Capital Stage Reports Record Numbers

Capital Stage, a nonprofit, professional, theatre company in Sacramento, is noticing a very promising trend. The Capital Stage Logo arts organization, currently in its sixth season, begins 2011 in the black and is seeing a significant increase in ticket sales.

Capital Stage's production season and fiscal year run September through August. During the first four months of its 2010-11 season, from September through December, 2010, the company saw a dramatic increase in single ticket sales. "With Mauritius, the first show of our season, we experienced a 22% increase over last year and we were thrilled," said founding artistic director Stephanie Gularte, "Then our holiday show ticket sales increased by 50%, putting us at a season-to-date single ticket sales increase of 43%."

It's not only single ticket sales that are on the increase at Capital Stage, the company's subscriber numbers are also climbing. With two months to go in their current season subscription drive, subscriber numbers are up 12% over last year and the company has surpassed its previous record number of subscribers of 762 in 2009. "We currently have over 800 season subscribers and with the current trend, we anticipate that number getting closer to 900 by the end of our subscription drive," said General Manager, Keith Riedell.

This climb in sales is particularly good news for the theatre company as they prepare for a move to a new home later this year. Currently performing on board the Riverboat Delta King permanently docked in historical Old Sacramento, Capital Stage announced last fall that they have signed a lease on the former armory building in Sacramento's midtown district. In October 2010, the company kicked off a $300,000 fundraising campaign to support renovations to the building at 2215 J Street. "We have achieved 50% of our fundraising goal to date," said Gularte, "We are carrying no debt, we have a balanced budget and our ticket sales are up. These will be important factors in helping us achieve the remaining 50% of our goal."

The company will continue to produce its plays at the Delta King until their new theatre is complete and plans to maintain its modest budget for the foreseeable future. "We are cautiously optimistic but we are well aware that the market continues to be very unpredictable," said Gularte.
Mission

Capital Stage Company's mission is to be a dynamic leader in the evolution of the contemporary live theatre landscape in the Capital region and to passionately engage audiences in the art of live storytelling with bold, innovative plays performed by professional artists, in an intimate, up close setting. With a strong commitment to expanding the base of working artists in the greater Sacramento region, we shall develop a company of actors, directors, writers, designers, and technical staff who are dedicated to bringing bold, lively productions of contemporary and classic plays to the community.

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