Box Offices Tickets just launched a new "social networking service for the arts" called HulaHub, which aims to "help organizations connect and interact with audiences and others in their community to create new synergies."

First of all, I'd like to extend a sincere a request that new media purveyors dispense with the bullshit language around their products. It's not magic. You are not voodoo priests putting me in touch with mysterious forces beyond my ken. You made a website. I think by "create new synergies," they might mean "strengthen brand loyalty," or maybe even "encourage collaboration," and that's cool, but as far as I can tell, at its core this is a very well-designed marketing tool which will help arts organizations sell tickets.

Moving on, the site seems useful: It consolidates community arts calendars, provides a clean template for arts organizations to upload information about their shows, offers handy ticket buying links (through Box Office Tickets, natch), and allows artists to create profiles.

As far as the social networking component, it's a bit desolate so far. (The site ostensibly launched at a fancy Sam Adams-attending party on Monday, but as far as I can tell it didn't go live until this morning, which probably accounts for the empty feeling.) So far I managed to synch my Twitter updates with my profile, but can't actually find any other users, so I'm networked with myself at this point. I'm hoping the blog feature takes off, there's a real dearth of online conversation about local theater in particular. Check it out.