How large is your theater space??
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4695
Printed Date: 5/13/24 at 9:52pm
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Topic: How large is your theater space??
Posted By: jayzehr
Subject: How large is your theater space??
Date Posted: 7/07/10 at 4:31pm
| Anybody doing theater is a facility that is 2000 square feet or less? How many people can you seat? |
Replies:
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/08/10 at 10:34am
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Ours is about 2,500 and seats 120 with a 30x50 stage.
------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: davidmichaelmax
Date Posted: 7/09/10 at 8:41pm
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From a letter to a friend asking about theatre size - Hi James - glad the info was of some value. My last two theatres were both dinner theatres - actually, my last three, if I count being artistic director at the place downtown. Dinner theatre is a bit of a different animal, and usually attracts a somewhat different crowd than family-style stuff, so I'll have to write some about some different areas of concern if that's the way you're going, although I brought some of the flavor of the family-style place to the shows i was writing and directing at the dinner theatres. The audiences responded well, but it's a finer line to walk, so I'll treat that in a different post. Family-style was about 7000 square feet, if you count the upstairs. It sat about 300 people. My Candlelight Dinner Theatre sat about 110 people packed into three levels, with a small stage managers booth in the back corner on the top level. It was just about the perfect size for a 100-seat dinner theatre, but I wish it had about 200 more square feet to avoid the crowding problem. Although a tightly contained audience creates energy very quickly, it can also get uncomfortable and crowded-feeling, generating complaints from the older retired crowd that tends to frequent dinner theatre. They LOVE to complain unless you cater to their every whim, but if you CONSISTENTLY get it right, they are very loyal as long as their retirement funds are in good shape. And some of them will literally have a heart attack during the show. Happened at least three times at the downtown theatre! So REALLY think twice if dinner theatre is where you're heading, because it's more difficult to run well, and not much more profitable unless you are VERY VERY SHARP. There's a LOT of money in popcorn, soft drinks, hot dogs and junk food that causes heartburn...after all, no one ever went broke underestimating the good taste of the American Public ;-) Just be sure to sell Alka Seltzer too. All the best! David Michael Max ------------- "It's never too late to be who you might have been..." George Eliot |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 2:34pm
I guess I should have been more specific in my question. I'm asking about the square footage of the total facility, which would have to include bathroom(s) fire code compliant aisles, some kind of dressing room, etc. Thinking about it more, 2,000 square feet would probably too small to be practical. I've worked in a theater that was 2,500 square feet and that felt very "intimate" And there's no way a 30 x 50 foot stage would have fit in there. Maybe your figures are mistaken? |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 2:42pm
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I see: The Stage area is 50' wide x 30' deep, and the seating area is 24' deep x 50' wide, with 120 seats. I guess it's more like 2,700 feet. With dressing rooms I would venue a guess at 3,500 feet. However, that's not the entire venue. The venue itself has two performances spaces (the 120 seat on the 3rd floor, and the 70 seat'er on the first floor), 3 floors and fairly extensive offices. I would venture a guess that the entire space is nearly 50,000 square feet or more. ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 4:06pm
How much do you pay for a week in that space? Do you have any rehearsal time? Is that charged at the same rate? |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 4:54pm
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The rental for the 120 seat is $1,400 per week, the 70 seat is $700 per week. There are daily rates as well, but we don't rent by the day. Basically, for our upcoming production of The Boxcar Children we the rental is $2,800 for two week, with a move-in on the Monday prior to start of performances (Friday). Basically, it's the same rate regardless of use. ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 5:21pm
Speaking of which, what's the protocol for using photos from someone else's production to promote your own show? http://www.brtlive.org/boxcar.html - http://www.brtlive.org/boxcar.html http://www.kevinhoffmann.com/photos.htm - http://www.kevinhoffmann.com/photos.htm |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 5:30pm
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removed ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 7:31pm
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You don't even remember who I am, do you? If you're going to be here offering your "advice" to anyone, I'm going to have to politely point out that you don't really have most (or any) of the experience you claim to have. It's only fair to people who might possibly be assuming you know what you're talking about when making real world decisions about their theaters. |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 7:34pm
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removed ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 7:46pm
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You don't even remember who I am, do you? Have we meet? I don't recall, no. Advice I'm not offering advice on things I don't know. You asked a question, and I replied to it. The theatre we use (you can call them and inquire about that if you like) meets the specifications I provided to you in a previous post. Name me one recent post where I have offered advice on something I don't know about? I don't mean from the last 5 years either, because I have grown up a little since then. Honestly, I don't know why I even bother coming here... ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 7:46pm
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It's just pretty darn annoying to come on here looking for advice about
something from other theater people only to have someone trying to blow smoke up
your tailpipe. There are real people here from real theaters making decisions involving real, if modest, amounts of money. |
Posted By: davidmichaelmax
Date Posted: 7/10/10 at 8:35pm
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Theatre Cat Fight! Yay!
------------- "It's never too late to be who you might have been..." George Eliot |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 10:41am
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This has been a fairly interesting little spat. How about one of you filling in the blanks? No fair fighting publicly without us all knowing the details. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 2:58pm
Don't trust any financial or legal advice you read here without checking with someone reliable. This kid was on here a couple of years ago with a different account saying he was the "Executive Director" of the "Broadway Entertainment Company" and that he was producing nationwide tours of Annie and Little Princess. He fooled me then, too. He's got a long internet track record. For example, check out the press release below from last year: I'm opening August 4 so I'm going to have to be out of here again. Sorry to get hot under the collar. http:////96.30.23.131/showthread.php?t=179722 - http:////96.30.23.131/showthread.php?t=179722 "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Moonlight Media (formerly Firestorm Features) announced today its plan to become a publicly traded company by the end of 2009. Landon Parks, President & CEO of the company stated today “Going public will allow us to broaden our reach for capital investment”. Parks estimates the expense to do the Initial Public Offering will be in the range of $50,000 - $100,000. Parks assured investors who already own stock in the company that the expense should be justified by the ability to reach more investment capital. “By doing the IPO now, we can increase our operating capital, so as to have access to better quality product to bring to the market”, Parks said. According to Parks, the initial direct public offering will be made for $5,000,000 in capital. The company will be quoted over the counter on either "Pink Sheets QX™" or "OTCBB™", since the company does not yet qualify for trading on NASDAQ™. Parks stated that the process is still being worked out, and that the end of year date is when they intent to have all financial reports submitted to the SEC. Actual time-frame for receiving public status could be an additional 5 – 9 months. More details of the IPO will be made available once the exact details of the bid have been worked out. Sincerely, Donna Abbot – Moore, Public Relations Director, Moonlight Media About Moonlight Media: Moonlight Media (formerly Firestorm Features), is a media company that specializes in motion picture production & distribution, as well as several online services related to the film industry. The company was founded in 2009 by Landon Parks, who is the current President & CEO. |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 3:06pm
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Your point being? What is that press release suppose to state? YES - That was me. YES - that was one of my many "ventures" that never really took off. Last I checked, it was not illegal to try and fail at something, although I guess to member_profile.asp?PF=555&FID=5 - jayzehr its the opposite. I never lied and said I GOT $5,000,000. I did attempy to get $5,000,000, even so far as filing with the state of Indiana under the Score offering for the corporation. No one bought shares - so sue me. What does that have to do with what advice I offer? PS - I always include a disclaimer stating that any advice I offer is not legal or professional advice if I am replying to a sensitive subject. Last I checked, providing my opinion on something was protected under the constitution, rather you like what I offer or not. PROVE that any of the advice I have offered is false. Bet you cant. If you don't like me that's fine, but you don't need to disclaim any advice I offer as false unless you have proof its false. ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: davidmichaelmax
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 3:08pm
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removed
------------- "It's never too late to be who you might have been..." George Eliot |
Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 3:12pm
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Oh, and PS - I'm not a Kid. I give up. You guys can have this forum. If no one want's my advice, they wont get it. They can take all the professional advice from member_profile.asp?PF=555&FID=5 - jayzehr since he clearly is the only one who is experienced enough to offer an opinion on anything. member_profile.asp?PF=3204&FID=5 - davidmichaelmax - what evidence? He provided a press release, that by the way, was not false. I suppose you think this company I have now is all smoke and mirrors? Perhaps you would like to contact our board of directors? how about our associate artistic director, house manager or marketing director? Perhaps you want to call our venues to inquire into our booking (although that would make you look rather odd). Either way, I don't care. you don't want what little advice I can offer from what little experience I do have in theatre, fine. PS) This is getting really annoying. I keep getting emails every 5 minutes from this post and it's taking my professional time away from planning The boxcar Children (which, by the way, is cast, royalties paid, venue secured and costume work began last week on). ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 3:19pm
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Posted By: lparks
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 3:26pm
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That was a mistake, not false advice. I got my information confused and was corrected by the next poster. After re-reading, I relized I had my information confused. For some reason, I thought he was referring to excess un-related activities under 501(c)3 - in which case, my advice is 100% correct. Business who regularly conduct activity not related to their charitable purpose, or for which the activity provides a substantial income to the company (meaning it outweighs the income from your charitable purpose - You have to pay income tax on that. I got my answered confused. So sue me. This is not legal or professional advice. I refuse to waste my time arguing here. I have important deadlines to meet - including the sponsorship proposal letter I been working on the last half hour that I can't seem to get completed because I keep having to come here and argue. ------------- Landon Parks, Producing Artistic Director, Bloomington Repertory Theatre Co |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 4:00pm
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I shall surely miss your input on this forum. They were quite informative. If they were real or not I can't say but as I stated elsewhere free advise is always worth what you paid.
To those of us with enough grey in our beards, "kid" can be a general term for anyone with less years on this earth and you still have not yet hit your ten year HS reunion. That doesn't mean you don'y have anything worth listening to, it just means you may have to speak up a bit so we "old timers" can hear you. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 6:24pm
What difference does that make? Bad advice is bad advice. Your intention is irrelevant. You didn't know what you were talking about. Someone called you on it this time, a lot of times no one does. |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 7/12/10 at 6:27pm
Our theater group is in the black in large part because of free advice I got here from people telling me about which plays did well at the box office for them. |
Posted By: balitheatre
Date Posted: 9/15/10 at 11:56pm
Hi I am new here.. I don't know what happen here, but I am just answer the first post  Our theatre size is 1200 seats for audience.. ------------- http://www.balitheatre.com - Bali Agung at Bali Theatre The Balinesse Goddess Legend |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 9/16/10 at 7:56pm
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the first post was on august the 7th the rest follow on in order of time/date when posted.
------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |