“FAME Jr. is now completely sold out for both the 2PM & 7PM performances today! annnnnd no we can not add seats to the front, no you can not stand at the back, no you can not sit on the stairs. YES you can buy tickets to other OKTC productions weeks in advance so this does not happen to you again.”
— Jeff Crane (from Facebook)

First off, congratulations to OKTC‘s FAME Jr. for an incredibly successful, sold-out run!  Way to go!

Second, hats off to Jeff for calling people out on not only leaving their ticket purchases too late, but then trying to worm their way in anyway.  There are only 98 seats in the theatre, people!  The wheelchair-accessible spaces are not for those who procrastinate.

It still astounds me that in this day and age, when it’s so easy to purchase tickets in advance (either online, in person or over the phone) that people still leave buying tickets until the last minute, and then are disappointed and dumbfounded when the show is sold out when they arrive half an hour before curtain.

So what have we learned?

1 – Never underestimate the popularity of an OKTC (or any!) show.

2 – Seriously, what are you waiting for?  A better offer?  Being wishy-washy about what day you’re going to go?  Trying to avoid service fees?

Be assertive.  Make a decision.  Buy the tickets, and enjoy the show.  Which is worse: paying a service fee, or missing your kid’s performance?

(FYI – In many cases, services fees are in place to pay the box office staff.  So those fees are not there to rip you off.  You’re contributing to continuing their employment, hence the term “service” fees.  HOWEVER, that does not mean that “you pay their salary.”  Just a friendly reminder.)

By the way, if you want to buy tickets to an OKTC show, here are the details:
Phone: 519-679-8989
Email: tickets@oktc.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OriginalKidsTheatre
Twitter: @OriginalKidsTC
Online: www.originalkids.ca

Photo Credit: Krista Nikolakakos
Photo Editing: Kerry Hishon