Bwog wishes it was easier to keep in touch with our old friend, CU Arts. That’s why we’re ecstatic to announce that the the folks at the Ticketing Information Center are willing to keep us updated on what arts events Columbia wants to see and hear. Presenting the first ever edition of QuickTix, including an introduction to the awesomeness of TIC and some info on what’s popular, what’s good, and what’s cheap that’ll be posted about every two weeks.

Since the January, 2008 the little office in Lerner has sold 153,407 individual tickets to 23,303 members of the Columbia community. The largest group of patrons by far are students, with CC as the leading affiliation (thank you, Music Hum) and Barnard a distant second. Off-campus tickets tend to be the most popular, have been the most popular this month followed by movie vouchers, but on campus ticket sales usually spike once the semester’s first student productions get closer to opening night. All these stats are to be expected, except for the fact that most patrons don’t use online ticketing to purchase will-call (Bwog always does).

Last but not least, the pressing question; how good is our taste here at Columbia? Rudy Scala of the TIC says that this week Columbia loves “Fall for Dance,” “Wicked,” the Met Opera’s “Figaro,” “West Side Story” and Michael Moore’s New Film “Capitalism: A Love Story.” As of today some great shows with available tickets include “Hair,” the Met Opera’s “Tosca,” “West Side Story,” “The Lion King,” and “Jazz at Lincoln Center: Ladies of Duke Ellington.” Taste in theater completely aside, Bwog recommends the cheapest shows, Jazz at LC and the Met Opera, both going for 30 dollars a pop.

Tune in to QuickTix every two weeks for updates on what’s popular, what’s recommended, and what’s cheap at TIC.