Theatre's in trouble

The rumour mill suggests that there are several community theatre companies in Perth currently facing financial difficulty.Would anyone care to comment on contributing factors? Is there anything that the ITA could/should be doing to assist these clubs or others?Just wondering...CheersGrant

> The rumour mill suggests that there are several community theatre> companies in Perth currently facing financial difficulty.> Would anyone care to comment on contributing factors? Is there> anything that the ITA could/should be doing to assist these clubs> or others?> Just wondering...> Cheers> GrantHi Grant,I think it's not theatre that's dying it's our patrons. At Acorn Theatre the bulk of our patrons are senior citizens and once they go for the big bus ride in the sky, a new breed of senior citizens will be born, but they are of the baby boomers age group, what will apeal to them? Then after them are the wild child seniors of the seventies- should we provide aome good drugs instead of a good cup of tea. Are you getting my drift.From Sharon Eugene>

I wouldn't suggest Acorn are in trouble, with only 28 seats to fill each night, we really would be in trouble if we couldn't at least almost fill the theatre.We were booked out for all 6 performances, however I agree with Sharon. At least 60% of the audience that booked for our latest show were Senior Citizens. It is great they are suporting us, however we need an injection of new younger blood into the Theatre's patron list.Any suggestion of where we can go to promote our theatre to a younger audience, would be appreciated.We are fine for when we do a "good English Comedy" but our members have many other types of productions the would like to perform, some of which are not to the Senior Citizens general approval.So where did the rumours come from anyway Grant?Sue Thomas> The rumour mill suggests that there are several community theatre> companies in Perth currently facing financial difficulty.> Would anyone care to comment on contributing factors? Is there> anything that the ITA could/should be doing to assist these clubs> or others?> Just wondering...> Cheers> Grant>

I think many companies would be thoroughly envious of your capacity to break even with houses of 26 and less. I would imagine that many groups, particularly those having to hire a venue, have a break even point of 30 or more seats per night.> Any suggestion of where we can go to promote our theatre to a> younger audience, would be appreciated.> We are fine for when we do a "good English Comedy"> but our members have many other types of productions the would like> to perform, some of which are not to the Senior Citizens general approval.There are probably more than a few companies relying on their "seniors" audience to get by. Growing a younger audience could mean producing some shows that may not be fully appreciated by your "seniors" audience.Careful planning of a season that balances the interests of your audiences, together with reassuring both audiences that their custom is valued, should work.However, I would imagine that Acorn's situation is better than most. You don't need to sell that many seats to make something other than the usual fare break even.> So where did the rumours come from anyway Grant?from several clubs that i have spoken to recently and from the ita, too.The effect is patchy - some groups are thriving, but many are struggling with declining audiences and increasing costs. Pressure on community venues to generate revenue is likely to push genuine community groups out and replace them with commercial users.An art and craft class or dance school charging each student $5-10 per hour may be able to afford community venues at $20+ per hour. A community theatre company charging an annual membership of $20-40 can't possibly manage the same fees.Some local councils currently subsidise community theatre groups for much of this cost. Inevitably though councils are bound to ask why community theatre hirers are not paying the same rate. Community theatre companies will be told their members should be paying for their recreation. Just as some in the community pay fees for tennis and basketball courts, ovals, swimming pools and beach parking, so community theatre members will be expected to pay their way. Some clubs may find themselves faced with having to charge members for attending rehearsals - if they don't do this already.I'd like to think there is something the ITA might do to protect its members from these possibilities (probabilities? likelihoods?). But i'm not sure what it is.CheersGrant

EMAILNOTICES>noI think its a very valid topic you have raised Grant, but as suggested it does not seem to be right across the board. We at Celtic Circle have tried to put our finger on it and it seems that we can even fall foul of the most carefull planning whereby you try to work around other groups seasons and run with the best oiled publicity machine and still struggle to get 20-30 in the door. This for some reason seems to be the optimum break even number. As suggested by one of the previous young ladies.... tut tut ....perhaps if we have to resort to devious means..illicit or otherwise...to attract patrons...well so be it.....but as long as you tell the rest of us if it works or not so we can get in the act...so to speak.....hmmmmmmm....ain't theatre grand!

>> I think its a very valid topic you have raised Grant, but as> suggested it does not seem to be right across the board. We at Celtic> Circle have tried to put our finger on it and it seems that we can> even fall foul of the most carefull planning whereby you try to work> around other groups seasons and run with the best oiled publicity> machine and still struggle to get 20-30 in the door. This for some> reason seems to be the optimum break even number. As suggested by> one of the previous young ladies.... tut tut ....perhaps if we have> to resort to devious means..illicit or otherwise...to attract patrons...well> so be it.....but as long as you tell the rest of us if it works or> not so we can get in the act...so to speak.....hmmmmmmm....ain't theatre> grand!>Grant.Maybe, ITA can do something simular to what Movie houses do, after each season and/or performance bums on seat number is forwarde to agents covering the demografics of number, age group and cost of seat which is logged against that particular type of movie and annual figures are produced, so managers can see what trends are in the community. However, there are other sinister reasons and masked by this information guide, but I'm not advocating that theatre is just produced to ensure maximum returns, far from it. This may be a guide, in the city at least, to what the general appeal of each show performed.In my experiance, por & am, it would be a god send to at least know how a particular show would go, for all the best reasons! In the country I have found possibly a revearse trend and unless the group are particular on how they present the craft which is rewarded by a bigger punter base, as opposed by those who's ego's are purely for performing and not presentation - other than a tat production.The biggest problem which comes over the floats is the attitude of "we are only ...." you must of heard all these feable excuses before. One bit of advice I was given many (many-many) years ago by Geordie Woods ( a celibrated SM and Performer) was " If you wish to succeed in this bussiness - you have to have 80% attitude and only the balance made up equaly of experiance and aptitude!".Unfortunetly, over the years I have seen the decline of audiances and partisipation when it comes to theatre, there are loads of reasons given and unstood as why it is. The biggest decline is from back stage and it's loss of resources - people! this is our most most reuseable of all our resources, yet we make it harder by our attitudes to recruit or hold on to these esential people, which show's in the quality of productions around the traps.This may assist in winning the valuable bums on seats war - I keep that hope alive.I beleive we have to constantly ask ourselves the question - what are we about - (sounds like "Back to Gilwell" days or the "GANG")and hold the hope of review or being the best that we can be.If there is anything I can do to assist - don't hesitate!!!Yours In TheatreJoe McCabe - GAAFA

Re theatres "in trouble"1) If we don't get bums on seats we don't get to put on another production so it's necessary to be very practical about this. Perhaps the solution is three bums on seats shows and one 'for ourselves' per year?2)We did an audience survey last year at Melville and the basic answer was that our audiences like comedy, comedy, Agatha Christie, comedy, 'thrillers', comedy, musicals and comedy - preferably well known ones!Two years ago we put on "The One Day of the Year", saturated everyone we could think of with advertising and audiences were mediocre, Later we did David Williamson's "Travelling North" , results ditto. We have just finished "Murder at the Vicarage", not one of Agatha Christie's best and we had practically a sell out - I've just about given up. Against that when Stirling put on "The Crucible", everyone thought that it would only attract modest audiences and it was virtually a sell out. Musicals are almost guaranteed to be a success but are horrendously expensive in money and effort and exhaustion sets in from cast and crew.3) Remember we are (mostly) in this for fun and when it stops being enjoyable a lot get out!! Add a few egos thowing spanners in the works and life gets hard.4) most clubs are kept going by a small number of stalwarts and even they get weary eventually.5) Contentious this point but the younger folk don't appear to have much of a commitment to a club, they just go where the parts are and many of them don't ;give' muchI await with interest the rebuttals!Norma Davis. (Secretary of ITA)

>> Re theatres "in trouble"> 1) If we don't get bums on seats we don't get to put on another> production so it's necessary to be very practical about this. Perhaps> the solution is three bums on seats shows and one 'for ourselves'> per year?> 2)We did an audience survey last year at Melville and the basic> answer was that our audiences like comedy, comedy, Agatha Christie,> comedy, 'thrillers', comedy, musicals and comedy - preferably well> known ones!> Two years ago we put on "The One Day of the Year",> saturated everyone we could think of with advertising and audiences> were mediocre, Later we did David Williamson's "Travelling North"> , results ditto. We have just finished "Murder at the Vicarage",> not one of Agatha Christie's best and we had practically a sell out> - I've just about given up. Against that when Stirling put on "The> Crucible", everyone thought that it would only attract modest> audiences and it was virtually a sell out. Musicals are almost guaranteed> to be a success but are horrendously expensive in money and effort> and exhaustion sets in from cast and crew.> 3) Remember we are (mostly) in this for fun and when it stops> being enjoyable a lot get out!! Add a few egos thowing spanners in> the works and life gets hard.> 4) most clubs are kept going by a small number of stalwarts and> even they get weary eventually.> 5) Contentious this point but the younger folk don't appear to> have much of a commitment to a club, they just go where the parts> are and many of them don't ;give' much> I await with interest the rebuttals!> Norma Davis. (Secretary of ITA)>

> Arn't we all guilty of neglecting the backstage aspect and offering> it as an alturnative if you don't get the part, then start to panic> about sets or lights a week before dress rehearsal. They are in the> minority who produce a show with everying thing planned or in train> prior to the auditions.Sadly, Joe, I think you are quite right about the lack or scarcity of good pre-production planning. On more than one occasion I've been guilty of it myself.But, I do believe many clubs are at least working towards a more methodical approach to planning a season. Some clubs are even developing or maintaining fairly comprehensive sets of production notes that act as a checklist for producers, directors, publicists and stagemanagers.It may be useful for some of these to be published on the website. What do you think? Are there any clubs (or individuals) out there that would care to contribute?I have my own personal set of notes that I like to work from. Would people like to see these sorts of things available on the internet as a resource?CheersGrant

Grant, a classical example of last minute pre-production planning would have to be my introduction to the Lighting desk.The production Acorn are performing currently involves all but 6 of our members on stage, with 3 of those 6 directing & the other 3 doing Front of House, teas & coffees etc.I was trainee Facilitator for one of the One Acts and was going to help backstage and Front of House. However on Tech rehearsal night the person we thought would be doing the Lights, couldn't commit, so I have been doing the Lighting for this show.Obviously this was mostly unavoidable, particularily with our modest membership and the size of the casts required for this production.I feel however it is things like this, that make being involved in a small ameature Theatre group, so much fun. It really makes you feel good when you can all pull together to make a performance work, making the group like a second family.Yes, anything anyone has re notes & ideas for production notes would definately be welcomed.I'd best work now!!!Sue Thomas> Sadly, Joe, I think you are quite right about the lack or scarcity> of good pre-production planning. On more than one occasion I've been> guilty of it myself.> But, I do believe many clubs are at least working towards a more> methodical approach to planning a season. Some clubs are even developing> or maintaining fairly comprehensive sets of production notes that> act as a checklist for producers, directors, publicists and stagemanagers.>> It may be useful for some of these to be published on the website.> What do you think? Are there any clubs (or individuals) out there> that would care to contribute?> I have my own personal set of notes that I like to work from.> Would people like to see these sorts of things available on the internet> as a resource?> Cheers> Grant

>> Re theatres "in trouble"> 1) If we don't get bums on seats we don't get to put on another> production so it's necessary to be very practical about this. Perhaps> the solution is three bums on seats shows and one 'for ourselves'> per year?> 2)We did an audience survey last year at Melville and the basic> answer was that our audiences like comedy, comedy, Agatha Christie,> comedy, 'thrillers', comedy, musicals and comedy - preferably well> known ones!> Two years ago we put on "The One Day of the Year",> saturated everyone we could think of with advertising and audiences> were mediocre, Later we did David Williamson's "Travelling North"> , results ditto. We have just finished "Murder at the Vicarage",> not one of Agatha Christie's best and we had practically a sell out> - I've just about given up. Against that when Stirling put on "The> Crucible", everyone thought that it would only attract modest> audiences and it was virtually a sell out. Musicals are almost guaranteed> to be a success but are horrendously expensive in money and effort> and exhaustion sets in from cast and crew.> 3) Remember we are (mostly) in this for fun and when it stops> being enjoyable a lot get out!! Add a few egos thowing spanners in> the works and life gets hard.> 4) most clubs are kept going by a small number of stalwarts and> even they get weary eventually.> 5) Contentious this point but the younger folk don't appear to> have much of a commitment to a club, they just go where the parts> are and many of them don't ;give' much> I await with interest the rebuttals!> Norma Davis. (Secretary of ITA)>I couldn't agree more - of course they are there to enjoy, even those without sole who just take the money, I have only bumpt into a few of these - who have forgotten the audiance.But, isn't this what we do and from the heart, most pro's I know are in it even if they don't get paid. From that respect we are the worst bussiness people in the world and graduate as the most likely to be explioted.I'm not having a go at anyone (rebuttalls) the question was asked so I put my one cents worth - which obviously wasn't worth that much!Unfortunetly, it has always been the 80/20% bit, if it's work the 20% stalwarts turn out. To day only 5% - life style is possibly the main reason?However, when I have been a punter, usually on a comp or paper night, even on the nights I make the contract and buy a ticket, there is an expectation. It's sole destroying when you see the keeness of doing effected by the presentation, that is within their grasp and the nettle droped because of a lack of applying the basics of stagecraft. These are not costly, too hard or outside the enjoyment zone even for those who have first aspired to "lets put on a show". This helps build your B.O.S's base and following. There again it is prossibly easier to say "but we only..." type excuse, this an atempt at justifying self enjoyment by inviting others to pay for something that is less than they can deliver.When it comes to those little things they aviod like poor masking,light focus,EQ-ing audio ect.,this is not those creative accidents or fluffs that make theatre the medium it is and it's character.Arn't we all guilty of neglecting the backstage aspect and offering it as an alturnative if you don't get the part, then start to panic about sets or lights a week before dress rehearsal. They are in the minority who produce a show with everying thing planned or in train prior to the auditions.But, "thats another story" and not what this was first about - sorry!!!Toi Toi ChookasGAAFA

>YEs Grant, any items which will help will be more than welcome. As Sue says we are in this "for fun" but of course this mustn't stop us from being as good as we possibly can be, people pay good money to see a show not whether it's amateur or professional.However too many people still think that being stage crew is somehow not as good a job or as important as being "an actor" and that just turning up on the night is OK. I think that too many of us in community theatre don't think of 'backstage' as being a craft which has to be learnt and practised and perfected. Too often as others have said before me the crew is recruited, ?press-ganged, into service at the last minute and it usually shows! (no pun intended) when the ITA organises a workshop on the technical aspects the response is very much less than the perceived 'glamour aspects' . Sad but true.Talking of workshops the next one is in the shape of a forum on "Publicity", to be held on Saturday May 23rd at 2pm at Stirling Street. Forms in the May Link or phone office or Elizabeth ((220-0620/ 9341-5788) Cost as usual $10 members ITA, $15 non-members, incl tea & sympathy. Panel Rene Cappetta, Jo Sterkenburg and One Other TBA!Norma Davis (ITA Sec.)

> It is true that whatever the size of your membership, crew members are near impossible to find.You either get your old faithfuls but even now and then they need a rest. I must admit that I quite like weilding the power backstage. Give me a headset and look out! the power goes to my head. Still - maybe people are afraid of failing, or looking like a drongo if they miscue a sound or lighting effect, being responsible for props that have a habit of going missing. Walking around on the stage in the dark with armfulls of props is not exactly a picnic. One incident that comes to mind was during the production of "I'll be back before midnight" performed at Acorn. I had to replace a rifle onto a rack on the wall. Being in the semi-dark I managed to hook myself onto a rocking chair and pretending to be an incospicuous(excuse my spelling)part of the scene change became a real challenge.Sharon.> However too many people still think that being stage crew is> somehow not as good a job or as important as being "an actor"> and that just turning up on the night is OK. I think that too many> of us in community theatre don't think of 'backstage' as being a craft> which has to be learnt and practised and perfected. Too often as others> have said before me the crew is recruited, ?press-ganged, into service> at the last minute and it usually shows! (no pun intended) when the> ITA organises a workshop on the technical aspects the response is> very much less than the perceived 'glamour aspects' . Sad but true.>> Talking of workshops the next one is in the shape of a forum> on "Publicity", to be held on Saturday May 23rd at 2pm at> Stirling Street. Forms in the May Link or phone office or Elizabeth> ((220-0620/ 9341-5788) Cost as usual $10 members ITA, $15 non-members,> incl tea & sympathy. Panel Rene Cappetta, Jo Sterkenburg and One> Other TBA!> Norma Davis (ITA Sec.)