“We could not be more excited about offering free tickets to UConn students for every performance this season,” Jorgensen Director Rodney Rock said. File Photo / The Daily Campus.
For the first time in its 65-year history, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts will offer free tickets to University of Connecticut students for all 29 of its upcoming season’s performances. The announcement came last week, as the center prepares for its Sept. 14 season opener.
The tickets, to be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis, will be made available one hour prior to each show at the Center’s Box Office. Students will need to present a valid UConn ID to redeem their free tickets, which are limited to one ticket per student.
“We could not be more excited about offering free tickets to UConn students for every performance this season,” Jorgensen Director Rodney Rock said.
The Rush Ticket Program is a national trend in U.S. colleges that the School of Fine Arts decided to jump on this year. The program is a commitment by UConn and will be an ongoing effort, Rock said.
Though the free tickets are limited and not guaranteed to students, Rock said tickets are still available to students at heavily discounted prices.
“These are not prices you’d pay in major cities like New York City, Chicago or St. Louis,” Rock said. “You’d be paying at least $150 to see the same performers, compared to the $10-$15 you’re paying to see them at Jorgensen.”
Last year’s record-breaking percentage of tickets sold to students, 28 percent, was a three percent increase from previous years and higher than the average percentage nationally, Rock said.
“Cultural arts try hard to build audiences,” Rock said. “It’s really all part of the audience generation process.”
Jorgensen’s season begins on Sept. 14 with The Piano Guys, and Gilberto Santa Rosa performing the subsequent week. Hasan Minaj follows on Oct. 12.
This article has been corrected to remove a mention of Kristen Chenoweth performing on Sept. 27, her performance was rescheduled for March 27, 2020.
Nicholas Martin is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at nicholas.martin@uconn.edu.