While theater experiences come in all varieties, and the kinds of people who go to theater come in even more varieties, there is one fact about theater that virtually everyone involved in it will agree with – there is no live theater without an audience. Most of us in the profession would agree that theater without an audience is, well, rehearsal.

But of course just as audience members come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, hair color, etc., so too their relationship to any given theater can be very different. And that relationship generally starts with what kind of ticket they have, and how they came to own it.

For theaters like Portland Center Stage, there is one group of audience members who make the choice to become subscribers, also known as season ticket holders. But, we realize that we may take for granted sometimes that our patrons or, even more significantly, our potential patrons, know what subscription entails, and what the advantages are to subscribing.

Below we offer a brief Q & A about subscription; if you have other questions on this topic you’d like answered, please do add to this post and we’ll respond to all!

So what exactly is a subscription?

A subscription is a set of tickets to the plays performed over the course of the theater season. At PCS, as at most theaters, there are different season package sizes to choose from – you can opt to see as few as four plays, or up to a full season of nine plays, based on the package you choose. In the sports world it’s more often called a season ticket, but a theater subscription works much the same way.

So, I always get the same seat and same night when I come to see a play, just like in the sports arena?

Okay, so here’s where we’re a little different than a Blazers season ticket. For our plays that are performed on the Main Stage, most of our subscribers do sit in the same seat when they attend the theater. This is when they’ve decided to subscribe to a “seated” package, and they select the seating area they prefer. When attending a play in our intimate Ellen Bye Studio, there are no reserved seats, but subscribers are admitted to the theatre ten minutes before any other audience members so they get to select their preferred seats first.

But subscribers do choose the night of the week they would like to attend, in both theaters, and their season tickets are scheduled accordingly.

What are the advantages of subscribing to the theater? Why shouldn’t I just reserve tickets closer to the performance dates?

For some people, waiting to reserve tickets on a show by show basis may work best. But before deciding that the advance commitment of a season subscription ticket doesn’t work for you and your schedule, consider these benefits, which we’ll divide into “practical” (cost savings, perks, etc.) and “hey, I deserve it!” (convenience, fun, etc.) categories:

Practical:

• You save money, on both your season tickets and on any additional tickets you may purchase during the season, for friends or family
• You get the best seats, reserved and confirmed well in advance
• You get flexibility; can’t make it to your scheduled performance? Call or email us, and we’ll make arrangements for another night at that show for you, no charge!
• You get other kinds of goodies: restaurant discounts, insider’s information, opportunities to meet and greet members of the company, discounts at other arts performances around the city

Hey, I deserve it:

 

• By subscribing, you guarantee yourself some great nights out – you’ve reserved the time in your busy schedule well in advance, and you need the break! How many times have you said to yourself, “I’m going to go see that show,” only to have it come and go before you organized yourself to actually get the tickets?
• You won’t miss the “hot show” in town; last season, several productions were in such demand that non-subscribers found it really difficult to get tickets
• You get ultimate freedom – only subscribers can make exchanges at no cost, if they find they need to reschedule attendance at a show. Plan now, but you can adjust later if you need to
• Reconnecting with the part of you that loves a good story, going out with friends, and seeing or hearing something that makes you take that time to pause and marvel at the world a little bit – isn’t that a good idea?

If I plan that far in advance, I’m afraid I’ll forget to come to the show!

We thought of that! So we have a few things to help:

• For those of you who still use paper calendars, we send you some cute little stickers to put on your show dates, right along with your tickets, as helpful reminders.
• You can sign up for our free Virtual Valet service; we’ll email you the week before your performance date, reminding you of your night at the theatre and also how to make any changes if you find you need to reschedule
• If you completely forget despite the above help, so haven’t made it to your show or arranged in advance for a new date, then talk to us! Our box office staff will help find another performance and we’ll accommodate you on stand by – we want to make sure you’ll see all of the great work we have coming up this season

Okay, you’ve convinced me. But I can’t possibly decide what night and which shows are right for me, right now! What about that?

Let us help you. The box office staff can give you a lot more information about the season; our website is updated constantly with information about our productions, to help you in making those choices. And, we have flexible packages, “flexpasses,” available. You get all the perks of subscribing, but you’ll have the opportunity to take a little more time in selecting your plays and dates, redeeming your vouchers as your schedule allows.

explore the 08/09 season || download a subscription order form || more blogs about the season

Have more questions about subscription? Call our box office at 503-445-3700, email us or post your question in the comments below and we’ll get right back to you.