MILWAUKEE SHAKESPEARE CLOSING ITS DOORS
October 28, 2008 - Milwaukee Shakespeare is closing its doors due to lack of available funding.
Despite generous support from private and public local, state and national foundations and granting organizations such as UPAF and the NEA, the company’s primary source of operating funds is the Argosy Foundation. Due to the current financial climate, the Argosy Foundation has eliminated support from Milwaukee Shakespeare in order to put itself in the best position to continue to grow and support the community in the future. For this reason, Milwaukee Shakespeare cannot continue its season as planned. While ticket sales have been at a record level so far this season, ticket income only provides a fraction of what it costs to keep a non-profit theatre company running. Milwaukee Shakespeare has been actively seeking and achieving outside support, but the growth has not been sufficient to withstand this loss in its primary source of funding.
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A sign of things to come? Unfortunately, you can count on it.
Any other similar activity you're seeing out there?
4 comments:
Stamford Theatre Works in Connecticut went out of business today as well.
More of this is certainly on the way.
Wow. This is all very sad.
Link to a story about the Stamford Theatre Works closing here:
http://www.courant.com/entertainment/stage/hcu-stmtheatre-1027,0,4009530.story
if possible, look at the bright side of deadwood: a little clearing in the forest allows light to reach down to smaller, upstart saplings; and bigger roots drying up may leave some water for new plants with fresh energy to grow when the spring thaw arrives. sometimes - change can do you good - but we're gonna need some different fertilizer.
Definitely just the beginning.
We've noticed a dip in ticket sales for our current show; we wondered if maybe we were doing something wrong so we asked around. EVERYONE is noticing a dip in their ticket sales. Even the big dogs.
Productions you should not be able to get near ("Equus", Sondheim's latest, "Road Show") can't sell out, or even close to it. "Spring Awakening" is PAPERING, for cryin' out loud (how is that economically feasible for a show that's been running two years?)
I know of at least one major NYC theatre about to announce its dire straits/possible imminent demise; but I was not put at liberty to discuss it until the announcement is made official.
I'm trying to look at this from rlewis's bright side, but man, it's really depressing. The only glimmer of hope that we've discussed is that our company will be able to weather this - we have next to no money anyway, and we produce with next to no tech. Nothing economic-related can touch us right now - we've got nothing to take away.
Stay strong, folks - the object here is to still be standing when the dust clears.
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