U-Tkts Help Students Escape the Box

Posted by Bruce Miller
Beginning Wednesday, April 15, we will launch at Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV a new ticket discount program designed to enable and encourage more college and university students to attend our productions. The tickets, to be called U-Tkts (for University Tickets), will cost $10 each. Normal ticket prices at Barksdale are $38 for a non-musical and $40 for a musical.

Students can reserve U-Tkts in advance over the phone or in person for any performance, pending availability. A student may purchase two U-Tkts to be used by himself/herself and a guest. The guest may be a student or a non-student. A student may not purchase a pair of U-Tkts and give them to a pair of theatergoers who are not students. Students must show a valid student ID at the box office when they pick up their U-Tkts.

It practical terms, U-Tkts will be on the honor system. If you’re not a student, please don’t try to cheat the system just to save a few bucks. We all know how tough the economy is right now. Neither Barksdale nor Theatre IV can afford to lose revenue.

The first shows to be covered by our new U-Tkts program are Well, opening at Barksdale Willow Lawn on April 17, and Annie, opening at the historic Empire Theatre on April 24.

Information about the new U-Tkts program will be distributed next week to all colleges and universities within a 60 minute drive of one of our theatres. The colleges and universities include Hampden-Sydney, J. Sargeant Reynolds, John Tyler, Longwood, Mary Washington, Randolph-Macon, U of R, UVA, VCU, Virginia State, Virginia Union, and William & Mary.

The U-Tkts program was designed with input from 14 university theatre students from throughout the community who responded to questions posted on Facebook.

TenSpot tickets ($10 tickets for high school students) have been in place for the last year and are made available to any high school student who joins our high school connections group, Barksdale Theatre Workshop. More info about this program will be posted soon.

As Greater Richmond’s leading professional theatres, Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV remain committed to being accessible to all theatre lovers, regardless of financial means or physical disability.

--Bruce Miller