With funding from the William Penn Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia will take the lead in implementing a major step forward for a consortium of the region's performing arts organizations.

Participating groups will begin using Tessitura Arts Enterprise Software, an integrated, region-wide box office and patron management system developed by and for the Metropolitan Opera. The Tessitura software represents the state-of-the-art in performing arts technology, enabling groups to realize significant advances in customer service, in addition to enhancing their marketing and fundraising capabilities.

Tessitura will enable the Alliance to create the first real-time online ticketing destination for performing arts across the region.  The centralized site will offer patrons a comprehensive ticket source and allow them to choose specific seats before purchasing tickets. While commercial theaters have long offered this convenience to their customers, only a small percentage of local nonprofit theater companies were able to do so until now.

Collecting patron data will allow the Alliance to analyze patterns in the region and compare them to trends in other markets across the country.  “The ability to track performing arts patrons' habits, ticket-buying patterns and trends is a vital step in continuing to cultivate the performing arts audience in the region,” says Glenn Knapp, Chair of the Theatre Alliance Board of Directors.  “Not only will individual organizations benefit from Tessitura's unique ability to fully integrate marketing and fundraising data; the entire community, organizations and audiences alike, will find greater efficiencies and services from the collaborative consortium model.”

Initial participants in the consortium will assist subsequent participants by sharing their implementation lessons. In addition, the Alliance will employ specialists who will oversee the program's execution and provide technical support. Additional support will be provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, a program of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Wilma Theater and the Academy of Vocal Arts will be the first to implement the software in time for use in their 2006/2007 seasons. Potential future participants include Arden Theatre Company, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, the People's Light & Theatre Company, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe, and Philadelphia Theatre Company.