With Musicals possibly all you are saving is the percentage fee of the gross door take per show, unless the Rights Agent/author are very generous & not charging a performance license fee, which I doubt!

You will be charged on capacity of the venue & they will consider the price your charging the bums on seats, which reflects on the actual minimum royalties charge/performance.

You are probably paying just the flat amount anyway, so by charging each punter for a ticket, the extra gross percentage is covered on each sale. This can vary up to 20%, depending upon the Musical.

So your not going to lose out by charging, except it could reflect upon the flat rate Royalty fee, but if this goes up it would only be marginal anyway.

If the community is used to having free shows, get them to donate at the show in the collection boxes or pass around the plate just before the opening of each performance. It works in church, so why not at a show - I think you will pleasantly surprise if you handle it right!