Industry Pro Newsletter: UK Small Theatres Face Leadership Crisis and Saving the American Theater
Cara Joy David looks at new methods of development for independent producers, and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley launches a critical fundraising campaign.
By: Alex Freeman Aug. 14, 2023
In this issue, we uncover the varying success of Connecticut theaters, where Broadway hits thrive while mid-level shows struggle with ticket sales. We also look at multiple ideas on how to save the American theater - including a look at innovative approaches to funding in a piece by Cara Joy David. Meanwhile, the industry in the UK also faces challenges, with David Tennant criticizing West End ticket prices while leaders of smaller companies are leaving their posts in droves.
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Industry Trends
Connecticut theaters are experiencing a mixed return of audiences. While blockbuster Broadway productions attract strong ticket sales, middle-of-the-road shows struggle to draw audiences. The article delves into the challenges of programming and audience preferences, shedding light on the complexity theaters face in curating their seasons. Click here to read more…
How to Save American Theater - The Washington Post
Opinion piece suggests strategies to rescue American theater from its current struggles. The author proposes fostering diversity, increasing funding, and embracing innovation as key solutions. The article emphasizes the importance of broadening narratives and reinvigorating theater's role in society. Click here to read more…
US Theatres Facing Closure Amid Declining Audiences and Financial Struggles - The Guardian
US theaters are grappling with closures and financial strains due to declining audiences and funding challenges. The article highlights the closure of several prominent theaters and explores the impact of the pandemic on the industry's sustainability. It underscores the need for support to preserve the cultural significance of theaters. Click here to read more…
Broadway/New York
Industry Trends Weekly: Producer Hub and Other Fiscal Sponsors Help Break the Mold by Cara Joy David
Theater people have spent a lot of time in recent months talking about how bad things are in the industry. And I believe there are solid reasons to keep discussing that. But in the next couple of weeks, I’m going to write about some of what is happening in the face of current obstacles. One of the things I’ve been thinking about is the development of projects. The shuttering of development programs and the constriction of regional offerings make it harder than ever to get work off the ground. Producers and artists are going to have to fill the void. But how?
We are seeing artists combine their own resources. For example, The Pool offers a group of three playwrights (changing annually) the ability to combine their resources to produce three plays in rep. The Creative and Independent Producer Alliance (CIPA) and various offshoots are working to facilitate collaboration. We’re also seeing greater attention being paid to fiscal sponsorship programs. These programs allow producers and artists to partner with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and fundraise with a donation model, even though they're not 501(c)(3) organizations. Those who donate receive the tax benefits of donating to an established nonprofit, but the producers and artists don’t need to deal with the headache of 501(c)(3) administration.
Fiscal sponsorship programs have long existed outside and inside the theater. The ones familiar to theater folks typically take between 6%-15% of incoming donations. For example, Fractured Atlas charges an 8% administrative fee. There are exceptions to this—The Pool’s fiscal sponsor is Piper Theatre, which isn’t taking anything for its role, according to Pool Plays 3.0 playwright Naren Weiss. But, typically, companies do charge a 6%-15% fee, which in theory covers staffing, website maintenance, and bank fees.
The people behind The Producer Hub, including Tony-winning producer Mara Isaacs, want to get more money in the hands of artists. Isaacs, whose background prior to commercial producing was in non-profits, began thinking about The Producer Hub in 2018.
“There is this community of independent producers who sort of live between the cracks of all of the sectors that get the most visibility,” Isaacs said.
The Producer Hub was established to support them. The organization offers educational materials, events, and a fiscal sponsorship program. Because The Producer Hub is not yet an accredited 501(c)(3), it partners with The Tank. It takes 2% of donations, 1% of which goes to The Tank and 1% goes to The Producer Hub. Because 1% is not enough to staff the organization, Isaacs currently has the staff of her producing company, Octopus Theatricals, running it. The projects do their own promotion—donations come to The Tank with the name of the sponsored project specified, then The Tank sends those funds to The Producer Hub to be held for the project. Producer Hub projects have raised over $10 million since the fiscal sponsorship program launched in 2020.
“All of the fiscally sponsored projects are vetted to make sure that they are in fact sitting squarely in a not-for-profit universe,” Isaacs explained. “They are nonprofits in the sense that these are all mission-driven, culture projects that don’t function like a commercial project, don't expect to deliver profits like a commercial project. Not everyone should need to have a separate institution.”
The Producer Hub has worked with over forty projects and companies, including sponsoring Black Theatre Coalition before it received its own 501(c)(3) status. Current sponsorees include Breaking the Binary Theatre, The Soapbox Presents and Is It Thursday Yet?, the Jenn Freeman/Sonya Tayeh piece that recently premiered at La Jolla Playhouse.
“This financing avenue was a needed lifeline, and a reason we could complete the final 6 weeks of development of 20 total weeks of early development that we had self-funded,” Is It Thursday Yet? creative producer Ian Stuart emailed, particularly praising a significant contribution from producer Jenna Segal. “It’s the reason we could walk into La Jolla Playhouse on day one of rehearsal with a viable piece to share, and it’s the very reason we can afford to pay for trucking services (in transit right now) to get this gorgeous set back to NYC and into PAC NYC this December."
As we continue to navigate the new normal, I have no doubt we'll hear more about fiscal sponsorship.
Regional
TheatreWorks Launches Critical Fundraising Campaign - BroadwayWorld
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley initiates a vital fundraising campaign to ensure its future. The campaign aims to secure $3 million to support ongoing operations and innovative programming. TheatreWorks is renowned for promoting new works and diverse voices in theater. Click here to read more…
Olney Theatre Center Extends National Players' Hiatus - DC Metro Theater Arts
Olney Theatre Center prolongs the hiatus of the National Players, its touring troupe. The extension is attributed to ongoing uncertainties in the theater landscape due to the pandemic, and construction projects on the Olney Theatre Center campus. Click here to read more…
Manuel Prieto Named Exec Director of Boston Court Pasadena - American Theatre Magazine
Manuel Prieto is appointed Executive Director of Boston Court Pasadena. Prieto brings expertise in arts leadership and finance to the role. Boston Court Pasadena is recognized for its commitment to contemporary and innovative theatrical productions. Click here to read more…
International
Worry as UK Theatre Bosses Quit in Droves - The Guardian
UK theaters face concerns as a significant number of theater leaders resign from their positions. The article highlights a wave of departures and the potential impact on the industry's stability and future direction. The reasons behind the trend and the implications for the UK theater landscape are explored. Click here to read more…
Price of West End Theatre Tickets 'Ludicrous' - The Guardian
David Tennant criticizes the exorbitant prices of West End theater tickets. The renowned actor expresses concern over the accessibility of theater to a broader audience due to high ticket costs. The article discusses the implications of ticket pricing on audience diversity and the cultural significance of theater. Click here to read more…
Missed our last few newsletters?
August 7, 2023 - UK Audiences are Seeing Fewer Shows, BroadwayWorld Launches New Marketing Hub
This week, we’re pleased to introduce the new BroadwayWorld Marketing Hub - a comprehensive platform designed to maximize event visibility. Also, we look at the financial challenges faced by Lighthouse Immersive, creators of "Immersive Van Gogh," as they file for bankruptcy protection. Additionally, we highlight significant leadership transitions at New Dramatists and Gamm Theatre, and explore the Oregon Symphony's new leadership and Louisville Ballet's fundraising efforts. Lastly, we cover the evolving audience behaviors post-lockdown and London's tourism boost from international arrivals. Click here to learn more…
July 31, 2023 - Stage Access and ReachTV Agree to Partnership, New Leaders Across the Industry
It’s a new beginning Monday, with a series of appointments into top jobs at regional theatres across the country, in the UK, and in New York - one sure sign that even though the industry is struggling in its recovery, that struggle is bringing with it a new generation of leaders to meet the challenge. Last week, Kent McIngvale also announced a new company for Broadway tour marketing and publicity, and this morning, we’ve got the news that Stage Access and ReachTV have reached a partnership to bring high quality arts content to travelers in hotels and airports. Click here to read more…
July 24, 2023 - Broadway Averts a Strike, Dallas Arts Groups Need More Than a Band-Aid
Last week, Broadway narrowly avoided joining Hollywood by coming to a tentative agreement on the Pink contract, after IATSE had voted to authorize a strike if they couldn’t find a deal. Amidst wide industry challenges, Cara Joy David explores the revenue side of the equation and the regional theatre subscription model. As theatres explore new revenue models, they’re also doing it under new leadership, as last week saw the announcement of multiple high level appointments and departures from the leadership ranks of theatres around the globe. Click here to read more…
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