Surprise sell-outs & traffic surges no issue for Kentucky Performing Arts
Located in the U.S. Heartland, Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) brings together the best of Kentucky’s fine arts, including the Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Opera, Louisville Ballet, StageOne Family Theatre and PNC Broadway in Louisville. The three venues of KPA, The Kentucky Center, Brown Theatre and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, host a wide array of performances, from community productions to internationally renowned spectacles.
Challenge
Within arts and entertainment, some shows are predictable big sellers and massive hits. Other times, a show proves to be more popular than anticipated. That was the case when British YouTubers Dan and Phil’s Interactive Introverts World Tour hit Louisville. Fans from as far away as California were pining for a chance to meet the duo, and the website was not prepared for these online traffic surges.
"The website just went to a crawl. People couldn’t get on, they couldn’t check out … Dan and Phil clued us into some issues where shows might hit that we don’t expect … It just really became apparent that we needed something."
Rob Schmidlapp, Senior Director of Information Technology, KPA
Solution
KPA needed a solution that ensured constant website protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They first heard about Queue-it through the Tessitura Network, an organization Queue-it partners with to deliver seamless onsale experiences to numerous cultural venues. KPA was now ready for high demand online ticket sales. They knew there would be instant hits, such as Aladdin and Hamilton, and surprise sell-outs they did not anticipate.
"Just getting more control is better … Queue-it is constantly running in the background. We’ve got a threshold set on the website, so if many people hit the website then the waiting room automatically kicks in."
Rob Schmidlapp, Senior Director of Information Technology, KPA
Results
Using Queue-it’s virtual waiting room to maintain website performance during unexpected traffic surges and timed onsales proved to be successful for Kentucky Performing Arts. Not only were they able to safeguard their site, but they could write directly to waiting ticket buyers using the virtual waiting room’s communication pane. In addition, KPA utilized email notifications during popular onsales, so buyers could secure their place and move around freely while waiting in line.
"Just the ability to communicate with people waiting is a big benefit … Another benefit is not having to constantly sit and wait and look at the screen. You put your email address in and Queue-it emails patrons back when it’s their time in the waiting room, and have them just click right into the event."
Rob Schmidlapp, Senior Director of Information Technology, KPA
About the Kentucky Performing Arts
Kentucky Performing Arts is home to Louisville’s major cultural organizations and has been voted the state’s best venue for music, theater and dance by Kentucky Monthly magazine readers. In addition, the Center also hosts education and outreach programs to bring arts’ access to almost all of Kentucky’s 120 counties, without barriers or restrictions.