Fax, online and mail orders began Jan. 2. Since opening to members and groups in late 2007, the box office has sold 72,000 tickets for the 2008 season of plays by George Bernard Shaw (and plays having to do with the period in which he lived).

"Ticket sales for the 2008 season are well ahead of sales at this time last year," stated executive director Colleen Blake. "We are thrilled with the enthusiasm with which our members and loyal patrons have responded to the season and are particularly encouraged by the boost in group sales."

The Shaw Festival's 2008 season includes An Inspector Calls, Wonderful Town, Mrs. Warren's Profession, The Stepmother, A Little Night Music, Belle Moral, Getting Married, The Little Foxes, After the Dance, The President and Follies: In Concert (limited engagement), as well as the Reading Series and a variety of activities including workshops and seminars.

The Shaw Festival is presented on three stages in the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, downstream from Niagara Falls, on the lip of Lake Ontario.

For ticket information and brochures, call (800) 511-SHAW or visit www.shawfest.com.