Actors Glenn Morizio, left, and Aubrey Deeker practice a stunt in “Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular,” during the 35th annual season of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Over the past week, the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) has seen a successful start to its 35th season.

According to CATF Interim Managing Director Amy Wratchford, ticket sales this season have been noticeably higher than they were last season — the highest they’ve seen since the pandemic.

“We’re at 130% of the Rep Pass sales goals we had projected to have by this time,” Wratchford said. “We have been pleasantly surprised to see these numbers.”

CATF’ sells two kinds of Rep Passes — the Rep3 Pass and the Rep5 Pass — which allow theatergoers to see either three or all five of the season’s productions, respectively, for a lower price than they would cost if tickets to the productions were purchased individually.

“We continue to sell Rep Passes, even after starting the season,” Wratchford said. “Yesterday, we just sold another Rep Pass.”

Based on what she has seen and heard from the crowds attending the festival so far this season, Wratchford believes the boost in sales is a reflection of people’s readiness to fully return to their pre-pandemic activities.

“I think it’s a combination of the fact that people are ready to reengage and that we have a great lineup of plays. Many of them were written by playwrights that people already know, whose plays have been premiered at CATF in previous seasons,” Wratchford said.

At least one exception to this preference for seeing the work of familiar playwrights has been noticed this season, however. The play about the Vietnam War and Asian American identity, “Did My Grandfather Kill My Grandfather?,” which was written by an up-and-coming playwright and West Virginia University alumnus, has proven incredibly popular. It sold out of tickets at the start of the season, requiring CATF to add an extra performance to its schedule.

In spite of the incredible growth, there is still room for more. According to Wratchford, sales numbers have not yet returned to the extreme high they had reached in the two seasons leading up to the pandemic in 2018 and 2019.

“Right now, we have not quite reached those numbers; 2018 and 2019 were our best-selling years ever — ever, by a pretty wide margin. Even from 2017 to 2018, there was a pretty noticeable uptick in sales. We’re not sure all of the factors that went into that,” Wratchford said. “So, we have a pretty high bar that’s been set for us to reach for if we want to get back to how things were in 2019.”

While CATF wants to return to those astronomical sales numbers, for right now, Wratchford said they are thrilled with how far they have come since the previous season.

“We are currently running about 32% ahead of our sales in 2023 and 2024,” Wratchford, who joined CATF in November, said. “I’m thrilled. The momentum is phenomenal.”

To learn more about CATF or to purchase tickets, visit https://catf.org.