Aspects contributing to live theater ticket purchases of South African teenagers: Perspectives of participants in a national drama competition

Abstract Seeking alternative strategies to attract new theater attendee markets in South Africa have become a priority for live theater providers to keep the arts alive. Teenagers have become one of the biggest consumer markets, with various industries competing for their attention, and the live theater industry is no exception. However, the teenager market is complex, and research is crucial to understand the aspects influencing their purchase behavior. This study aimed to determine the aspects influencing live theater ticket purchases of South African teenagers focusing on teenagers who are already actively involved in live theater. Applying a convenient sample technique, a total of three hundred and twenty-one (321) self-administered questionnaires were collected from a majority of Afrikaans and English-speaking teenagers participating in a national drama competition between 23 July and 28 September 2019. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and t-tests were done to reach the study’s goal. The EFA yielded four (4) factors Marketing, Theater lover, External influencers, and Theater & show compilation. Through these results, recommendations are made to live theater providers and marketers to effectively attract and retain teenagers who valready have exposure to live theater productions.