Sources of Information
Audience members get their information about plays from a variety of sources, with the most common being word of mouth – friends, colleagues, or knowing someone in the cast or who works at the theatre. For repeat ticket buyers, direct contact from the theatre company via subscription brochures or other mailings is an important source as well.
More than two-thirds of respondents report that they regularly read the Boston Globe, often in combination with another paper such as the New York Times, Boston Phoenix, or a suburban weekly paper such as the Tab. This is another area where responses vary by age, however. Less than half of the under-35 group report reading the Boston Globe regularly, but they are two to three times more likely than the over-55s to read free publications such as the Boston Phoenix, Metro, and Improper Bostonian.

Sixty percent of respondents report listening to public radio, more than twice as many as listen to any other single radio format.

Usage of the Internet as a source of information is high: more than 70% of respondents say they visit websites to find specific theatre information, and over 60% sometimes purchase tickets over the Internet. The under-35 group is the most web-friendly, with 85% reporting that they get their information from websites, but at least half of the over-55 group is using the Internet as well.