30 Below and Pay What You Can Launches at The Court

The Court Theatre has been bringing drama, music, comedy and joy to Christchurch for almost fifty years. Now two new initiatives, 30 Below and Pay What You Can are to be launched to make attending the theatre more accessible.

The first initiative, 30-Below will be launched with a gala performance of the next mainstage show Venus in Fur and will see over 300 twenty-somethings descend on The Court to enjoy a night out at the theatre. There will be a limited number of seats for every performance of each mainstage show available for those 30 and under for the price of $30 per ticket.

Those wanting to purchase $30 tickets will need to sign up for 30 Below and will be limited to purchasing two tickets per person. The second ticket can be used by a person over 30 years old, however the under 30 ticket buyer must collect the tickets in person with photo ID.

Paired with 30 Below, and launched for the season of Venus in Fur, comes Pay What You Can. This initiative has had great success overseas and The Court can't wait to implement it. The Pay What You Can evening will fall on a Tuesday in the latter half of each show's run. Tickets will be available online from opening night. Instead of paying the normal ticket price, audience members choose how much they would like to pay for their tickets, with options ranging from $5 - $100. This gives audience members the chance to choose the price option which is realistic for their lifestyle.

The Court's Artistic Director, Ross Gumbley, is excited to make the theatre's work accessible to a wider range of people who otherwise might not have been able to attend the theatre. "These initiatives no longer make cost a barrier from people sharing the work we do. The theatre we produce is open to everyone and no one should miss out because of the cost of a theatre ticket."

The Court has been expanding its theatrical offerings and audiences significantly over the past few years. Since the move to The Shed in Addington, The Court has increased the number of M?ori and Pasifika works hosted and performed at the theatre; introduced relaxed performances; held communication friendly performances, as well as introducing the BASE @ The Court pizza oven to enhance an evening at the theatre.

"We want to put on work which creates bold stirring reactions and we have a very diverse and much loved audience as it is. These new initiatives, coupled with those already in place, will help more enjoy the work."

Why get involved in 30 Below and Pay What You Can? "Why wouldn't you? This is a great opportunity to see world class theatre for what you can afford to pay or at a reduced fee if you're under 30."

To learn more, sign up for 30 Below or buy Pay What You Can tickets visit https://courttheatre.org.nz/concessions

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