‘A Chorus Line’--A Sad Lesson in Big-Squeeze Theater Economics

The main reason for mounting a new production of “A Chorus Line” in Los Angeles was to present it in a smaller-than-usual theater--on more of the intimate scale that its creator Michael Bennett originally envisioned. But after only eight weeks, the show, which opened to many rave reviews, is set to close on Sunday. As the co-producer of this production, it’s been a sad lesson in Big Squeeze economics of mid-size theater today.

When a show with the track record of “A Chorus Line” closes, you have to raise a few questions: Are the prices of tickets too high? Are there too few seats? Can we get by with a smaller set, cast and orchestra? How can any producers hope to see their productions through in theaters as small as (or smaller) than the 380-seat Las Palmas in Hollywood, where I, with my partner, William R. Greenblatt, and Symphony Pictures produced “A Chorus Line”?

Unfortunately, the future of these mid-size theaters seems to be tied to the need for major artistic and financial concessions in order to keep a show running. Unless a producer really cuts corners on a production, or is confined to a two-character, one-set play, the experience of “A Chorus Line” shows that large productions in mid-size theaters are a thing of the past.

The Los Angeles mid-size houses, like the Westwood Playhouse, those at Los Angeles Theatre Center and the Coronet, among others, are the equivalent to New York’s Off-Broadway theaters and offer an alternative theatrical experience not possible at a venue like the Ahmanson or Pantages theaters. There is much value to this scale of production. And as one producer, I cannot think of anything more destructive and sad than beginning a theatrical endeavor knowing that your artistic decisions are already compromised before you’ve even embarked on the creative journey.

In the case of “A Chorus Line,” the favorable reviews the show received generally gave the public the perception that it was a hit. Yet beginning in our sixth week of performances, we suddenly saw the box-office income fall below our break-even level of $52,000 per week. Until that time, the production appeared to have “legs,” showing a continued profit growth each week.

We can’t blame the Las Palmas, a jewel of a space that was always the first choice of the show’s co-directors, Danny Taylor and Steve Bellin. The house in the middle of Hollywood is the epitome of the classic mid-size theater.

“A Chorus Line” is exactly what it says it is: a line of chorus members, which demands a large cast. Our company of 23 is paid Actors’ Equity salaries in the same range as the Pasadena Playhouse and the Mark Taper Forum, both much larger theaters. The insurance costs on our production, which features an abundance of mirrors and lights, are very steep. The weekly royalty payment on the show was an unprecedented 13% of the weekly box office. We also incurred the major costs of a 10-piece orchestra.

Artistically, the choices were clear. In the wake of the closing of “A Chorus Line” on Broadway at the end of April, it was essential that we produce a first-class version of a show that personifies musical theater. The strong word-of-mouth and the reviews attest to the fact that we succeeded in doing just that, and the $400,000 in ticket sales to date confirms it. But still it wasn’t enough.

At our full ticket prices, which averaged $33, we played to 66% capacity. Preview tickets, however, were $15, and at those seven performances we played to full houses. We also announced a Fourth of July holiday ticket price of $17.76 and sold out almost immediately. Furthermore, we offered a 2-for-1 coupon in the Los Angeles Times on July 1 and the lines formed around the block for every discounted performance.

A ticket price of $33 is reasonable for a top-drawer production of a major musical, but the public doesn’t necessarily agree. Since the half-price performances sold out, there’s obviously still an audience out there, but they are apparently not willing to pay the full price we need to keep the show running.

Should we have sacrificed artistic quality for a more comfortable weekly break-even point? Would non-union musicians, fewer instruments, or even recorded music have been a better answer?

Not for “A Chorus Line” is our response. Would it have been fair to ask the actors to take a salary cut to subsidize the production? Again we answer: No.

Theoretically, we should be able to operate quite comfortably in a mid-size house and tickets in the $30 range. Unfortunately, theory has succumbed to reality. Bennett’s dream was to return “A Chorus Line” (after it closed on Broadway) to the intimate Off-Broadway type stage where it was born. But I fear that due to the harsh economic conditions of theater today, dreams don’t always come true.

See letters to Counterpunch, F7.