not be issued, but rather a guest list created so we could track how many took advantage and if additional tickets were sold, but I'm still unhappy.

What does that say to kids? Audition and if you don't make it we'll give you a prize....shoot, we'll give you a prize even if you don't make it? It just feeds that notion of protecting their feelings.

Also the only reason the director wanted a "prize" was because he was too chicken to call back nearly 50 kids to give them bad news. Well I'm sorry, that's the directors job.

This all happened Saturday and I'm still fuming. I should just let it go.
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Nanette
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bullet Posted: 1/21/09 at 10:48am
Sadly, it is over and done with so you really should let it go.  Stressing about what is not productive and only leads to ulcers.  :-(
 
That doesn't mean, however, that it should not come up again in conversation at your meetings.  $162 is a $162 no matter which way you look at it.  Holes is a major book/movie and would have brought those who didn't make the cast in to see it with or without the comp tickets! 
 
IMHO, giving comp tickets to those who didn't make it is celebrating mediocrity ... "Hooray!  Your team lost, but we'll still give you a trophy!"  You see it all the time.
 
In the future, if the director doesn't want to call all those kids back who didn't make it, simply post the cast list and have people check it instead.  It could also be pointed out that "X" number of people will be cast. 
 
I no longer call those who made it or not.  It's their responsibility to check the cast list.
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bullet Posted: 1/21/09 at 11:38am
Yikes, giving away that many comp tickets seems a bit extreme.  Our policy is similar to most other posters.  If someone has done something extra special for the production then we'll comp them.  We also give our program advertisers and show sponsors tickets.  The production director gets a couple of comp tickets, no definite number in the words of our feisty retired box office manager, "Just don't go crazy with comps, and we're fine."
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