$25 student ticket rate will apply to any unreserved seat

A long line is about to form in front of Centennial Hall's box office.

The producers of Andrew Lloyd Webber's well-known play "The Phantom of the Opera" have announced that they will offer $25 student tickets until Sunday.

"We're selling whatever's available at the time at that price," said Tara Kirkpatrick, publicist for UApresents.

That could be very good news for students on a tight budget who want to see the show.

Tickets normally range from $22.50 to $70, with no student discounts offered whatsoever. The $25 rush tickets have a chance of being the best seats in the house, so long as they haven't been reserved.

Friday and Saturday evening performances are exempt from the discount, but daytime performances are not.

Kirkpatrick said UApresents had been trying to convince the producers to offer discounts for students for more than a year.

"From the beginning of negotiations with 'Phantom' about a year ago, we had stressed the importance of student discounts," she said. "As it's not something they typically do, they had said no at the time."

Tickets are selling as well as expected, and Kirkpatrick negated rumors that the show had sold out.

"We are really happy where we are (in regards to ticket sales), but we are not sold out, and the producers are (now) aware of the effect of a student discount," she said.

Rachel Wheatcroft, a sophomore majoring in Spanish, works at Centennial Hall's box office selling tickets.

"Usually, lines don't form until about one-half hour before the performance," she said. "But it's fairly busy right now."

The rush tickets will be sold the day of performance only, three hours prior to curtain time. They must be purchased in person at the Centennial Hall box office with cash. No checks or credit cards will be accepted.

Students can purchase a maximum of two tickets with a CatCard. This offer is not valid on previously purchased tickets, and no refunds or exchanges are available.

The two-tickets-per-CatCard rule is, Kirkpatrick said, "a nice treat."

"Because of budget cuts, we had to limit students to only one discounted ticket per student ID," she said. "It used to be that they could buy up to two for every show, but we had to limit it as of January 1 of this year."

"Phantom" runs through May 4. Performances on Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday evenings are at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information about student rush tickets, call the Centennial Hall box office at 621-3341.