The End is Near
We seem to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as far as COVID is concerned.
New case numbers are going down, more people are getting vaccinated, lockdowns are easing. This means theater will be back to live performances sometime in the near future.
The issue is how much back to normal do we get? How much back to normal do we want to get? These two questions are the subject of the next two blogs.
“Normal” Theater?
“Normal” is in person, in front of people. Initially, it is presenting a version of the script in front of people who will potentially like what they see and invest in the show.
Assuming this happens and a production raises enough money to go forward, “normal” for theater is a live performance in front of a audience.
For this to come about, one very important thing needs to happen.
Theater, especially commercial theater, makes money by selling tickets. Theater needs to be able to open and stay open by selling enough tickets to make a profit – which is determined by selling enough tickets to cover the expenses that are necessary to run the show. Theater rental, actor salaries, advertising, things like that.
I always assume in my budgets that I have to sell about sixty percent of the available tickets to break even. This means that unless and until I can have this ability to sell 60% of the house, things aren’t yet back to normal.
The “New Normal”?
This is, or rather was, the normal. It was the old normal.
The question we should ask ourselves is, is this the normal to which we want to return?
Tune in next week for what I think is the answer.