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Comp Tickets
Live Arts is proud to support the work of our volunteers by offering them complimentary tickets to our performances. We see it as one of the most reliable and valuable ways to thank our volunteers for all their incredible work. But we've discovered there's a great deal of confusion and mystery surrounding our comp policy. Hopefully, this document will serve to clarify and enlighten.
ON TICKETS AND THEIR VALUE
Roughly 35% of Live Arts’ overall income is derived from ticket sales. We rely on the income from selling tickets to keep the business of making theater running, including paying the utility bill, purchasing materials for building sets, and staffing the organization. When we give a ticket away, it isn't an empty gesture. The average value of a Live Arts ticket is over $15.00. This means for any given show, we're giving away up to $1,000 in tickets. We are happy to support and acknowledge the work of our volunteers by offering complimentary tickets to Live Arts productions. Our volunteers are worth it.
ELIGIBILITY
Complimentary tickets are available to paid staff and volunteer team members of Live Arts with limitations. Complimentary tickets are either earned by working a certain number of volunteer hours, or a specific number of tickets are awarded for a volunteer role on a production team.
Complimentary tickets may be used for marketing purposes (giveaways and donations to area fundraising organizations) at the discretion of the Executive and Artistic Directors.
Leaders of the member organizations of the Central Virginia Theater Alliance are entitled to one complimentary ticket for each Live Arts production in our season. This ticket policy is reciprocated to the leaders of Live Arts by the member theaters of CVTA. These tickets are reserved through the Executive/Artistic Directors only.
Members of the Live Arts Board of Directors are not eligible to receive complimentary tickets.
RESTRICTIONS ON COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS
Complimentary tickets are not available on opening nights (excepting special invitation by the Artistic/Executive Director), next-to-last week’s Friday and Saturday performances, or final week of the run (all performances)* unless special permission from the Executive or Artistic Director is given.
Live Arts does not have authority to offer complimentary tickets to performances (rentals) not produced by Live Arts.
BOX OFFICE MANAGER’S DISCRETION
The Box Office Manager is responsible for the distribution of all complimentary tickets. Seating is not guaranteed, and complimentary ticket seating assignments may be changed up to performance time.
VOLUNTEER COMPLIMENTARY TICKET OPTIONS
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FRONT OF HOUSE (FOH) VOLUNTEERS
Ushers, concessions workers, bartenders, box office volunteers, and house managers are each entitled to one (1) ticket each for the performance on which they are working in a location at the discretion of the Box Office Manager.
If the event the FOH volunteer is working is sold out, the volunteer will be entitled to a complimentary ticket for an alternate performance.
Seating for FOH volunteers is NOT guaranteed. Volunteers may be asked to stand at the back of the theater or sit on a stool in the exit voms.
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PRODUCTION TEAMS
Members of each show’s production team (directors, designers, stage managers, stage crew, actors, and artists – anyone on the contact sheet) are each entitled to two (2) complimentary tickets per production run. EXCEPTION: Directors and designers are eligible for one (1) complimentary ticket each for opening night in addition to their two (2) production comps.
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CARPENTERS, ELECTRICIANS, PAINTERS, BUILD CREW, COSTUMES, PROPS, AND OFFICE VOLUNTEERS
All other volunteers for each production may earn a complimentary ticket for the production based on hours worked.
Volunteer 8-11 hours on a production and earn one (1) complimentary ticket to that production.
Volunteer 12+ hours on a production and earn two (2) complimentary tickets to that production.
To find out how many hours you’ve worked on a show contact the Volunteer Coordinator/Production Manager Scott Dunn at scottdunn@livearts.org. You must report hours worked to the Scott to be eligible for complimentary tickets. Build Crew may report hours by signing in and out at the 2nd floor Shop entrance.
IN ALL CASES, talk to Darryl Smith, Box Office Manager, to get your comp tickets. You can reach Darryl at 434-977-4177 x108 or at darryl@livearts.org.
REMEMBER “PAY WHAT YOU CAN” WEDNESDAYS!
Don’t forget that every production at Live Arts offers at least three “Pay What You Can” performances on each Wednesday of the run. There are no restrictions for “Pay What You Can” nights, so please encourage your financially-challenged friends and family members to take advantage of these shows.
