The Plaza is changing the way it handles its Season Subscription process.  We are switching from a “Subscription” model to a “Membership” model. All the details are explained below, but the main point is that it will give Members (formerly Subscribers) the flexibility to pick and chose many of the events they want to attend while still maintaining their “Member/Subscriber” seats and getting advance notice and purchase on many other events.

Under the “Subscription” model, the Plaza would select anywhere from 6 to 8 shows and Season Subscribers would be required to purchase a ticket (at a discount) to ALL shows in that season.  This meant that the Subscriber often had tickets to shows that they weren’t interested in seeing.  We have received a lot of feedback over the years that Subscribers wanted more flexibility in selecting shows to attend.

A downside for the Plaza using the “Subscription” model was that in putting together an 8 show season, we allocated all of our programming funding at the very start of the season.  Then, part way through the season, we would get a call from a booking agent on a really great deal on a great artist who had a routing date open.  But because we had allocated our entire programming budget to a “season” we didn’t have funds left to take advantage of this great offer.  Moving to a “Membership” model will help the Plaza take advantage of these great deals on great artists as we won’t have allocated all of our funding up front.

The way Memberships work is that a person will purchase an annual Membership (July 1 through June 30) for $25 per seat.  This fee locks down that seat as their Member seat which they get first chance at for the entire year.  A Member must also purchase one ticket per seat to just TWO shows in that year.  These shows are not options, they are part of the Membership package.  Typically, it will be one show in the fall and one show in the spring.  After that, any extra events that are added, Members will get a chance to purchase tickets in advance of the general public AND get first shot at their Member seat(s).  After a limited time, tickets will then go on sale to the general public.  But a key thing is that Members will NOT have to buy tickets to these added events unless they wish to attend them.  Otherwise they can simply pass and their Member seats will be sold to the general public for that event.

Members will be issued a Plaza Member photo ID card upon becoming Members.  You will just need to stop by the Plaza Box Office during business hours and it will take less than 5 minutes to generate your card.  We will start creating cards when we announce the two shows that make up the Membership package.

While the Membership model adds flexibility for the Members, it does put the Plaza at a bit of a financial risk.  Previously, when Subscribers were required to purchase all 8 shows, that was guaranteed income whether or not the Subscriber showed up for that event.  But this often led to events where prime seats were empty when several Subscribers chose not to attend a show.  With most of the events now  being optional, the Plaza runs the risk of having a drop of income.  That is why we are requiring an annual Membership fee as well as requiring that the two “anchor” shows be purchased.  We need to guarantee a certain level of income from the Members  / Subscribers.  This is a fairly standard model that many performing arts center across the country use.

Another great advantage to the Membership model is that we are extending an invitation to all renters of the Plaza Theatre to become part of our “Membership Package”.  So far the Far Off Broadway Players have joined us and we expect others to follow since becoming part of the Plaza’s “Membership Package” offers specific advantages to these groups.  What this means is that your “Member Seats” are good for these events as well and you will get an advance chance to make your purchase before the general public.  However, the rental groups are not obligated to offer you a discount on the regular price – your Membership simply gives you first shot at your member seats for these events.

We will notify current Subscribers when the two “anchor” events are set and when we are ready to starting selling Memberships and printing Membership cards.  This will hopefully be within the next couple of weeks but a lot depends on how negotiations with booking agencies go and how soon an artist signs a contract formally committing them after our offer is made and accepted (we don’t announce a show until we have a signed document in our hands).

If you have any questions, please call us at (270) 361-2101, x0 or email us at info@plaza.org.  Or check out the “Memberships” page on our website at www.plaza.org/events/memberships.html.