Tuesday, December 09, 2008

All Danny Wants for Christmas is PRESS!

Danny doesn't want a lot for Christmas
there's just one thing that he needs
He doesn't care
about the presents
underneath the Christmas tree

Danny just wants you to review
more than you could ever know
make his wish come true
All Danny wants
for Christmas is you,
uuuuuuuuh, press!

Danny won't even hang his stockings
They're up on the fire place

Santa Clause won't make him happy
to leave a toy on Christmas day
He just wants you
to write a feature or an interview

more than you could ever know
make his wish come true
All Danny wants for Christmas is you
uuuuuuuh, press!

Danny don't ask for much this Christmas
He won't even wish for snow
He just wanna see you sittin'
with a press kit and a glow
He wont mind if you don't like him
all he wants is to perform

Roy Arias Theatre is the place
where you can find the Zero crew
from Dallas to New York
O'Connor waits for you
Baby, baby, All Danny wants for Christmas is you
Uuuuuuuuh, press!

Thursday, December 04, 2008

World’s first “social ticketing network” aims for launch in 2009

From Ticketrends.com, 12/3/08

Life might get a little more convenient for season ticket holders, theater patrons, subscribers and concert goers with the announcement of the social ticketing Web site, Ovation.com by Event Innovation. Stephen Gilfus, chairman and CEO of the company and a founder of Washington, D.C.-based Blackboard announced the development of Ovation.com. Ovation is a paperless ticketing solution that gives users a hassle free ticketing experience that combines the features of social networking technologies like a robust ticket management solution and "requests for attendance" along with a free membership card. It reduces the hassle of standing in long queues or wasting time making phone calls to find out who can attend events. The entire process is quick, secure and user-friendly and done within a closed network. While there are paperless ticketing solutions available in the market, they lack the capability required for event attendees to manage multiple ticket management for friends, groups, families and co-workers. "Creating a network that truly meets the needs of concert goers that purchase multiple tickets for their friends, sports fans that manage season tickets, or theater patrons that have tickets across a multitude of events was key to our design," said Gilfus.

Event Innovation has developed a technology platform that integrates easily into existing ticketing and gate access systems. According to the company, the new solution has already attracted the interest of several ticketing partners and the company is looking forward to finalizing its partner integrations prior to a 2009 launch. Some key features of Ovation include free registration for individuals, friends and families. When signing up, the user needs to provide a valid credit card and address to validate their membership and receive a membership card. Members who purchase tickets from major ticket providers will be able to have them electronically deposited into their Ovation.com account. Managing and transferring of tickets to people can all be done conveniently with the click of a button. Another useful feature is that a user can import personal and business contacts from Yahoo, Hotmail, Outlook, Google, Linkedin and other social networks.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

A quote from a piece in Daily Variety....Are NY drama critics becoming an endangered species?

Are NY drama critics becoming an endangered species?

From Daily Variety, 12/3/08

The pool of Gotham legit critics got a little shallower Tuesday, as word circulated that longtime critic Jacques le Sourd had been let go at the Journal News. Legiters were abuzz with the news, although no official confirmation came from the Journal News or from parent company Gannett. As print publications buckle under the weight of the current economy, legit critics have witnessed a mass exodus in recent weeks: Michael Sommers of New Jersey's Star-Ledger took a buyout; Eric Grode lost his gig when his paper, the New York Sun, folded; Jeremy McCarter left the theater critic post at New York Magazine for the culture beat at Newsweek; and Clive Barnes, a major figure in performing arts journalism and the longtime critic at the New York Post, died. The New York Drama Critics Circle stands at 18 voting members. Tally is down from 22 members earlier this fall. Le Sourd had been with Gannett for more than 30 years. It's not yet clear how the Journal News plans to cover Broadway in his absence, although many assume the outlet will use reviews from wire services Associated Press or Bloomberg. That's also the plan at the Star Ledger, while the Post has said the paper is on the lookout for a replacement for Barnes. New York Magazine is trying out multiple critics on the legit beat. News of the loss of one more critic escalated concern among legiters who have watched media coverage of the industry continue to shrink over the years.