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Legacy Theater
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Quote Legacy Theater Replybullet Topic: Ticket Sales SCARED
    Posted: 5/25/11 at 12:20am


Hey Folks,
I've posted a few times here and really value the feedback. I guess I just need some community theater veterans and newbies to reassure me that all is going to be well LOL

Here's the situation. We are 2 1/2 weeks from opening night and have only sold/comp-ed 72 out of 480 tickets.

Here's the details:
*BRAND NEW theater in a smallish Marine town (over 90,000 residents)
*Play is an original hysterical comedy.
*Big write-up in local paper plus radio interviews.
*Posters all over town with an excellent and excited fan base that's growing.
*70+ followers on Facebook and an average of 500 hits to our website weekly.
*We offer buy online at no extra cost to the patron. Our theater is eating the $1.35 handling fee and we have only sold 6 tickets this way.

Here's the question:
Should I start getting nervous? As I write this it is May 25, 2011. Our opening night is June 10. We do two weekends. June 10, 11, 17 and 18.
Should I just rest on the fact that people are natural born procrastinators and the feedback from the show and advertising have been great?

What's your experience?
Thanks,
Nervous in Jacksonville aka Erika :)
Erika Hose
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Quote Majicwrench Replybullet Posted: 5/26/11 at 12:07am
In my redneck of the woods, most of the tickets will be sold the last few days. So no worries at this point.
  Original material never seems to sell like the Big Name stuff. Still, no worries.
 Brand new theatre..WOW...and congrats.  Remember is doesn't cost anything to fill empty seats. 
  Keep us in the loop!
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Quote dboris Replybullet Posted: 5/26/11 at 1:02pm
I agree, I wouldn't worry yet. 2 1/2 weeks out and you have 15% of your tickets booked, that not to bad. You should see an increase the week before the show opens. Also I find people tend not to plan past the next major holiday, so a lot of people may be thinking about Memorial day and not past it.
 
I also agree about the comps. If it gets close to opening day and you have empty seats, give out comps or do a buy one get one free especially since you are a new theater. Getting people in the doors is the most important thing at this point.
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Quote Legacy Theater Replybullet Posted: 5/26/11 at 1:22pm
Thank you guys so much! I definitely feel better. I never thought about the Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully I'll see a pick up next week and after! Thanks for putting my mind at ease!
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Quote jayzehr Replybullet Posted: 5/26/11 at 2:27pm
I"d say a new theater and an original script might be red flags but  72 out of 480 sold with two weeks and a half weeks to go doesn't sound bad. In my experience most of the tickets are either sold at the door or much closer in time to the show.
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Quote dramacorrect Replybullet Posted: 6/04/11 at 12:02am
I also agree.  I was a little worried about an original script too, but it doesn't sound too bad for being early.

Can you tell us how it's going?  It's been several days since you posted, I'm just curious.
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Quote Legacy Theater Replybullet Posted: 6/11/11 at 12:39am
Hi Everyone.... We just completed our opening night. We sold/comped half of the tickets for tonight. We had an audience of 60 and we had 120 for sale. Tomorrow night we have 120 for sale and we've sold 50. The audience LOVED the show and said they will be telling all of their friends and family to buy tickets.

I guess I am pretty bummed we didn't sell out but I don't want to be too overanxious. It is our first show :( We have had AMAZING publicity and advertisement so I just don' tknow what the deal is.

Any ideas?
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Quote jayzehr Replybullet Posted: 6/11/11 at 7:57am
Originally posted by Legacy Theater


I guess I am pretty bummed we didn't sell out but I don't want to be too overanxious. It is our first show :( We have had AMAZING publicity and advertisement so I just don' tknow what the deal is.

Any ideas?


As was mentioned earlier, a new theater and an unknown play could be variables.  And I don't know how well other groups are doing but filling half the theater isn't necessarily all that bad. 
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Quote jayzehr Replybullet Posted: 6/11/11 at 8:00am
Originally posted by Legacy Theater

Hi Everyone.... We just completed our opening night. We sold/comped half of the tickets for tonight. We had an audience of 60 and we had 120 for sale. Tomorrow night we have 120 for sale and we've sold 50. The audience LOVED the show and said they will be telling all of their friends and family to buy tickets.

I guess I am pretty bummed we didn't sell out but I don't want to be too overanxious. It is our first show :( We have had AMAZING publicity and advertisement so I just don' tknow what the deal is.

Any ideas?
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Quote jayzehr Replybullet Posted: 6/11/11 at 12:24pm
Oops. I see not all of my post made it..

I wanted to say that 50% full is not necessarily that bad.
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