Waiting hours for theater tickets becomes holiday tradition for some in Little Rock

Kathy Burleson of Batesville smiles as she waits with her family for tickets to "A Christmas Story" at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre on Wednesday morning.
Kathy Burleson of Batesville smiles as she waits with her family for tickets to "A Christmas Story" at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre on Wednesday morning.

Some Arkansans have made a holiday tradition out of bundling up and watching the sun rise while waiting in line for tickets outside a Little Rock theater.

Dozens of people sporting winter coats and gripping thermoses of coffee sat outside the Arkansas Repertory Theatre Wednesday morning to score “pay what you can” tickets for that night's performance of the annual Christmas production. Attendees pay whatever price they want for tickets that normally run around $50. The show opens tonight at 7 p.m.

This year, it’s A Christmas Story. Last year, it was The Little Mermaid, and the year before that, Elf, said Lesley Burleson, a self-described “theater junkie.” She and two relatives got to the theatre, located at 601 Main St., at 5 a.m. even though doors for ticket sales did not open for another four hours.

You never know how fast tickets will go, Burleson said. The Rep does a “pay what you can” night whenever a production opens, and the Christmas show is easily the most popular, so seats can run out quickly, she added. As of noon, only six tickets were left. The program is sponsored by the Democrat-Gazette.

Her mother-in-law, Kathy Burleson, said her husband will get up at 4 a.m. to go fishing, a feat she wouldn’t dream of doing. But for tickets to A Christmas Story, she was willing to wake up early and brave the cold.

“We do have our priorities,” Kathy Burleson said.

Jennifer Keeler and Jenny Manning, who arrived around 5:20 a.m., said they became friends while waiting in line for the holiday show. It became a tradition between them and their kids.

“We’re groupies,” Manning said.

Keeler, who sat next to her 12-year-old son, Conner, said cheap performances at the Rep allows parents to provide an artistic outlet for their kids who might not be getting one at their schools.

“It’s a great way to introduce your kids to the arts at a low price,” Keeler said.

Connor Keeler said he was excited to see the show because some of his friends were in it. Plus, “I’ve seen the movie, like, hundreds of times,” he said.

“He even kind of looks like Ralphie,” his mom added.

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