Art Imitating Life

The original thought for the theme of these posts was to chronical our last few weeks of parties here at the Confederation Centre (yes, we love our jobs) but sometimes photo opportunities happen and you just have to go with them.




Here in the front lobby, just before Saturday's matinee, we had Matthew Broderick, Nicole Kidman and Bette Midler reprising their roles from the movie Stepford Wives.

Kidnapped!

Thursday, August 25th saw us goofing off after a sold out show for Canada Rocks, and a surprisingly slow day in the Box Office that had us kidnapping Bruce and leaving a few clues for his parents to follow the trail...






Dave, going to great heights in his search for Bruce.








Mikey, sweeping Deidre off of her feet.










(This actually had nothing to do with Bruce. I think Mikey has been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to pick her up.)





Forget the party, we're going on a scavenger hunt!











Puzzled looks all around as the intrepid group gets little help from some 'stiff dads'.









1,2,3, look at Mikey, Rachel and Deidre!










Dave looks a little shy of Rachel's advances and Deidre doesn't seem to notice that Dan has no room to sit.









The whole gang in a farewell photo for Devin.







Good night, see you at the Maud!

Sunday, August 21 saw us at the Speical K & K Beach Party. When we heard it was at Blooming Point, we brought along our sign...







('nuff said)












Thanks to Mel for the awesome shot of the ladies (not really sure what I'm doing with my face...)









Melanie, cosying up to the boss (does she want a raise?)













And then snuggling with Deidre (rawr! says Rachel)











And finally cuddling with Laura, twobrave and strong women!












Aww, Mikey, perched on his stool, taking time to ponder where he exactly he put his beach chair...hmm....














Aha, Ashley has found Mikey's chair!

















Dave, before he left his glasses 'a little to the left', enjoying a sip with Rachel.












Guess who's playing with sparklers?











(Posted by Laura and Rachel, with some creative direction by Dan).

A Map of the World

I put this up on the Bulletin Board, but I forgot to make a post about it here!
Ah hem...
"In celebration of the spirit of travel that is found here in the Box Office, we will be posting a world map on the bulletin board here in September. For those of you who take off on travels outside the country, or even just a hop across the pond, send us something that tells the rest of us at 'home' about where you've been and what you've been up to. Postcards are nice, but you can send us anything- a show program, a favourite picture, a newspaper clipping, a candy bar wrapper in another language..."
Please send your stuff to:
The Box Office
Confederation Centre of the Arts
145 Richmond St
Charlottetown, PE Canada
C1A 1J1

Summertime's grand!

Due to popular demand (thanks Lynda!) it's high time we made a post or two! With the Maud last night and the reality of losing staff going back to school (or just those who skip the country- wish you were here Darcy!) it's almost like summer is over...but in the past week we here in the Box Office, along with Front of House, managed to enjoy a bit of the high life, with Late Nights and beach parties, dancing and drinking, kidnappings and costumes. Let's catch you up with some pictures....

Saturday August 20th, a slow Saturday in the Box Office and then a Night out at Late Night!


Tasha, Rachel, Mikey and Chloe posing for the group shot











Ashley, showing her productivity with scissors now possessed by the D-boss













This year- SPIES!








After all the antics putting in a day's work in the Box Office, we take on the night life with an evening at Late Night at the Mack!








American Pie by members of the Young Company

Shawna, with the busy city behind her.

The Money Shot (we could so do a Crest Advert!)

Some high steppers

And then this...the highlight of the evening, Sean Hauk and his rendition of Bed of Roses. Down, Deidre!

Last year- ninjas. This year? Spies!

It is a constant fear of the counter operator (and yes, sometimes even those of us on phones) required to take contact information that a guest will refuse to give it. We usually don't panic if guests don't give it, but it's the way most guests REFUSE to give it, and question our motives that makes us cringe everytime they get that serious look on their face and demand, 'Why do you need that?' after being asked for a mailing address.
*My personal favourite this summer has to be the number of times visitors don't understand what 'home phone number' means. Yes, I realize you are staying at a B&B, no, I don't know the Delta's phone number, nor do I need it- gah! Simple question, I think we all learned this when we were, hmm, 3?!*

The thing is, funnily enough (or not, depending how you feel about our present state of 'information' and 'security' in a post 9-11 world), is that the information is out there for us to get. And we find it. With just a few resources on the net, or our trusty Island phone book, we can find all of this from just a simple name or phone number. Like litte detectives, we piece together these patron files, fill in gaps from incomplete information to find out what time zone 604 is in so we don't call too early to sell an "Anne" CD, correct a mis-spelled name, find a phone number that was wrong on the waiting list, and search for postal codes for tickets that were requested to be mailed out.

I don't really think I would have realized what was out there- even when I've used Canada 411 to find addresses, but then decided not to give my own when buying clothes at Winner's- until I was reassuring one customer on counter that we would not be selling our information to the FBI and that I would need a billing address after I had just spent 15 minutes searching for a correct phone number for a guest's credit card that hadn't approved over the phone. So, what to do?

One way that was suggested to deal with paranoid customers could be to use this when they are at the wicket, find and fill in the information gaps while they stand right there in front of us. But that might contradict our policy that we don't give out any of the information (which is true, you won't find us helping with the personal information overload that can be found with just a click of a button or a turn of the right page!). Perhaps I'm just looking for more of an awareness for what is out there, like name and phone number so that those friends from high school can find you. And maybe an effort to use our time more wisely to protect very tricky things, like credit card numbers, instead of wasting it by comlaining or causing us to fill in incomplete addresses when you want your tickets mailed out.

She who must not be Named

Today we pause and take a moment to remember this day, August 3, a day of days, as it is the birthdate of her high holiness, supreme Box Office commandant and friend to all the little people, Ashley.

Here we have Ashley showing off her talents for horoscopes, matching the proper horoscope with each listener without even having to check the birthdate!

Happy 22nd Birthday Ashley!