Thomas Jefferson

High School | Home of the Spartans

Rent Goes High Tech

Posted 03/12/2010 by Mia Nogueira

The Drama Club offers their ticket sales on the World Wide Web.

Artwork by Rebecca Holt

Artwork by Rebecca Holt

2010 is a big year for the Drama department, since they have upgraded their ticket sales to be accessed through the Internet.

“Accessibility is key,” said English Teacher and Drama Club Sponsor Michael Palmieri. “I posted Rent posters all over town, and I want the people who saw them to be able to purchase their tickets somewhere where they wouldn’t have to travel a far distance, so the Internet is perfect,” he said.

Perfect it is, since accessibility, early sales and bigger audiences are the main goals for the new online box office. “It will be easier for anyone to come to our events if the tickets are available online. I hope that people will feel pressured to buy them since the event could be sold out,” he said. “If attendees buy their tickets earlier, it benefits the Drama department; we get early profits. Also, I think that it will widen our audience count, because it will be so easy to buy the tickets,” he added.

There are two ways to purchase the event tickets: at the school or online. At school, students can get their tickets from the Box Office, or Mr. Palmieri himself. Online, theater goers can visit www.tjjournal.com, and click on the large “Rent” link, which will redirect them to the purchasing website. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students (with a valid student ID).

When ordering tickets, it is important to remember that NO CHILDREN UNDER 13 WILL BE ADMITTED, so Palmieri urges families not to purchase tickets for the young ones.

When the tickets are purchased, an 8×11  print-out of the receipt, with the amount of tickets purchased, will be provided. “Keep that receipt! If you lose the receipt, you lose your tickets,” said Palmieri. Trained ushers will be at the front of the auditorium ready to take the online print-outs, and purchased tickets before the event begins.

Rent will be performing on March 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th at 7:00 p.m. at the Harry Shanker Auditorium at Thomas Jefferson High School. Tickets for all four nights are available for purchase through the link posted in the TJ Journal Homepage.

“It was time that we moved into the electronic age.  The Computer Magnet has done it, so it makes a lot of sense that our fantastic Drama Department moves forward as well,” said Palmieri.