Alain, the gentleman Caen theater tickets
By Gregory Maucorps
Published on
updated on 9 Oct 22 at 8:49
In 20 years, more than two million spectators who took the Caen theater (Calvados). That is as many show tickets as have been delivered since Alain Dupont’s arrival at the Ticketing of the establishment in 2002.
Now 45, Alain dived behind the scenes of the theater two decades ago. “I was still a biology student. I was passionate about baroque music and I had subscribed to the Caen theater with my parents, then on my own for a long time. I was then offered to come and work there so that I could continue to see the shows! he smiles.
Came to the theater as a student
Living in Hérouville at the time, he alternated between his post as supervisor at the Collège de Giberville in the morning and at the counter of the Théâtre de Caen in the afternoon. Finally, he will not leave the theater anymore. And will even become the head of the ticket office from 2005.
I had this opportunity. I liked the environment and the people I worked with were great. For me, this is very important: 80% of the pleasure at work is also the colleagues.
This year, he is managing a team of 32 temporary students, aged 19 to 24, to take care of the subscription campaign granted at the beginning of September and the purchase of single shows, which opened this Saturday 24 September. “I have been working with 20-year-olds for 20 years! “, he slips mischievously. “It’s happening all the time, they’re motivated, it’s nice. »
“There is always a shoe that fits in the theater”
Consulting is also a significant part of their work. “Many spectators ask us for advice every year. We orient them and when they come back to see us to tell us that it was great, it’s very pleasing”, he appreciates. “As we are a public establishment, we have no obligation of result and it is a comfort to advise people. »
For this 2022-23 season, an evening of shows is scheduled, with opera, dance, concerts or new circus. “There will always be a shoe to match at the Caen theatre,” says Alain Dupont. His favorites this year: opera Treemonisha which will launch the season in October, the musical theater without drum or the new circus Extreme bodies.
The forties also saw the evolution of the image of the Caen theater in 20 years and the age of the spectators getting younger.
The Caen theater is a fine institution, with a fine image. With the meetings before and after the shows, in the schools…, that diminished the stuffy image that there could be. It is satisfying to see more and more young high school and university students at the theater, to hear them talk at the end of an 18th century play, it means that we have won the challenge of raising awareness. The theater is not frozen and dusty, but it is live performance.
“20 years later, I still have the passion”
Although the number of subscribers has decreased over the years, it offers single tickets throughout the year. “We have the same occupancy rate, but we sell more places for rental. This makes it possible to diversify the audience, whereas 20 years ago, almost everything was sold to subscribers as early as October. Today, there are places left all the time, don’t worry, because there are exchanges throughout the year”.
The shot every night of the show, between 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., is an important moment at the ticket office. Especially since there are last minute tickets. “There are about 10% absent at the show. We play Tetris to install everyone and everyone is contained. “The ticket office represents a third of the income of the Caen theater budget, which oscillates between 6.5 and 7 million euros. For now, the 2022 campaign is identical to that of last year. What continue to transmit his flame. “20 years later, I still have the passion. It’s really a pleasure and we take full eyes every night. »
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