A theatre or venue app: programme, tickets and reminders

An app for a theatre or a performance venue puts the whole season in the audience’s pocket. The programme, tickets in one tap, directions and a reminder on the night of the show. It starts at €19 a month.

Thursday, 4 p.m. There are forty seats left for Saturday’s show. The poster has been up in town for a month, the newsletter went out last week, and part of your audience never opened it.

With an app, a message lands on your audience’s screens, and the booking button is right below. Here I show you how it works, with the screens of our demo.

Why a performance venue needs an app

Your audience comes back several times a season. The app keeps the link between two shows: it stays on the home screen, and you tell your audience while they can still book.

Everything below applies to a theatre, a concert hall, an independent cinema, a music venue, an opera house, a touring company or an arts centre.

The season programme

Each show has its page: the photo, the date, the time, the place and the description. The audience filters by category, for example theatre, dance or concerts, and saves favourite shows.

If your season already exists in an online calendar, it connects through iCal and updates itself.

Tickets in one tap

Each page has its “Buy ticket” button, which opens your usual ticketing site. You keep your sales tool, prices and rules, and the app brings the audience there at the right moment.

On the same page: a button to call or email the box office, directions to the venue, and sharing with a friend to come together.

Reminders that fill the house

A notification goes to everyone who has installed the app, right away or at the time you choose. A few examples ready to send:

• “Only 40 seats left for Saturday night, book now”
• “Tonight 8:30 p.m.: doors open at 8 p.m., bar open from 7 p.m.”
• “The new season is online: discover all 24 shows”

Notifications are unlimited, in every plan. The writing guide is in the article on push notifications.

On the night of the show

The audience member opens the app after work: directions to the venue, the nearest car park, the time doors open. During the interval, they find the programme notes, the cast and the description of the piece, with no printed programme.

The next day, a short questionnaire asks what they thought of the show. You know what works, and you plan next season with your audience’s feedback.

Keep the venue alive between shows

• Behind the scenes: a rehearsal video, an artist portrait, a photo from the last show.
• A subscribers’ area: a section for your season ticket holders, with their previews. See the article on the members area.
• Groups and schools: a request form, received by email. The how-to is in the article on app forms.

To get the app installed, display a QR code in the foyer, on printed programmes and on tickets, with a simple line: “The whole season on your phone”. It’s all explained in the article on the QR code.

How much does a venue app cost

At Maymoune, every feature is included in all three plans, with no commission on your tickets:

• Starter, €19 a month: your web app, installed from a link or a QR code.
• Ultra, €59 a month: the same, plus the iPhone, iPad and Android app on the stores.
• Ultra lifetime, €2,999: a one-time payment, with publishing on the App Store and Google Play included.

My advice: launch the app with the new season, and send the first reminder ten days before opening night. Plan details are on the pricing page.

To go further: one-off big events are covered in the article on a festival app. Other questions are answered in the FAQ.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an app for a performance venue cost?

€19 a month for the web app, €59 a month with the iPhone and Android apps, or €2,999 once and for all. No commission is taken on your tickets. Details are on the pricing page.

Can we sell tickets from the app?

Each show has a button that opens your usual ticketing site. You keep your sales tool and your prices.

Can we tell the audience there are seats left?

Yes. A notification goes to everyone who has installed the app, right away or at the chosen time. Notifications are unlimited.

Can the programme update itself?

Yes, if your season is already in an online calendar: it connects through iCal and updates automatically.

Can content be reserved for season ticket holders?

Yes. Each section can be public or reserved for logged-in subscribers.