Tickets for the Keenan Revue, a traditionally irreverent annual production, sold out at a rate of more than 100 per minute Thursday.
"It was a great and rousing success," said sophomore ticket seller Peter Vignali,
Vignali and fellow ticket seller senior Johnny McDermott experienced a busy afternoon distributing tickets to one of the most-anticipated campus shows of the year.
The Revue is a sketch comedy production run by Keenan Hall that pokes fun at various aspects - and people - of the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's communities.
Tickets were distributed Thursday at Saint Mary's from 1 p.m. to 3 and at Notre Dame from 4 p.m. to 6 at the Joyce Center.
Showing up early was a good strategy for getting tickets, which were gone in 13 minutes.
"The first people showed up at the JACC at 1:15 and [ticket distribution] didn't start until 4," McDermott said. "We were cleaned up and out of there by 4:20."
Tickets for the Thursday and Saturday night performances went fastest.
Despite the rush, sellers said everyone in line managed to get tickets.
"We had just enough for everyone," said Vignali, who also mentioned that the record for tickets selling out is eight minutes.
Saint Mary's and Notre Dame distributed 1,700 tickets altogether, 1,300 of which were unloaded at the Joyce Center.
"We were pleased with how it went at Saint Mary's. We credit increased efforts in advertising," Vignali said.
There are around 3,900 tickets total, but not all these tickets are distributed. Each Keenan resident receives four tickets and all rectors must also receive tickets. There are some tickets reserved for VIP guests and faculty.
McDermott said there are about 1,200 to 1,250 ticketed people in the audience on any given night of the show. The venue fits 1,300. About 50 people in the audience do not have tickets, but are Revue cast members.
Vignali and McDermott were reluctant to reveal any details about the show's content.
"It should be less than three hours and more than two hours," McDermott said.
Producer JJ Cappa also hesitated to comment on specifics. The final skit list has not even been approved yet.
"We usually don't like to give anything away. It's more fun if people come in not knowing and every skit is a nice surprise," Cappa said. "The humor has definitely improved."
This year, Keenan brought in professional comedian Peter Wicks to help with the skit writing. Wicks works in all kinds of comedy, including stand-up.
"The Revue has come from being controversial last year. [This year] we know we can put on an equally good show without making people cringe," Cappa said. "We've really encouraged very creative skit writing. We try to be funny without being offensive."
The Keenan Revue will be showing at 7 p.m. on Feb. 1-3 in the Saint Mary's O'Laughlin Auditorium.
