Sometimes you hear about a classic theatre performance and you wish you could attend in person. However, due to distance, money, or any number of things, you aren’t able to see the show. That’s when you wish the performance was released on video (or maybe I’m the only one who wishes that?) so you can buy and watch it.

Shakespeare’s Globe understands your pain. Today it launched the Globe Player, which features more than 50 Shakespeare productions from the Globe, along with free interviews with actors such as Sir Ian McKellan, Dame Judi Dench, and James Earl Jones.

It costs US$5-7 to rent a video and $8-13 to buy one. There are also foreign language productions available to rent and buy.

The Globe says, “We are proud to be the first theatre in the world to be able to offer this kind of on-demand platform for digital content.” Will they be the only theatre to do this or do you think others may follow along? I imagine it could be a good revenue stream, yes? Please share your thoughts in the comments. In the meantime, I’ve got some As You Like It to watch.

(Image: Shakespeare’s Globe) 

Snapchat averages 100 million monthly users who send approximately 400 million snaps per day. Seventy percent of college students use Snapchat, and 58 percent say they would likely purchase something from a brand if a coupon was sent to them through the app.

Those are just some of the interesting facts you can learn via TicketForce‘s recent social media webinar, “How to Use Snapchat to Sell More Tickets.”

“Snapchat helps you create awareness for your organization, the events you host, and the tickets you sell,” the host said during the webinar. “[It also] creates a sense of urgency and excitement among users because content is only available for a short time.”

Check out the video below to learn more about Snapchat, how to set it up for your business, and how you can use it to market and sell tickets to your events. And for even more info about Snapchat, watch “Why Snapchat is the New Gangster in Town (In Terms Even Your Parents Can Understand).”

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There’s a very informative article in the October issue of Buildings magazine that you may be interested in reading. It’s called “Tackle Sustainability,” and it’s about how green sports facilities are setting examples for other sites.

“It’s a huge challenge to make sustainability work at these places. Arenas aren’t occupied like an office or multifamily complex. They get a massive influx of people in a short period of time, and then they sit vacant for days,” said Steve D’Iorio, senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle, a firm that offers third-party property management. “Sports sites start with what’s feasible.”

One way to begin any sustainable effort is to start small, said IAVM member Scott Jenkins, general manager of the upcoming Atlanta Falcons stadium and chairman of the Green Sports Alliance.

“Easily achieved items include better discipline about turning things off when they’re not being used and implementing low-cost solutions like aerators on faucets and weather stripping on doors,” Jenkins said. “Start with a base knowledge of how you performed in the past and what’s business as usual. Then think about what you can accomplish with a new way of doing things.”

You can read the rest of the article—which features several IAVM member venues—at the Buildings website (story starts about halfway down).

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College life can get quite boring without access to live music. Going to a venue to see a band play broke up the monotony of classes for me, and it provided inspiration and energy at times. This is the focus over at the Great Value Colleges website, where it recently published “20 Great College Town Music Venues.”

“The venues were selected for this list based on their proximity to a college or colleges, awards won and Yelp ratings,” Gabrielle Kratsas wrote. “The order in which they’re presented is not intended to imply a ranking.”

Ranking or none, here are the top five, along with quotes from Kratsas.

1. Gypsy Sally’s (Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.)
“Conveniently located just a nine-minute walk away from campus, this venue aims to prevent all that reviewers could think to complain about—lack of seating, having to wear ear plugs, lack of food and bad sightlines.”

2. Historic Tennessee Theatre (University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee)
“The interior has been completely restored, including the venue’s famous Wurlitzer organ, to its original lavish décor from when it opened as a movie theater is 1928.”

3. Urban Lounge (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah)
“This 400-capacity venue has cheap drinks (between $2.50 and $5), loud music and raised VIP booths in the back for those willing to spend a little extra for nice seats and privacy.”

4. Rialto Theatre (University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona)
“At the Rialto Theatre, you can come to watch bands, comedy, drag shows, speakers, the occasional film screening and more. Shows are mostly general admission, standing, with occasional seating in the back orchestra level.”

5. Club Congress (University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona)
“It has an old vaudeville stage with the characteristic red curtains and ornate iron lattices. Not only is there a bar in the back of the Club—so you don’t have to leave the room—but there are plasma screens high on the walls for the viewing pleasure of those at the bar.”

Please visit Great Value Colleges for the rest of the list. And let us know in the comments your favorite college music venue.

(photo credit: jantos via photopin cc)