CMU School of Drama


Tuesday, July 03, 2018

Who Else Misses Old-Fashioned Theatre Tickets?

Theatre Development Fund – TDF: At least I didn't have to worry about forgetting the tickets. In my many decades of theatregoing, that had only happened once. But now, so much else could go wrong. For Disney's Frozen, my phone was my ticket. Technologically challenged as I am, I only chose this new-to-me option because it was the cheapest way to purchase the rather expensive seats.

2 comments:

Mitchell Jacobs said...

Though I do not have experience with Broadway's exact ticket format, I completely agree with the sentiments in this article. As a person who often has trouble with technology, it is difficult to not be fearful whenever I have to rely on my phone for tickets and I am glad, yet unsurprised, that other people share this problem. Personally, I will always prefer traditional tickets with stubs to tickets bought online. The physical presence of those tickets is one of the things that makes me excited to go see a show (and sometimes acts as a reminder that I have somewhere to be!). My public high school still uses traditional tickets, which can cost a lot for a self-funding program, but we find that using physical tickets helps engage our audience and build a sense of anticipation for our show, along with making people more likely to use their tickets instead of blowing it off. A physical ticket draws the audience into the show before they even enter the theater. I will always be in favor of traditional tickets and think that Broadway should bring this back as an additional option.

Jaqueline Cabrero said...

I agree with this article and the author's argument by not having a traditional theatre ticket and rather having to use your phone as your ticket. For someone like myself who is fortunate enough to live so close to New York City and is able to see a few Broadway shows throughout the year, having the traditional ticket gives me as well as others I know a way to remember the overall experience of seeing a Broadway show. When I began getting into theatre around 12 years old I would save both my ticket as well as my Playbill to remember what it was like to sit in Row F, Seat 8 in the Mezzanine on August 6th, 2011 while watching Phantom of the Opera for the 6th time, when I got home I would put both the playbill and the ticket in a shoebox I kept in my closet to keep for memories. It was sort of like a tradition I had whenever I saw any show whether it was a Broadway show or the high school version of Guys and Dolls. Recently I used my phone as my ticket to see a show, although it did the job the experience would've been more memorable by having the traditional tickets.