Admit One

Procrastination pays off with discount

A student rush now is being offered at the Court Square Theater, and no, it is not Greek affiliated. The downtown theater will be offering half-price admission to students 15 minutes prior to beginning of most shows.

Court Square Theater manager Jon Meyer hopes that the ticket price reduction will bring more JMU students to the theater. "We love the students and we love having them here, so we are always trying to find ways to make it more affordable for them," he said.

Any students are eligible for the discount, provided they have a valid student identification card. The tickets regularly range from $10 to $26, and the discount applies to regular adult admission, according to Meyer.

He said Court Square Theater offers a student discount for most performances for a few dollars off adult admission, and this ensures a good seat, since tickets can be purchased in advance. The student rush, however, is a larger discount, but does not guarantee that the show will not be sold out.

"The greatest thing were the people [at Court Square Theater]," said sophomore Val Fitzmaurice, who attended a French film, "The Man on the Train," at Court Square Theater. "As college kids, we're surrounded by each other. It's good to escape the JMU bubble through taking in foreign films and art forms that aren't found on campus. The theater presented something other than typical Harrisonburg culture."

Upcoming events at Court Square Theater include Richie Havens, who performed at Woodstock in 1969, performing Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Eileen Ivers, who played the fiddle in "Riverdance," will perform Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets for both events are $23 in advance and — if they are not sold out — they are $12.25 at the door, according to Meyer.

JMU alumnus Niki Lindgren ('98) also will be performing in the Chicago-based comedy troupe "The Second City." The show will run Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Student tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. There will be no student rush available for this show, but tickets can be bought in advance at the student discount price.

"These are last-minute tickets, and you can always call for availability and most of the time there are some available," Meyer said.

Junior Justin Williamson thinks the student rush is a great idea. "I'd definitely be up for that, and it's a good way to get students to see something they necessarily wouldn't see any place else," he said.

Fitzmaurice hopes to make use of the theater's student rush discount. "I would definitely go back because it was really friendly and personable," she said. "That would be a great deal, and any college kid is looking for that."

The Court Square Theater seats 250 people and is located at 61 Graham Street — in the same building as Calhoun's restaurant. Tickets are available in advance online at www.courtsquaretheater.com or by calling the box office at 433-9189.