Ticket pricing calculatorEasyStagecraft Module 5 · cost-per-seat × loading × willingness = defensible price · with worked example + blank fields · no software, just maths
How to use. Use it twice. First at week 8 to set initial ticket pricing for the season. Second at week 4 if budget actuals have shifted > 10% from forecast. Default rule: price for 75% capacity, not 100% — selling out is the bonus, not the plan. The worked example below uses the St Joseph's Les Mis from the P&L template (200-seat venue × 5 shows).
Step 1 — Calculate cost per seat (the floor)
Worked example
Total cost of production (from P&L)
A$ 48,730
Less non-ticket revenue (subsidy + sponsorship + bar + merch)
If you sold every seat at A$24.09, you'd break even exactly. But you won't sell every seat — see Step 2.
Step 2 — Apply the capacity loading
Why this matters
Average school-production capacity in Australia 2026 is 70-80%. Pricing for 100% loads you with deficit risk; pricing for 60% inflates the ticket and depresses sales. The sweet spot is 75% — proven across hundreds of school productions in this market.
At 75% capacity, you'd need to charge A$32.12/seat to break even. But that's just the FLOOR — see Step 3 for what your market will actually pay.
Step 3 — Parent willingness reality-check
Survey method (5 minutes)
Before locking in price, sanity-check against three reference points:
What did last year's production charge? Most parents anchor to last year's price. A 10-15% lift is invisible; 30%+ is a sales-killer.
What does the local cinema charge for a kid+adult outing? Cinema A$22-26/adult is your competition. School-show should be 0%-20% above cinema.
What does the nearest two schools running similar shows charge? Stay within ±A$3 of comparable shows. Higher = pretentious; much lower = scarcity-signal lost.
Worked example — survey results
Last year's adult ticket (school's own production)
A$ 22
Local cinema adult ticket (2026)
A$ 24
Nearby competing school musical 2026
A$ 27
Loaded cost per seat (Step 2)
A$ 32.12
Defensible adult-ticket band
A$ 25 — A$ 28
Loaded cost is A$32 but market won't pay that. Either (a) reduce costs, (b) increase non-ticket revenue, or (c) accept a small deficit absorbed by P&F.
Step 4 — Set the ticket structure
The 3-tier rule
Single-price tickets are simpler but leave money on the table. Three-tier (adult / concession / family) captures different willingness-to-pay without offending the school community.
Worked example — three-tier structure
Tier
Price
Est volume
Revenue
Why this price
Adult — gen admin
A$ 25
600
A$ 15,000
10% above last year · in cinema band
Concession (student / senior)
A$ 18
280
A$ 5,040
~72% of adult — standard concession ratio
Family pass (2 adults + 2 concessions)
A$ 75
30
A$ 2,250
~13% off equivalent individual
Opening-night premium (incl. interval drink)
A$ 35
50
A$ 1,750
~40% premium — captures supporter willingness
Total est ticket revenue
960
A$ 24,040
at est 75% capacity
At forecast volumes, ticket revenue A$24,040 vs Step 1 target A$24,090 — within A$50. Break-even achieved at 75% capacity. Sold out (100%) generates ~A$6,000 surplus.
Step 5 — Sensitivity check
What if we sell 60%? 90%?
Scenario
Capacity
Ticket revenue
Surplus / (deficit) vs total costs
Pessimistic
60%
A$ 19,232
(A$ 5,408) — absorbed by P&F if needed
Conservative (our plan)
75%
A$ 24,040
(A$ 50)
Successful
85%
A$ 27,245
A$ 3,155 surplus
Sold out
100%
A$ 32,053
A$ 7,963 surplus
Always show the principal the four-scenario table. It demonstrates that you've thought past "I hope it sells out".