If there was an annual award program for regional, non-profit, Actors' Equity theater box-office success, Brendan Burke, producing artistic director, and the board of directors at Shadowland Theatre in downtown Ellenville, NY might possibly walk away with an armful of statues for the 2010 season.
According to Burke, now in his sixth season leading the Hudson Valley theater located 100 miles northwest of Times Square, Shadowland's 2010 summer season was a success for the sixth year in a row, this at a time when leading regional non-profit theaters in the US, as well as off-Broadway troupes, struggled at the box office and in many cases, suffered a serious drop in annual donations.
For 2010, the 148-seat theater saw a 6% rise in total box-office sales over 2009's record-breaking season; 47% of the June to early October season's performances were sold out; and overall attendance for the season was at 91% of total seating capacity, a new high for Shadowland. Private and corporate donations also saw a dramatic rise, increasing 123%.
Says Burke, "Despite the economy, we believe we grew in 2010 because Shadowland continues to represent an affordable option and experience for people throughout the Lower Hudson Valley. Rather than deal with the expense, traffic and time traveling to New York City for theatre, our audiences appreciate the high quality, not to mention box-office value, of productions at Shadowland, which helped generate a 12.5% increase in single-ticket sales alone."
The June to October 2010 season included "Two Jews Walk into a War," a new comedy based on actual events play by Seth Rosin; "Guest Artist," a comic drama by stage and film star Jeff Daniels, starring John Astin (Gomez Addams in the ABC TV series, "The Addams Family"); "The Marvelous Wonderettes," the off-Broadway musical hit by Roger Bean; "Red Herring," theatre noir farce by Michael Hollinger; and "Yankee Tavern," a new comic thriller by Steven Dietz.
In July 2010, the theater also opened new downtown housing in Ellenville for casts and crew, complete with seven bedrooms, three baths, fully equipped kitchen and living room, after gutting and fully renovating a two-story house donated by Provident Bank, supported by private and corporate donations.
The 2011 season will be announced in April, adds Burke. "It's gratifying to wrap up another successful season, this year renewing our energy and purpose to improve our 90-year old Art Deco theater with new dressing rooms backstage, new heating and air-conditioning system and added seating, financed through a capital campaign we're formally kicking off this winter, that plus expanded programming beginning next fall. Once again, it's a great time to be in Ellenville."
About Shadowland Theatre
Shadowland Theatre is the leading professional nonprofit Actors' Equity company in the Lower Hudson Valley/Catskill Mountain region. Located 90 miles from New York City in Ellenville, NY Shadowland was named "Best Theatre" in 2004 and 2005 in the "Best of the Valley" award program by Hudson Valley Magazine; "2006 Cultural Business of the Year" by Ulster Development Corporation and Ulster County Chamber of Commerce; "Best Theatre 2006″ by the Times Herald Record; and "Best Drama of the Year" by The Daily Record in NJ for The Good German. Founded in 1984, Shadowland performs in a restored 1920's Art Deco vaudeville/movie house converted to a 148-seat theatre. For more information, visit www.shadowlandtheatre.org.
