Found on-line:
UPDATE and ALT comment: "What we have here is a failure to communicate. . . .":
On its website today the Greater Austin Creative Alliance cheerfully explains that the only sold-out tickets for the Free Night of Theatre so far are those for the events for this coming weekend (11 listings). GACA says that because in previous years some lucky ticket holders forgot about the show dates later in the month, the organization has decided to release the remaining tickets (50 listings by ALT's count) week by week, making them available on the Tuesdays beforehand. Just sign up on the site's "stand-by list," which is not a stand-by list at all but rather a list-serve that will remind you that Tuesday is coming around again. More tickets/opportunities will be added during the month.
There is no acknowledgment that the national web site does not mention GACA'S change in procedures. And there's no evident sensitivity to the fact that misleading prospective audiences with your marketing is one of the quickest ways in the world to motivate them to stay home in front of the television with their feet up .
UPDATE/AFTER ACTION REPORT:
just received:
What a joke!!! How at 11:01 are everyone one of these events "Sold Out"? Obviously they were available to someone prior to 11am, Tuesday September 28th as advertised here. Utterly dissappointing.
Posted by ChrisNAustin to Austin Live Theatre at September 28, 2010 11:08 AM
AustinLiveTheatre checked and can confirm that every item on the lengthy list for Austin is designated SOLD OUT. ALT forwarded Chris's comment to the info e-mail at the Greater Austin Creative Alliance.
Free Night of Theater 2010
during October
presented by Greater Austin Creative Alliance (GACA) at multiple locations
ALT note: beginning at 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 28 you can reserve two free tickets for shows listed for Austin at the Theatre Communication Group's Free Night of Theatre website (click to go there).
Performances occur during the period October 1-October 31, 2010.
Listed as of Thursday, September 23:
The New Movement Theatre (21 performances)
The Georgetown Palace (6 dates for Cinderella by Rodgers and Hammerstein)
Paradox Players, Unitarian Universalist Church (2 dates for Incorruptible)
Zach Theatre (2 matinees for Rent)
UT (1 Sunday matinee for The Fantasticks)
Southwestern University (1 listing for a Thursday performance of The Man Who Came to Dinner by Kauffman and Hart)
The Vortex Repertory (1 Sunday evening listing for Vampyress)
Tapestry Dance Company (a Saturday matinee and evening for Voices of Rhythm)
(GACA's listing indicates that more productions will be added to the list.)
The GACA pitch:
Enjoy free tickets to events at theaters and galleries across Austin all this month! A national program of Theatre Communicatios Group, Free Night is presented locally by Greater Austin Creative Alliance.
The program was developed to make the experience of live performance available to people who may not have ever seen live theater, dance, music. We encourage you to use this opportunity to visit theaters or see events you have not seen before. Do encourage others to use this opportunity as well.
We thank all the arts organizations in Austin that make these offers available to you this year:
Austin Chamber Music Center; Austin Community College Department of Drama; Austin Film Society; The Baron's Men; Coldtowne Theatre; Georgetown Palace Theatre; Paradox Players; Sight Ain't Seen Productions' Tapestry Dance Company; The Hideout Theatre; The Long Cneter for the Performing Arts; The New Movement Theatre; University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance; Vortex Repertory Companuy; Weird City Theatre; Zach
YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR FREE NIGHT TICKETS ONLINE AT THE TCG LINK.
Since its inception in 2005, Free Night of Theater has boosted awareness of the nations arts organizations, while building new audiences and driving single ticket sales. Continuing in this tradition, Free Night 2010 will seek out new audiences, invite current theatergoers and arts patrons to try a new theater or arts venue, as well as ignite interest and create awareness about the variety of arts options in Austin and across the country. In 2009 Free Night of Theater celebrated its 5th anniversary in over 120 cities from coast to coast with 714 arts organizations offering over 65,000 tickets to more than 2,000 performances across the nation! Free Night of Theater 2010 will kick-off nation wide on October 14th. Tickets will be offered between October 1 and October 31
What a joke!!! How at 11:01 are everyone one of these events "Sold Out"? Obviously they were available to someone prior to 11am, Tuesday September 28th as advertised here. Utterly dissappointing.
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