Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is offering theatre lovers the ultimate interactive experience with the launch of a new and improved website. So whether its booking tickets for a West End show or ordering interval drinks it can all now be done at the click of a mouse.
The redesigned website (www.reallyuseful.com) offers musical theatre enthusiasts exclusive media-rich content as well as improved community and social networking features. The website also features enhanced B-to-B services for its production and licensing customers.
Douglas Glen, Head of Digital Strategy at The Really Useful Group, said "The new website is the definitive online destination for fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber and musical theatre. We also hope it will quickly become the industry leading services platform for our existing customers and international partners".
It is not only consumers who will benefit from the new content rich community elements. The website also launches with a feature-rich, B-to-B platform servicing the wider theatre industry. There will also be the facility for stock & amateur production companies to complete online applications within their territory.
One of the many exciting new community elements within the website is ‘Backstage' where musical theatre fans can register for a ‘Backstage Pass'. This allows them to build their own personalised and show themed profile pages, post reviews and blogs and access the latest audio and video content as well as breaking news and exclusive editorial features.
Susan Williamson, Managing Editor of www.reallyuseful.com, said: "We have specifically developed ‘Backstage' to respond to the passion and loyalty of Andrew Lloyd Webber fans and created an online community where they can not only connect with each other but with the essence of our shows and our product.
The ‘Shows' area of the website has also been overhauled to offer richer audio-visual content highlighting each of the shows with their own unique "themed" look and feel.
The website's new integrated ticketing experience allows theatregoers to manage every aspect of their next visit to a Really Useful Group theatre online from booking tickets to a hit West End show through to buying show merchandise and even pre-ordering interval drinks online.
Douglas Glen continued: "We are committed to making a night at a Really Useful Group theatre a truly unique and memorable experience".
A new ‘Theatres' section offers customers a wealth of information before they have even stepped through the doors of any one of The Really Useful Group's seven West End theatres.
Information includes performance times, travel directions, accessibility information, along with details of in-house hospitality such as VIP experiences and RoyalBOX canapés.
The ‘Theatres' section also allows theatregoers to find out more about each venue via a video walk-through and 360 degree photographic montages.
In addition to buying merchandise linked to one of The Really Useful Group's hit musicals, the website also includes an online store where fans can buy all the Group's other merchandise including Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest album, 60 - The Birthday Box Set.
A new digital download store allows fans to access hand-selected recordings and an exclusive monthly podcast by Tris Penna, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Creative Director and Managing Director of the Really Useful Group's music division. The podcasts will feature exclusive interviews with many of the artists Andrew and the Really Useful Group have collaborated over the past 40 years.
Douglas Glen continued: "We are very pleased with the new website and excited to be able to offer such a content rich community destination for our UK and international audiences in advance of what will undoubtedly be another ground breaking entertainment milestone, Phantom...Love Never Dies".
