The Empty "Empty Space" - Part I

I should say that I have never seen a play at The Empty Space, either in its current or its former home. And I don't know the backstory or any behind-the-scenes information. But perhaps this is the opportunity to talk about what's happening to theaters around the country, but especially here.

When I told my dad I wanted to start a theater in Tacoma, he asked me, "If theaters are hurting, why would you start a theater?" It's a good question. Because theaters are hurting.

But interestingly, theater is not. Theater as an art form and a way to spend a Friday night seems to be alive and well. Every show I have seen in the last month, "Moon Over Buffalo," "Dreamgirls," "Line One," and "The Underpants" has been at least at 75 - 80% capacity. The theaters are close to full! Every show I've seen.

The trouble is the organization behind the production is fundamentally in peril. But why exactly? We all understand that ticket prices don't cover the cost of the production. That's not a surprise; that's why most theaters are non-profits. But ticket prices are covering far less than they used to.

To use a local example of the disparity, TAG makes a good reference. TAG's top ticket price in 1981 was $11. Their top ticket price today is $28. According to an inflation calculator I found on-line, that ticket price has kept pace with inflation almost exactly. Which means TAG's ticket price has not fundamentally changed in 25 years, except to keep up with inflation.

But the expenses of putting on a show have risen dramatically. Labor and material costs are higher; competition with other forms of entertainment means a higher price to get patrons in the door; the median household income has only increased 17% in the same 25 years, leaving fewer dollars for entertainment; and on and on and on. I would even add that shows like "The Producers" and "The Lion King" add a certain level of expectation for other smaller productions that force higher-cost set design to meet audience expectation.

Any way you slice it, the ticket price just can't keep up with costs whether you are TAG or any other theater. And there is no way we can expect donations to keep up, too. Think about it this way: if a theater received $100,00 in support in 1981, in order not to lose money to inflation, that same theater would have had to receive $223,000 in 2005. And that's just to keep pace, forgetting about all the other costs.