Building EventSeats for small theatre groups like ours

I run a local theatre group website. We love putting on shows, but our budgets are tiny and time is even tighter. We needed proper online bookings without hefty fees or complicated contracts. I couldn’t find anything that felt simple, affordable, and fair—so I built EventSeats and made it open source in case it helps other groups too.

EventSeats is a lightweight seat‑booking system you can run yourself. It’s a Next.js frontend with a Supabase database and API behind it. You can host it on your own terms, keep control of your data, and add booking to your existing website with a simple embed.

Website: eventseats.hannahgoodridge.dev
GitHub: github.com/Hannah-goodridge/eventseats
Demo: What’s On

Why I built it

Small community groups deserve the same convenience as big venues, without the cost.
Self‑hosting keeps monthly bills low and avoids vendor lock‑in.
Open source means you can adapt it to your situation, not the other way around.

What it does today

Interactive seating: Pick seats from a visual map with real‑time availability.
Ticket types: Set adult/child/concession prices as needed.
Performances and shows: Manage dates and times for each production.
Admin basics: Update site name and settings for your group.
Embed anywhere: Add the booking widget to WordPress, Squarespace, or a custom site via iframe.
Built for speed and safety: Next.js on the front, sensible security practices, and Supabase for storage and auth.

What I’m working on

Stripe payments: Integrated online payments (work in progress).
Theming and customisation: Make it easier to match your group’s branding (also in progress).
Hosted starter: A low‑cost hosted option for those who don’t want to self‑host.

I’ll keep development transparent. If you have ideas or find issues, please open an issue or PR on GitHub.

How to try it

Have a look at the demo: What’s On
Read the docs: Docs
Self‑host it: GitHub repo
- Set up Supabase
- Deploy the frontend
- Configure your shows, performances, and ticket types
- Embed the booking widget on your existing site

Costs and practicalities

Self‑hosting can be done very cheaply if you already have basic hosting.
There’s no per‑ticket cut for the open‑source version; if you later enable Stripe, you’ll pay Stripe’s normal fees.
You keep your data under your own control.

Who this is for

Amateur dramatics and local theatre groups
Schools and youth theatres
Community halls, churches, clubs, and small events

If that sounds like you, I hope EventSeats takes a little pressure off and helps you sell tickets without spending a fortune.

Building Open Source: Presenting EventSeats for small theatre groups and community events