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 :)

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"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.

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?

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?