Ticket Sales

Notes from GFS Spring 2022

Laurie Ginsberg and Jenny Perlman

1. Created separate email for ticket sales: willywonkaGFS2022@gmail.com

2. Determine price of tickets and capacity of theater

• 2022 capacity was 300 – we sold out Friday evening show 7:00 pm (~1.5 weeks before) and Sat last show 1:45 pm (~few days before); close to capacity for Sat early show 12:00 pm

• Determine if you need to reserve seats (i.e. Golden Ticket winners, etc)

• We decided no reserved seating – first come first serve

• Ticket price was set by Wonka contract - $10

• Also asked for donations

• Can we include total amount sold and donated?

3. Create ticket sales methods and procedures 

• We researched various ticket platforms (including those that Staples and Bedford use) and decided costs too high ($3k+ ) and we didn’t require the level of functionality provided.

• Decided to use GFS PTA existing PayPal account as well as accepted check, cash and comp tickets for financial needs (didn’t receive many non-PayPal purchases- maybe ~25 families total)

• We then created ticket sale form (for cash and check payments)

• Created PayPal links (separate for each show so you can delete PayPal link when show is sold out) as well as a link for donations

• SPropp collected cash/checks and confirmed with Jenny & Laurie before confirming availability (she created and shared a separate spreadsheet).

4. Create tracking spreadsheet

• Use this TEMPLATE: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cPojb9YZ2NKkT-OtDN-_qnXjVtx4rAXzqeigNuhrbuk/edit?usp=sharing

• Track all ticket sales (PayPal, Check, Cash, Mr. Cazetta’s account); tally ticket sales every day to make sure we haven’t reached capacity

• PTA treasurer would send PayPal report on daily basis

• Mrs. Propp would update cash, check and comp ticket sales using a separate spreadsheet shared with us; we added these numbers to the master spreadsheet.

• Create box office check in lists to check people in on the day of the performance 

• Decided to go ticketless so people just gave name at door - worked well.

• No email confirmation – but people had paypal receipt if needed. Those who paid check, cash or comp did receive an email confirmation from Mrs. Propp.

• Helpful to have play landing page on GFS website to direct people to more information on the show as well to update info as needed, such as when shows sold out.

• Had 45 min break btwn two shows, which seemed to work well.

• Had 3 volunteers at check in table per show