I need some direction on handling ticket sales.

Over the years we simply had our actors collect the money from their frineds and then paid us at rehearsal for the tickets.  We would in turn, give them the tickets to pass along to their friends.

We are much too small to have a box office of any kind, so that isn't an option.  I believe that I've read where some places accept orders by phone?  I'm assuming that a special line is set up with an answering machine and then those tickets are held until the time of the show?  Are phone calls returned in those cases?

Also, do you allow your actors to take the tickets out to the community to get them into the hands of the audience?  I can see where this would possibly help insure that you get people to the show.

Obviously, we also sell at the door.

Our tickets have not been for reserved seating.  That may or may not change as we're going through a transition phase.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Scott

I simple phone based box office might be a good idea for you. You can setup an answering machine, and/or get volunteers to man the phone a couple hours a week, even if it has to be in the evenings. When a person calls in you can simply record thier request for tickets and not actually send them physical tickets. If a person leaves a message I would highly advise that you call the person back, it's just good customer service.

Having the actors sell tickets directly is not a bad idea as long as being kept track of carefully. It's very easy for this to get out of control, people not collecting the money properly, loosing tickets, etc.

One problem you may have with people calling in to reserve tickets is that they may have a hard time excepting first-come-first-serve seating. I have found that when people reserve seats over the phone they generally expect to have seats assigned to them so they don't have to show up early to get good seats.

After speaking with my phone company it appears that it's very easy to set up an additional message box.  Essentially I give out my normal business phone and then let them press 1 for my business and 2 for tickets. 

Since we will only do two shows a year I would probably have them turn it on and off as needed.  Even with a charge to turn it on it's still cheaper than leaving it on all year long.

We've never tried the phone thing before ... only giving out my number for "further information."  We also have a local business that sells them as well, but still ... people call me wanting to purchase tickets.  It would seem if people take the time to call then I need to find a way to sell them.  No sense in making it hard for them.

I am on the Board of a new Community Theatre that has no home base and, therefore, no box office - we have to rent our venues for rehearsals and performances.  But we do have support in the community and several businesses will sell our tickets.  Also, another Board member let us set up a VISA/MASTERCARD phone line in his place of business.  His employees, or else our volunteers if it gets busy, will man the phone lines after we announce that tickets go on sale.  So many people phone in to charge their tickets that we can justify the added expense.

We also are looking into a computer software ticket program to keep track of how many sold, how many given to sponsors, etc.  We have had problems with sold-out shows and sponsors arriving late with free tickets who get turned away.  Not good!

We have found problems with festival, 'first come, first served' seating, though, and in the future will make sure that the tickets are printed with "Arrive 30 minutes in advance; latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the ushers" or something to that effect.  Too many people think they can arrive 5 to 10 minutes after curtain and still waltz right in!