Center Theatre Group Launches Facebook App

Center Theatre Group has announced the launch of a new Facebook app that gives friends a new way to connect by organizing trips to the theatre with Facebook friends and allowing each friend to purchase their own tickets. Currently in public beta testing, the app is available to anyone on Facebook.

"Theatre has always been a communal art form but there has generally been a small hurdle when friends plan to go to the theatre. To be seated together, one person has to make the purchase of the tickets and then everyone else reimburses that person," said Dave Alton, CTG's Chief Information Officer. "But when friends cancel or are late to the performance, things can get complicated very fast -- and there is nothing like being stuck with the tab for somebody else's unused theatre ticket to make you want to un-friend people.

"This new app allows each friend to take responsibility for their own ticket."

The app, which was developed in conjunction with the Tessitura Network, JCA and six national Theatre Partners, allows a user to suggest theatre outings with Facebook friends, and then decide on a performance, select seats and purchase tickets - all on Facebook. Depending on a user's chosen privacy setting, performance and seating locations can be shared with other Facebook friends.

"This is another exciting step in the evolution of our sales paths," said CTG Marketing Director Jim Royce. "We will continue to maintain an award-winning ticket sales department for patrons who choose to purchase in person at one of our box offices, over the phone with our sales representatives or through our website. But now, the people who like to stay connected through Facebook can connect with their friends at the theatre."

A link to the app is available by visiting Center Theatre Group's Facebook page at CenterTheatreGroup.org/facebooktix.

More than 1,000 nonprofit organizations have turned to JCA as a strategic consulting partner to make websites, ticketing, membership, and related technologies work for people. JCA has experience with all major nonprofit software and web systems. JCA's team works hard to deliver websites that generate revenue, function better and integrate with the systems that leading nonprofits depend on.

More than 400 arts and cultural organizations of all sizes are members of the Tessitura Network. Tessitura Software is the flagship product of the Tessitura Network and provides a unified platform for all departments within an organization to manage customer relationships, ticketing, marketing, subscriptions, fundraising, memberships, reporting and web transactions. The Tessitura Network also offers services such as N-Scan ticket scanning for access control, express web integration, TN Mobile Plus for mobile ticketing and content streaming, and TN Social Ticketing for selling tickets on Facebook, and more. As a non-profit corporation governed by an elected board of Network participants, the Tessitura Network mission is focused on providing continually innovated technology and services and improving the operations of users of its software, rather than a profit motive.

Center Theatre Group, a non-profit organization, is one of the largest and most active theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and the 1,600 to 2,000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center of Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to providing theatre of the highest caliber to the rich, diverse communities of Southern California and beyond, CTG supports a significant number of play development and arts education initiatives.

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