NOTES : When Performing Arts Center’s Curtain Rises, So Does Local Economy : Theatergoers, cast members and the touring company all spend money. By the time a show ends, businesses are among its fans.

When the last curtain is drawn on “Les Miserables” this weekend, the company will move on to Long Beach. But it’s leaving souvenirs behind in Ventura County--green ones, decorated with pictures of Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, George Washington and other long-gone American statesmen.

A show that sells $1 million worth of tickets, as “Les Miserables” is likely to do, probably will generate 2 1/2 times that amount of economic activity in the community, says Tom Mitze, theater director for the city of Thousand Oaks.

Mitze is responsible for activities at the new Performing Arts Center, which has been hosting touring productions such as “Cats,” “A Chorus Line” and “Annie” for nearly a year, in addition to musical events and locally produced theater.

Janine Fawcett, press representative for the producers of “Les Miserables,” cites a similar return of $2.50 for every dollar spent--as calculated by the League of American Theaters and Producers, a professional association.

Some of that money comes from theatergoers. “The restaurants just come alive when we have a performance,” Mitze says. “Baby-sitting booms. Clothing stores increase business--it’s a good opportunity to buy a new dress.”

But a notable amount of local income is generated by the production itself.

The road company of “Les Miserables” employs approximately 70 people full-time, including actors, crew and musicians. All of them have to live and eat somewhere.

Union regulations require the production to find accommodations at two price levels within a quarter of a mile of the theater, says Adam Siegel, “Les Miz” company manager. (For economic reasons, “Les Miserables” will not come to a city where it cannot play for at least a week).

“Depending on if I have a roommate, housing can be between $200 and $400 a week,” says Ana Goshert, one of the show’s three stage managers. “And it’s another $100 per week for food.” There’s plenty of time for cast and crew to shop, and the company stages events such as late-night bowling tournaments for entertainment.

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In addition to the full-time crew, Siegel hires approximately 20 stagehands, 14 wardrobe personnel, and 20 front-of-the-house staff members (such as ushers and bartenders) in each city. He also hires 50 laborers to assist the loading in and loading out of the show’s sets and costumes, contained in eight tractor-trailers.

Then there are the expenses that an outsider isn’t likely to consider.

Every piece of clothing that touches the skin--underwear and hose, mainly--is washed after each performance; there are machines at the theater to handle that. But dry-cleaning is farmed out locally, to a company that can pick up a load of expensive and often delicate costumes after 11:30 at night and return them the next afternoon.

The company also rents telephone lines to handle calls, faxes and computer communications, Siegel says.

“We do a lot of business with Federal Express, and I can’t tell you how many thousands of dollars we spend at Kinko’s, where we have a year-round account,” he says. “The programs handed out to the audience are printed locally; it’s too expensive for us to carry them around with us, and advertising is another source of profit for the venue.”

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Advertising for “Les Miz,” says Fawcett, is $8,000 per week, covering local radio, television and print.

The actors are on stage for approximately 3 1/2 hours per show, and free for the rest of the day. “Some of our people like to sleep late, but others like to shop,” Siegel says.

“In addition to clothing, food and supplies, our people tend to pick up cars along the way. Most are rentals for the run of the play, but I remember being in Detroit with another show, and five company members bought new cars.”