KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Centennial Hall, known for playing host to such shows as "Phantom of the Opera" and "Rent," is being affected by last year's budget cuts. Discounts for faculty and staff will be eliminated for this 2002-03 UA Presents season after Friday, Sept. 6.

Due to budget cuts, faculty and staff will no longer receive discounts to a selection of performances for the 2002-03 season at Centennial Hall.

UApresents ÷ which had in the past provided a 20 percent discount for all faculty and staff and up to 50 percent discounts for students ÷ said the final days the campus community discount will be available for faculty and staff are Thursday, Sept. 5 and Friday, Sept. 6.

After Friday, all tickets will be for sale at full price for UA faculty and staff. Students will continue to receive the discount.

The discount for UA faculty, staff and students was affected last semester when students were limited to purchasing only one ticket at a discounted price when before students could buy two. This became effective last Jan. 1, 2002, said Tara Kirkpatrick, publicist for UApresents.

Kirkpatrick said not all performances brought to the UA by UApresents have included discount opportunities in the past or will in the future, referring mostly to Broadway performances. She encouraged all faculty and staff members to buy their tickets on the only two days the 20 percent discount would be offered.

For the 2001-02 season a total of 170,455 tickets were sold. Student ticket sales comprised 10 percent of the total ticket sales and faculty and staff sales amounted to 1.3 percent.

"While it's unfortunate we're taking away the (faculty and staff) discount, given the range of options, clearly this affected the least amount of people," Kirkpatrick said.

Clint Bryson, adjunct instructor for lighting design and theater supervisor, was surprised to hear that the discounts ÷ which he didn't know existed ÷ would be taken away.

"I didn't know we had discounts available," Bryson said. "This is my first semester teaching so it hasn't affected me so far."

Bryson said he was disappointed he would not have the opportunity to take advantage of a staff and faculty discount.

"(Without the discount) I would certainly be much less inclined to purchase tickets," Bryson said. "There will be less of an incentive."

Tom Watts, senior research specialist for ecology and evolutionary biology, said the eliminated discount would affect him psychologically more than financially.

"I want my discount!" Watts said. "I've probably been to see three shows in the last three years."

Watts said he would be less likely to buy performance tickets at full price.

Kirkpatrick said UApresents created a program last year to encourage ticket sales to the UA community called Arts Venture. The program allows certain shows that do not sell out to be sold at half price the day of the performance. UA community theater-goers will be affected by the budget cut; however, new programs like Arts Venture will provide some relief for students short on funds.