Thread: do little kids have to pay?

i'm organising a fundraising show for just because

just had an email from one of my students, asking if a 2,5 year old has to pay for a seat?

why do people think this would be free? i feel like a meanie answering that unless the kid is sitting on somebody's lap, yes, the seat needs to be paid for. but that's what i answered... we will probably sell out, so i feel all the seats should go to people sponsoring the event? and the tickets are in fact really cheap... (only 8E)

Artemisia

I'd be concerned about someone bringing along a 2½ year old child to a show that could be a couple of hours long. They have the attention span of a gnat.

i think it depends on the venue

i think if it's a fundraiser and somewhat formal than a seat is money should be filled by a paying customer. IMHO

maybe make it half price for kids under a certain age, and free for the really young ones that'll be on mommy's lap, or in the stroller or something?
i'd not be too hot on bringing kids along though, they're a pain when the don't behave

I think that if a seat is being taken from an otherwise paying customer, then yes, the mum should have to pay for the child.

In a venue with a fixed number of seats (vs. cabaret seating) a seat is a seat, and we generally can't afford to sell any number of them at half price. I'd reply that I wish I could offer a discount, but the price is already as low as I can possibly go.

At a hafla with tables and chairs, if I had plenty of space, I think I'd offer the ticket for half price with the provision that I can't guarantee the child will have a seat, and s/he may have to sit on someone's lap. In that kind of environment, most kids don't sit much anyway!

I handle these inquiries on a case-by-case basis because advertising a child rate makes it seem like you're offering a child-friendly event, and so far none of my events have really been that way. I've been to events that had space for kids to play together away from the main staging area, but my events aren't that way.

ETA: If my venue or the length of the show felt really child-UNfriendly I might even say "I don't offer a child rate because I'm not sure this particular [show/venue] is going to be [entertaining/safe] for kids, it's too [slow, long, crowded, unsafe an environment]"

The child discount I really appreciate, as a mom, is if there's dinner included. A child (especially under the age of 10) is not going to eat nearly as much as an adult would. There's a monthly hafla at an ME restaurant in the Chicago 'burbs, where you pay $20 for a buffet dinner and the show. I can get my 11 year old in at half price, which I appreciate because all she'll eat there is plain pita and some fruit.

But otherwise, I agree that a seat is a seat is a seat.

Originally Posted by laura 2

The child discount I really appreciate, as a mom, is if there's dinner included. A child (especially under the age of 10) is not going to eat nearly as much as an adult would. There's a monthly hafla at an ME restaurant in the Chicago 'burbs, where you pay $20 for a buffet dinner and the show. I can get my 11 year old in at half price, which I appreciate because all she'll eat there is plain pita and some fruit.

But otherwise, I agree that a seat is a seat is a seat.

Your child shows charming restraint compared to the locust children that come to our haflahs!

Originally Posted by beafarhana

Your child shows charming restraint compared to the locust children that come to our haflahs!

Well, the food is mostly ME, and she won't touch it with a 10 foot pole. If we had the hafla at an Old Country Buffet, she'd be a bit more locust-y.

it's a professional theatre, with an exact number of seats...
and damn, your answer "I wish I could offer a discount, but the price is already as low as I can possibly go", need to remember that and word it like that if it ever comes up again..

it's not that i dont want to be child friendly, but yes, a seat is a seat,

Originally Posted by Lauren_

In a venue with a fixed number of seats (vs. cabaret seating) a seat is a seat, and we generally can't afford to sell any number of them at half price. I'd reply that .

At a hafla with tables and chairs, if I had plenty of space, I think I'd offer the ticket for half price with the provision that I can't guarantee the child will have a seat, and s/he may have to sit on someone's lap. In that kind of environment, most kids don't sit much anyway!

I handle these inquiries on a case-by-case basis because advertising a child rate makes it seem like you're offering a child-friendly event, and so far none of my events have really been that way. I've been to events that had space for kids to play together away from the main staging area, but my events aren't that way.

ETA: If my venue or the length of the show felt really child-UNfriendly I might even say "I don't offer a child rate because I'm not sure this particular [show/venue] is going to be [entertaining/safe] for kids, it's too [slow, long, crowded, unsafe an environment]"

Would you be able to still turn profit or break even if 1/3 did this? Even if it's not going to happen, it's always good to think about something like that. You can't offer a discount to one person if you aren't going to do the same for everyone.

Personally, I'm not sure if I'd discount it, since it is a fundraiser.

How long is the show?
Bring a toddler to a theatre show designed for adults/ older kids..no way!
What is she thinking of.
My 5 year old grand daughter sat transfixed for 2 and a half hours at our local Panto :Cinderella last week and we are off to Sleeping Beauty this weekend but number one she is a well behaved and seemingly intelligent young lady and number two was attending a show designed for family entertainment- kids of all ages..OH YES IT WAS!

We have a very big community with loads of kids, infants to teens...

General rule...Under 5 with parent is always free...must have a lap to sit in ..g.:

At haflas/open seating...if the child is shorter than our doorman when he's sitting down, in for free...taller they pay the regular price.

At fixed shows, varies, but generally under 5 - free, under 12 - half price, over 12 - full price...

ETA: The last show which was a fundraiser we did the "you must not be taller than the doorman" deal, but asked for a donation for the kids...Worked really well! Especially when the kids get to "tip" the dancers...we used basket and a covered coffee can...one of which was balanced on my head!

For what its worth I have a 4 year old & a six year old. I danced in a fundraiser and happily paid for their seats since it was obviously a cause I believed in since I was dancing

two times 45minutes, with a 30 min break

Originally Posted by lizajuk

How long is the show?
Bring a toddler to a theatre show designed for adults/ older kids..no way!
What is she thinking of.
My 5 year old grand daughter sat transfixed for 2 and a half hours at our local Panto :Cinderella last week and we are off to Sleeping Beauty this weekend but number one she is a well behaved and seemingly intelligent young lady and number two was attending a show designed for family entertainment- kids of all ages..OH YES IT WAS!

thats kind of my main argument too. people know it's a fundraiser, the dancers are not getting paid, everyone (except the performers) is paying for their tickets. i usually give free tickets (for spouses/friends) to the dancers but i did not this time. the tickets are cheap. we want to raise money, and making enough by attracting a lot of people (and we have)... the only people getting a free seat are the volunteers for the event (handling the door and such) but even they would probably donate if i asked...

actually, i dont understand why people would assume something would be free or half price for a child, unless it's a baby practically attached to one of the parents?

so basically, for this show, i decided on a "seat" base: baby or toddler on lap: free. kids needing their own seat: pay. do i attach and age to this?

on the hafla/food thing
this is a theatre show now, but i've organised hafla's in the past.
i would have a discount for kids at hafla's with food, IF the restaurant/caterer, charges half for them too.. , if the caterer charges us by the head, i need to charge full price for everyone...

Originally Posted by Yazeena

For what its worth I have a 4 year old & a six year old. I danced in a fundraiser and happily paid for their seats since it was obviously a cause I believed in since I was dancing

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

thats kind of my main argument too. people know it's a fundraiser, the dancers are not getting paid, everyone (except the performers) is paying for their tickets. i usually give free tickets (for spouses/friends) to the dancers but i did not this time. the tickets are cheap. we want to raise money, and making enough by attracting a lot of people (and we have)... the only people getting a free seat are the volunteers for the event (handling the door and such) but even they would probably donate if i asked...

actually, i dont understand why people would assume something would be free or half price for a child, unless it's a baby practically attached to one of the parents?

so basically, for this show, i decided on a "seat" base: baby or toddler on lap: free. kids needing their own seat: pay. do i attach and age to this?

on the hafla/food thing
this is a theatre show now, but i've organised hafla's in the past.
i would have a discount for kids at hafla's with food, IF the restaurant/caterer, charges half for them too.. , if the caterer charges us by the head, i need to charge full price for everyone...

The thing I've found to be difficult is enforcing the lap seating policy. I've been asked to discount for a child, done it with the explanation that they have to share the parent's seat and then when it's a squirmy toddler or preschooler mom or dad just plunk them down in the seat next to them ,m::
If you sell out and it's general admission seating that's a problem waiting to happen.

Another potential pitfall to watch out for...I used to offer a reduced price child ticket for student showcases and had a cart where people could pay by PayPal. For one show (a sellout) the records showed 40 child tickets sold but there were MAYBE six kids in attendance! ,m::,m::,m:: People will take advantage!!

~~Kimahri

it is a sell out (fingers crossed, two more weeks to go, but the tickets are flying out the door), and general admission seating... yup! since there is just a few of them i guess the door handling person is going to have to go around... and enforce the policy.

We've run into this too...when it's a little event where we're charging, say, $5 and there's food, snacks, everything else, I pretty much say that if they're more than two years old, then yes--they buy a ticket like everyone else. I mean for cripes sake--sometimes those 4 to 7 year olds chow down on the snacks as much as the adults and leave us with more mess to mop up afterward! For events that are a little more, sometime there's a lower price for kids under a certain age. But...if it's theater seating and it's likely to sell out and budgeting really requires a certain ticket price...then either there is no discount or the discount is not huge--maybe $12 rather than $15, say--but nothing like half price or anything. At some point, yes, a seat is a seat.

I might be the nasty old diva here, but for the events I sponsor, particularly the charity events, I put it right on my advertising that children 7 and under are not admitted. When adults are paying for an evening out for whatever reason, I don't think they'd appreciate sitting near a fretful bored child, or one that's disruptive because it's way past his bedtime. For 8 to 12 year olds, I do sell half-price tickets, but I limit the number available. Out of necessity, I need to fill seats with adults who will pay full price, buy raffle tickets (and alcohol at the venue bar because that helps pay for the room rental), and enjoy the performances. Our events sell out, and I don't think we've lost many audience members or performers because their toddlers were not welcome.

However, were I to sponsor an afternoon hafla and didn't have to charge a lot to cover expenses, I would gladly welcome the kiddies of all ages, and probably let them all in for free.

I really do like kids! Really! Very tasty.

Originally Posted by donnadiva

I really do like kids! Really! Very tasty.

*LOL*

Oh Donna, you're killin' me....

One issue you might have with lap-sitting in theatres is fire regulations. I'm not sure how it works where you are, but in the UK theatres have a set limit on how many people can be in there, for fire safety, it is illegal to go over this number (which includes audience, performers and tech people). Extra children not taking seats could be a breach of fire regulations if the theatre is filled.

[QUOTE=artemisia_danst;325160]

actually, i dont understand why people would assume something would be free or half price for a child, unless it's a baby practically attached to one of the parents?

QUOTE]

But I think that's because so many other events, restaurants and venues do let kids in free or discounted. I think it only normal to assume base on the statistic

Originally Posted by beafarhana

I'd be concerned about someone bringing along a 2½ year old child to a show that could be a couple of hours long. They have the attention span of a gnat.

Just some kids. Mine has been to many show and has always sat through and enjoyed,r:;

If they are taking a seat - they must pay! I paid for my baby when she was less than a year and placed her car seat on the theater chair.

thanks everyone. at least now i'm reassured that i'm not being unreasonable...

In this area (Raleigh, NC) children are usually half the price of a regular ticket. sometimes under 3 or under 5 are free. They do this alot because alot of the dancers here can't always get a sitter and they are used to coming to the shows

*this would be for a hafla or local show performance. If it was a BDSS show or another professional show, then no discount on tickets at theaters.