Theatre Tickets Research Articles

Theatre as a space of empowerment and emphasis of voices

The theatre looks out from both directions. On the one hand, the artist’s (director’s) gaze determines our (spectator’s) gaze, and on the other hand, there is the question of whether the artist’s gaze is able to see through our eyes and, of course, whose eyes they are. Are they created by the theatre itself – in the name of all its direct creators and thus in its own image and according to its own wishes, or is ‘their studio’ also open to those who come to the theatre from the substance itself – from the living substance of the dramatic texts? So also to those who find it difficult to afford a theatre ticket. Is a theatre that does not look backwards, then, still credible as a universal or legitimate representation of the world and its social relations?

Creative Interpretation and the Politics of Failure

Abstract In this article, I ask what happens to theatrical performance when it fails. By describing a performance as “failed,” I do not necessarily imply its normative dismissal – as a “flawed” enactment or an artistic vision not properly executed. Instead, I use failure as a conceptual starting point for the articulation of alternative meaning-making practices. In this sense, failure is a form of creative interpretation that capitalizes on performance’s constitutive contingency, its structural unreliability that for many is part of its appeal, the very “magic” only a gathering of live bodies can create. Specifically, the article looks at two recent US American plays and one musical in order to discuss the theatrical politics of failure: Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project’s The Laramie Project (2000), Ayad Akhtar’s The Who and the What (2014), and Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (2012). By discussing the ways in which these pieces and their performances creatively address failure, I point to three formal and cultural dimensions in which failure can be mobilized theatrically: first, failure problematizes the easy formal subsumption of performance under production, pointing to the ways in which a specific performance may not adequately actualize the conceptual work of the production, be it because audiences intervene in ways not intended by the production or because performers deviate from the production’s script in one way or another. Second, failure can be mobilized to reveal tacit cultural conventions or standards of success that entrench particular (classist, racist, sexist, ableist, etc.) normative behaviors. And third, failure can enable more creative approaches to the relationship between the labor of theater practitioners and its exchange value for spectators, who paid – at least – the price of a theater ticket and typically expect some form of artistic professionalism as remuneration.

Chatra Paryesana (Student Enquiry System)

Abstract: In today's technological era, chatbots not only mimic human conversation but can also perform sophisticated jobs like purchasing theatre tickets. RASA is a free and open-source programme that may be used to run various versions of the NLU and DIET models. It has the capacity for natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and API/database integration. nervous system. This project incorporates a number of rasa's fundamental principles to allow for user interaction in its execution of tasks. Using the Rasa platform, we developed a chatbot specifically for universities. You can use this chatbot to obtain student information, view grades, and verify attendance. By integrating with Telegram, users no longer need to download and run a separate programme to use this bot. This method is far more interesting than the standard web page

Chatra Paryesana: A Student Enquiry System

In today’s technological era, chatbots not only mimic human conversation but can also perform sophisticated jobs like purchasing theatre tickets. RASA is a free and open-source programme that may be used to run various versions of the NLU and DIET models. It has the capacity for natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and API/database integration. nervous system. This project incorporates a number of rasa’s fundamental principles to allow for user interaction in its execution of tasks. Using the Rasa platform, we developed a chatbot specifically for universities. You can use this chatbot to obtain student information, view grades, and verify attendance. By integrating with Telegram, users no longer need to download and run a separate programme to use this bot. This method is far more interesting than the standard web page.

Aspects contributing to live theater ticket purchases of South African teenagers: Perspectives of participants in a national drama competition

Seeking alternative strategies to attract new theater attendee markets in South Africa have become a priority for live theater providers to keep the arts alive. Teenagers have become one of the biggest consumer markets, with various industries competing for their attention, and the live theater industry is no exception. However, the teenager market is complex, and research is crucial to understand the aspects influencing their purchase behavior. This study aimed to determine the aspects influencing live theater ticket purchases of South African teenagers focusing on teenagers who are already actively involved in live theater. Applying a convenient sample technique, a total of three hundred and twenty-one (321) self-administered questionnaires were collected from a majority of Afrikaans and English-speaking teenagers participating in a national drama competition between 23 July and 28 September 2019. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and t-tests were done to reach the study’s goal. The EFA yielded four (4) factors Marketing, Theater lover, External influencers, and Theater & show compilation. Through these results, recommendations are made to live theater providers and marketers to effectively attract and retain teenagers who valready have exposure to live theater productions.

A comparative analysis of aspects influencing live theatre ticket purchases of teenagers and students in South Africa

A decline in live theatre ticket sales and, more recently, the impact of Covid-19 on the live theatre industry, are forcing live theatre providers and marketers to seek alternative ways to keep theatre alive. One strategy is to investigate and attract a new market to attract to live theatre productions. Generation Z (also known as Gen Z) is currently the largest consumer market worldwide and has become a key focus market to attract to the theatre. Although Gen Z is classified as one cohort, sub-categories within this cohort exist, including teenagers (aged 14–18) and students (aged 18–24). It is well known that each sub-category is in a different phase of their lives and their purchase behaviour is in most cases not similar either. Therefore, this study aims to compare aspects influencing teenagers’ and students’ live theatre ticket purchases. Through a non-probability sampling method (purposive sampling), 321 responses from teenagers and 579 responses from students, all exposed to live theatre, were collected. The same 28 aspects were tested among the two groups, and the results indicated both similarities and differences between the tested influential aspects. Through the results, live theatre providers and marketers can re-evaluate and adapt their current live theatre productions and marketing campaigns for each specific sub-category within this generational cohort. This will not only enable a more focused approach to live theatre offerings but can also ensure the sustainability of the arts.

Situated Knowing: Epistemic Perspectives on Performance

Situated Knowing: Epistemic Perspectives on Performance

Novel ICT System for Recycling and Eco-Shopping

Recently, there has been a growing effort to reduce the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle, particularly during the end-of-life (EoL) stage. To incentivise consumers’ recycling/reusing behaviours and enhance their environmental awareness, a novel ICT-based system for recycling and eco-shopping has been developed in this paper. The recycling of EoL products is conducted based on information-communication technologies to remotely monitor and manage the recycled products (such as electronics or household bio-wastes), enabling consumers’ recycling process over the Internet. Consumers are awarded the eco-credits, which can be used for various forms of eco-incentives, such as shopping discounts, tree planting donations, and exchanges for theatre and museum tickets. The eco-costs reflect the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. The consumer is informed about the eco-costs through eco-shopping, which are displayed on a payment receipt. Both eco-costs and eco-credits are recorded in the consumer’s eco-account. To develop the recycling and eco-shopping system, multiple information-communication technologies are utilised, such as hardware digital monitoring/control, Internet-based communication services, traceability media (bar-code and QR code), user identity recognition and privacy protection, and multi-language supports. A case study is conducted, including online tracking of the recycling process and then implementing incentive activities with the eco-credits and eco-costs. The system has been successfully validated via illustrating recycling, eco-shopping, and eco-incentives in public places (e.g., schools, urban cultural centres), as well as promoting the consumer’s participation in recycling and enhancing their environmental awareness, which proved the successful implementation of the novel contribution of this research.

A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)

A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)
 A bone disc with an inscription has been found at the archaeological site of the Greco-Roman period at Marina el-Alameinin Egypt. It has a hole drilled in the center and a name IOULIOS (Ιούλιος) written in Greek letters on one side. One may wonder about the diskfunction. Names appear on theatre tickets and on game counters, but they also usually bear a number or an image, e.g. a figure or a building. In the town, which has been subject of a recent research, a large number of diverse types of game pieces were discovered; glass pawns and bone counters predominate among them, however, they differ from the discussed disc: they are smooth or decorated with cut concentric circles. The number and variety of pawns indicates diverse types and a big popularity of games among the inhabitants of Marina. The described disc may have been a strategic board game counter.

Individual versus companion visitors' willingness‐to‐pay for the theater tickets: The case of Perm opera

Business‐like approaches are applied more and more widely in nonprofit organization contexts, and theaters are no exception. Revenue generation, customer segmentation, and personalized marketing are becoming the key managerial concerns. Our study focuses on two relevant aspects of theater attendees' behavior. We examine visitors' willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for theater seats (to derive revenue drivers), and its difference between two segments – single and couple visitors (to uncover the social motivation effect). These aspects taken together have never been previously studied in the nonprofit marketing context. We model WTP using the actual purchase data from Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre in Russia. Unlike most marketing studies which use stated preference for WTP evaluation, we employ the revealed preference approach. The results verify that single and couple visitors may be treated as separate segments, allowing for personalized promotion and other marketing decisions.

Middlemen: A Directed Search Equilibrium Approach

Abstract This paper studies an intermediated market operated by middlemen with high inventory holdings. I present a directed search model in which middlemen are less likely to experience a stockout because they have the advantage of inventory capacity, relative to other sellers. The model explains why the empirical relationship between middlemen’s premium and their inventory capacity can be positive in some markets (e. g., rental video shops, used-car dealers) and negative in other markets (e. g., supermarkets, theater ticket offices). I also examine the implication of the configuration of middlemen’s market in terms of the size and the number of middlemen for the equilibrium premium with and without free entry.

Critical Insights: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Critical Insights: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Post-series depression: scale development and validation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the development and validation of a scale for measuring “post-series depression” (PSD), a concept that describes the feelings of melancholy and longing that can occur when an individual’s all-consuming film or screen product comes to an end. Although largely ignored by academic research in the arts and leisure (A&L) domain, PSD has received wide coverage in grey literature concerning the termination of certain film or TV series.Design/methodology/approachExploratory interviews were conducted with fans of a range of A&L products. Questionnaire surveys then examined the relationships between PSD, nostalgia and emptiness, and between PSD, binge-watching and compulsive consumption.FindingsA 15-item scale to measure PSD was developed and its reliability demonstrated.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted within an A&L context. It only examined the abovementioned variables and no other potentially relevant psychological and behavioural considerations (e.g. audience involvement, narcissism and social anxiety).Practical implicationsThe scale will be useful for investigating the marketing implications of fanship and its connections with addictive behaviour. It will help marketers when segmenting A&L markets, in understanding how to extend the period during which audiences purchase screen product-related memorabilia and to know how to market binge-watching-related items (e.g. box sets, clothing, books, theatre tickets and film studio visits).Originality/valueThis paper provides a rigorous examination of the concept of PSD and presents a scale for its measurement.

Determining the key factors contributing to children's theatre ticket purchases at Afrikaans arts festivals in South Africa

In South Africa, the popularity and rapid expansion of festivals are resulting in festivals competing for revenue and visitors’ leisure time. Many Afrikaans arts festivals in SA are experiencing declines in ticket sales and/or visitor numbers, thereby threatening the sustainability of this attendee market. However, another concern is the ageing of this attendee market. Festival organizers/marketers should therefore not only have a good understanding of the needs and preferences of their attendee market; but they should also ensure that their future markets (namely younger generations) are secured. It is evident that exposing children to the arts increases their love for and likelihood to support the arts in adulthood. It is therefore vital to ensure that the key factors contributing to children's theatre ticket purchases at South African Afrikaans arts festivals are determined. Although children's theatre is incorporated into these festivals’ programmes, attendance is often poor. The aim of this study is therefore to determine the key factors that contribute to children's theatre ticket purchases at Afrikaans arts festivals in South Africa. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK), Vryfees National Arts Festival, and the Aardklop National Arts Festival among the parents attending children's theatre productions with their child/ren. The research is exploratory in nature, whereby an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the aspects contributing to the purchasing of these tickets, followed by ANOVAs for more in-depth analysis of the factors. Five factors, namely Parent–Child Activity, Production Credentials, Supporting the Arts, Value and Marketing and Media were identified. The results will help festival organizers develop strategies to attract more children and increase children's theatre ticket sales at arts festivals; thereby better securing this future market and ultimately the sustainability of arts festivals in South Africa.

Lend Us Your Earbuds: Shakespeare/Podcasting/Poesis

Podcasts by nature break down traditional economic barriers to making and accessing content. With low costs to both distribute and access, does podcasting provide a new outlet for academics, practitioners, and audiences to explore typically “high-minded” art or scholarly discussions usually blocked by the price of a theater ticket or a subscription to a paywalled database? To answer these questions, we define a poetics of podcasting—one that encourages humanities thinking par excellence—and, more importantly, carries with it implications for humanities studies writ large. To think in terms of poetics of podcasting shifts attention to the study of how we can craft, form, wright, and write for and with different communities both inside and outside the academy. In examining the current field of Shakespeare studies and podcasting, we argue podcasting incorporates elements ranging from the “slow” professor movement, to composition studies, to the early modern print market, discussing different methods that are both inspired by and disrupt traditional forms of knowledge production in the process.

Psychological benefits of attending the theatre associated with positive affect and well-being for subscribers over age 60

Objectives: Although late adulthood may be a time of greater well-being, optimal aging still characterizes a minority of older adults. Understanding how individuals achieve well-being across adulthood is important for intervention and social policy. We focused on how attending live theatre might enhance the well-being of a sample of 53 season ticket holders aged 60 and older. Based on a previously tested conceptual framework, we hypothesized that post-performance reports of social-cognitive experience while at the play would predict post-performance positive affect, which in turn would predict well-being.Method: The sample was a subset of volunteers from a large survey study of theatre ticket purchasers. They completed baseline and two-year follow-up measures of well-being, and questionnaires immediately after attending seven plays across two seasons: measures of social engagement, belonging, flow, positive affect, and their reactions to the plays.Results: We found that sense of belonging, social engagement, and flow were associated with positive affect after performances, as hypothesized. We also found that the cumulative positive affect experienced after plays in the two seasons predicted change in well-being between baseline and follow-up.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that attending performances is a combined social, cognitive, and affective experience that transcends entertainment. Future research might investigate whether the psychological benefit model we assessed will generalize to other leisure activities that create similar engagement. The findings have implications for individuals seeking to promote their own well-being, and, possibly more importantly, for policies that support enriching cultural opportunities, particularly in the arts.

Baumol’s Disease

William J. Baumol, a retired professor at Princeton and New York University, died at his home in New York on May 4, 2017. Surrounding publicity called attention to and prompted recognition of his prolific contributions to the scientific literature, not the least of which is the description of Baumol’s disease. This entity is not a rare communicable disorder, not an esoteric tumor or a complex endocrinopathy. Rather it is an economic condition (hence its other name, Baumol’s cost disease) that describes the disproportionate and unrelenting increase in the cost of personal services: college tuition, theater tickets, refuse collection, and, sure enough, health care [ 1 Baumol W.J. The cost disease: why computers get cheaper and health care doesn’t. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut2012 Google Scholar ].

Modelling preference heterogeneity for theatre tickets: a discrete choice modelling approach on Royal Danish Theatre booking data

ABSTRACTThis article analyses the behavioural choice for theatre tickets using a rich data set for 2010–2013 from the sale system of the Royal Danish National Theatre. A consumer who decides to attend a theatre production faces multiple sources of price variation that involves a choice by the consumer among different ticket alternatives. Three modelling approaches are proposed in order to model ticket purchases: conditional logit with socio-demographic characteristics, nested logit and latent class. These models allow us explicitly to take into account consumers’ preference heterogeneity with respect to the attributes associated with each ticket alternative (quality of the seat and day of the performance). In addition, the willingness to pay of choice attributes is estimated. Final results suggest that customers’ characteristics in terms of age and frequency of theatre attendance characterize different patterns of behaviour in the choice of theatre ticket.

Who Tells Our Story: Intersectional Temporalities in Hamilton: An American Musical

This article examines the ways in which Hamilton: An American Musical can be read less as a historical account and more as a prediction of a future immigrant, who is called upon to (re)define US nationhood. Keeping with the tempo of the musical as well as the broader issues of time, space and identity it attempts to address, this article is presented as a dialogical rap. The co-authors’ discussion frames Hamilton as an example of the power of unplottable, time-arresting immigrant bodies, to whom the colonial imposition of linear history does not apply. From this framework, the authors’ conversation shifts to critiques of racialised tropes running through the production as well as the inaccessibility of theatre tickets. The goal of this dialogical analysis is to invite further debate about the kinds of immigrant time/space travel that make visible questions of agency, representation and access.

Determinants of Demand for Theatre Tickets in Austria and Switzerland

This paper presents a short, comparative analysis of the determinants of theatre attendance using a novel panel data set for Austrian and Swiss non-profit theatres. The results of the econometric analysis suggest that price and income have significant effects on theatre attendance, the first effect being negative and the second positive. However, both price and income elasticities are not greater than one in absolute values. This reinforces the findings of previous studies on the determinants of demand for theatre. Furthermore, the results indicate that total theatre capacity and in some cases objective output characteristics are also important determinants of attendance, in line withsome previous studies.