Rubicon Theatre Company Announces First-Ever Tweet Seat Night, 1/22

In today's technological age, it can be difficult to disconnect from our computers and smartphones for even just a couple of hours during a night at the theatre. Have you found yourself itching to update your Twitter followers about an amazing experience at a live performance, but been restricted by the stern no-phones policies that are standard in live theatres?

Now, Rubicon Theatre Company is giving you the chance to turn your tweeting addiction into a money saver with $15 tickets for tweeters during the designated Tweet Seat Night of each show of the current Rubicon season, Magic Mystery & Music! This special event series premieres on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2012 during the 7 PM performance of the world premiere concert, Ted Neeley & The Little Big Band. During the performance, tweeters in a separate block of seats in the balcony will be able to use their phones to share their experience with the Twitter world – in real time!

Bringing Social Media into the Live Experience:

The concept of "tweet seats" was first brought to the attention of the Rubicon marketing department through an article on the subject in USA Today, which featured a Tweet Seat event at Goodspeed Musical's developmental production of Hello! My Baby, the new-fashioned musical comedy from Cheri Steinkellner (Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winner for Cheers and Tony-nominated for Sister Act) and Georgia Stitt (Big Red Sun; Sing Me a Happy Song; The Water) that will have its World Premiere at Rubicon in March 2012. (The USA Today article can be found here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-01/theater-tweet-seats/51552010/1) "After seeing the success of the Tweet Seat event at Goodspeed, we decided to adapt the concept for the rest of Rubicon's season," says BrIan McDonald, Rubicon's Associate Producer. "It's a great way to get our youth community excited about live theatre and offer them a price they can afford." Tweet Seat Nights benefit both the tweeters and the theatre – young tweeters are able to experience the professional theatre of their community at an accessible cost, and the theatre is able to offer potential patrons pure reactions from the audience, shared the moment they have them.

The main opposition to the Tweet Seats popping up in theatres across the country is the disruption they might cause to non-tweeting audience members. Most theatres accommodate the patrons by reserving the Tweet Seats for the back row, but Rubicon Theatre has a built-in section where tweeters will be completely removed from other patrons – the balcony. "The use of our balcony for the Tweet Seats will allow us to integrate social media into the performance while still maintaining the integrity of the show and the traditional theatre experience," assures McDonald.

ABOUT Ted Neeley & THE LITTLE BIG BAND

Before his epoch-making performance in the film of Jesus Christ Superstar, Ted Neeley was a singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, and record producer from Ranger, Texas. He lent his abilities to albums and appearances by artists such as Nigel Olsson, Tina Turner, Disco Tax and the Sex-O-Lettes, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley and Meat Loaf. Following years of sold-out stage tours, and film and television work, this Renaissance man now melds his musical passions for many kinds of music to create a theatrical concert event which kicks off here at Rubicon prior to a national tour! Backed by a little (five-piece) band of big talents, Ted takes us back to his Texas roots with a winsome bit of backwoods blues and country, performs highlights from rock-and-roll musicals such as Tommy, Hair, Sgt. Pepper's… and Superstar, sings excerpts from his film scores for Robert Altman and others, and premieres new, never-before-heard pop compositions. Expect a mix of electric and acoustic music, a little "yammering" and some special surprises.
Ted Neeley & The Little Big Band will run from January 20 – 29, 2012.

DETAILS FOR TWEET SEAT NIGHTS:

The first Tweet Seat Night will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2012 at the 7 PM performance of Ted Neeley & The Little Big Band. Seats for tweeters are reserved in the balcony and are priced at $15. Patrons who buy tickets at this price must agree to Rubicon's Tweet Seat Guidelines. All tweets regarding the performance must incorporate the show's specific Twitter hashtag, #TedNeeley.

Dates for the Tweet Seat Nights for the rest of Rubicon's season are included below:
Nazi Hunter – Simon Wiesenthal: February 15th, 2012 at 7 PM
Hello! My Baby: March 21st, 2012 at 7 PM
Gem of the Ocean: May 16th, 2012 at 7 PM
Private Lives: September 5th, 2012 at 7 PM
More information on these dates will be announced later.
TICKETS
Special Tweet Seat Night tickets can be purchased through the Rubicon box office in person at 1006 E. Main St., Ventura or by phone at (805) 667-2900.

Ted Neeley & THE LITTLE BIG BAND is the second show of Rubicon Theatre Company's 2011-2012 Season, entitled "Magic, Mystery and Music." The season is sponsored by Barbara Meister ~ Barber Ford • Volkswagen • Subaru • RV, Janet and Mark L. Goldenson, Sandra and Jordan Laby ~ San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts, Loretta and Mike Merewether and Micheline Sakharoff.

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