By Callie Morrison
A Samford tradition since 1951, and one of the community’s most cherished events, is back for its 2023 showcase. Step Sing is the buzz phrase on campus every January, and has continuously held its beloved namesake for decades.
As show participants, directors and committees plan for Step Sing 2023 and the community seeks tickets, questions arise about the high demand for tickets. Tickets went on sale to Step Sing directors on Jan. 8, participants on Jan. 10, and the general public on Jan. 13.
This year, all four shows were sold out within days of being open to the public.
The Leslie Stephen Wright Center, the venue where Step Sing has taken place annually since 1976, seats 2,500 individuals. Since participants fill up approximately 1,200 of those seats, that cuts the remaining seats almost in half. So, what does this mean for community members who are eager to see Step Sing live? They need to get their tickets fast.
“The shows sell out quickly because we want to make sure that participants have priority when it comes to purchasing tickets,” Ian Philips, director of performance venues said. “With over 1,200 students taking part in the shows, tickets are going to continue to sell out quickly.”
The main concern among audience members– especially students– is the cost of tickets. Step Sing is a cherished event that dates back decades, and many people want to come to see the show for themselves. Due to this high demand, ticket prices have only increased since the tradition began, especially throughout the past decade.
In 2014, Step Sing tickets were sold within a range of $20-30. In the past nine years, ticket sales have increased substantially, now available for purchase at $35-40. Many wonder why the prices have consistently increased over the years, or even seek answers to where this money is going.
“The majority of the ticket money goes back into the Step Sing account to pay for all the personnel, equipment and supplies necessary to make it happen,” Philips explained. “A portion of those ticket sales also go to the Step Sing Scholarship fund. A much smaller portion of each sale goes to the Wright Center’s box office account, and that covers the cost of our box office staff and the software we use.”
Step Sing tickets have only increased in price over the years because the cost of production has increased as well.
Because this is one of Samford’s most loved events, Samford students are eager to see if student-discounted tickets will be available for future years.
“We pay a great amount of money to be here. I don’t regret that in any way, but I think making the tickets cheaper for students would make this great tradition more accessible, especially for those who don’t participate,” Sophomore Ethan Henshaw said. ”It would only increase overall student body buy-in for Step Sing.”
Senior Brittany Lee agreed, “In addition to the difficulty of obtaining tickets, a lack of funds should not take this tradition away from the students.”
As with any event of its size, Step Sing requires months of planning from all leadership committees and the Wright Center staff members. Knowing the technology and resources that it takes to put on an event takes a great deal of discipline for everyone involved. It can be a challenging process to put on any event, and the stakes are only higher for Step Sing.
“For Step Sing, we usually have our first production meeting in the summer,” Philips said. “We then schedule a series of check-in meetings to make sure everything is on track. Once we get about a month out, we set up the ticketing sites, and verify all our positions, schedules and crew calls are filled.”
Philips touched on the challenges that come with producing such a popular event. The planning and logistics that go into each experience take a lot of time, effort and money.
“We aren’t just trying to make the event happen; we want it to be a fantastic experience for everyone involved,” Philips said.
Although the stakes were high for purchasing tickets this year, everyone is excited for Step Sing 2023 the same as, if not more than, every other year before it. For Birmingham residents and the Samford community alike, Step Sing is a time to build community and relationships over a heartfelt tradition.
Homewood resident Audrey Ketchem shared her experiences with attending Step Sing for the first time in 2022.
“I was pleasantly surprised and entertained by the creativity from all of the groups,” Ketchum said. “Even if I did not know anyone involved in the show, I would want to attend just for fun.”
“Our purpose is to enrich the cultural, intellectual and spiritual lives of everyone on our campus and in the local community,” Philips shared the rewarding aspects of putting on events in the Wright Center. “Events like Step Sing bring us together as a community and give us the opportunity to celebrate the talent of our students.’
As the community is eager to attend Step Sing 2023, Samford students are putting all the energy they have left into show week.
“I have loved my Step Sing experience,” Henshaw said. “I think the comradery and fun cannot be overstated. It helps build character, teamwork, leadership and performing skills. These are things that are invaluable, no matter what they do past Samford.”
Students are hopeful of seeing a change in the near future, whether that be through discounted tickets, transparency in where their money is going or the comfort of knowing obtaining tickets does not have to be a challenge. Samford’s oldest tradition should be a loving and cherishable event for decades to come.
