The Office fans get details on celebration
BETTY ROCCOGRANDI For The Times Leader
The office memo many have been waiting for has finally been posted.
On Friday, planners for next months convention for fans of The Office, the NBC-TV hit comedy that has put Scranton on the map, announced ticket prices and events for the Oct. 26-28 celebration.
Scranton is the setting for Dunder Mifflin, a fictitious paper-supply company run by regional manager Michael Scott, a dunderhead if ever there was one.
Tickets for the three-day celebration go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday on the groups Web site,
www.theofficeconvention.com.
And although the convention committee cannot reveal which cast members will be present, some definites will be announced on Tuesday when the ticket sales go live, said Michele Dempsey, a committee member who spearheaded what is being called the mother of all Scranton parties.
Ticket information is as follows:
The Intern pass for $25 includes:
Admission all weekend to view continuous episodes of The Office in downtown theaters.
Admission to the shows wardrobe display.
Unlimited trolley rides to some of the hot spots mentioned on the show, such at Farleys, Coopers Seafood House and the Steamtown Mall.
An Office tag to wear all weekend.
A limited-edition convention photo card of the cast.
A copy of The Office convention magazine complete with map and guide.
The $50 Assistant Regional Manager pass includes all of the above plus access to at least one of the limited-admission cast appearances on Saturday and Sunday.
On the show, the assistant regional manager is Dwight Schrute, played to the sycophantic hilt by Rainn Wilson, who drew 1,000 fans to Scranton last year.
The Regional Manager pass for $100 includes everything in The Intern pass plus access to a cast appearance on Saturday and another one on Sunday.
The Very Limited Corporate pass costs $250 and guarantees access to all cast appearances plus admittance to an exclusive cocktail party Friday night at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel. You must, however, provide proof that you are 21 years of age.
Those planning to attend the convention can register for events at The Radissons Grand Ballroom from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday and Sunday at the main stage at the street festival on Linden Street in Scranton.
The street festival is free-of-charge and open to the public. There will be live music and vendors. Also, an official NBC-TV store will set up shop where visitors can purchase The Office memorabilia.
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty said Wednesday that hes heard that between six to seven cast members will be here. Theyre definitely coming, he said.
One celebrity who will be in Scranton for the festivities is Al Roker, weatherman for NBCs Today show. Roker will deliver a live weather report from the University of Scranton on the opening morning of the convention.
Also, all indications point to an appearance by Greg Daniels, executive producer of The Office, said Sara Hailstone, the executive director of Scrantons Office of Economic and Community Development. Daniels won his latest Emmy Award last Sunday for writing one of the shows episodes.
Because of the widespread popularity of The Office, convention planners are expecting an influx of possibly 100,000 people from across the country for the weekend-long celebration.
The shows one-hour season premiere airs at 9 p.m. Thursday on WBRE-TV.