U.S. TICKETING COMPANY’S BOX OFFICE BUST COSTING GRASSROOTS CANADIAN ARTISTS

Brown Paper Tickets facing legal action in U.S., including lawsuit from Washington State AG

Feb-27-21

Lonely-Heartstring-Band_01a — Bella White, second from left, plays with the Lonely Heartstring Band at the 2019 Cowichan Valley Bluegrass Festival on Vancouver Island. Artistic director Robert Remington said the festival had used Brown Paper Tickets for six years previously with no issues. (Robert Remington)

Community theatre director Nicole Jennissen believed she did everything right staging her original play, Love in the Time of COVID, in September 2020.

It was written as a series of vignettes, keeping actors in two-or-three-person bubbles. It was performed outside obeying health guidelines. And it was completed inexpensively for non-profit Tumbleweed Theatre of Brooks, Alta.

“In fact, the only two lines on the budget were masks and hand sanitizer,” Jennissen said.

But the romantic comedy became a tragedy.

Nicole Jennissen, left, acts in a scene from Love in the Time of COVID with fellow performer Cassandra Socchia. (Nicole Jennissen)

Tumbleweed used Seattle-based Brown Paper Tickets to handle ticketing online to avoid cash but Brown Paper is facing complaints and legal action over allegations of not paying collected ticket proceeds.

Jennissen alleged Brown Paper owes $2,030 for Love in the Time of COVID. Despite repeatedly contacting the company, she has no idea when or if Tumbleweed will be paid.