Pasadena Playhouse trims staff and show

The Pasadena Playhouse, facing reduced subscription sales and contributions, has trimmed its staff and is making a change in this season’s programming.

Donations to the playhouse in 2002 fell short of a $1.4-million goal by $300,000, and the 2003 season has attracted 9,842 subscribers, compared to 11,249 at this time last year.

As a result, out of 43 full- or part-time staffers, 10 whose salaries were higher than $35,000 took temporary pay cuts of 20% starting in late January. Two box office workers were laid off, after the box office and telemarketing offices were merged. The playhouse’s director of development left in February and has not yet been replaced. The playhouse’s publications editor was laid off, a publicity firm’s contract was not renewed, and the playhouse newsletter was suspended.

The latest pullback, to be announced today, is the replacement of the long-planned revival of the 1954 musical “House of Flowers” with a less costly production of the Jerry Herman revue “Showtune” in the playhouse’s June 27-July 27 slot.

The loss of “Flowers” is attributable less to the playhouse’s own financial situation than it is to another theater’s, said playhouse artistic director Sheldon Epps. One of the three theaters that had planned to share the $750,000 pre-production expenses of “House of Flowers” dropped out because of the cost.

Epps declined to identify the dropout, which had not yet announced its own run of the production, but he said the lack of funds from the third theater meant the show must be postponed until at least 2004.

“Showtune,” currently off-Broadway, is a revamped version of a familiar Herman revue previously titled “Tune the Grand Up.” So it will not entail as many pre-production costs, Epps said.

Playhouse officials said single-ticket sales remained strong last year. The play “Blue” did better at the box office than any other nonmusical in playhouse history.

With an annual budget of $5.5 million and a $400,000 debt, both unchanged since last year, the decline in subscribed and contributed revenue would not be so serious if the playhouse had a substantial reserve fund, said Executive Director Lyla White. But it has no reserve.

Two structural changes, as well as the sagging economy, affected subscription sales.

Last year, the playhouse began offering one six-play season each year instead of three-play seasons twice a year. It requires less effort from both staff and subscribers, reasoned playhouse officials, and a six-play season conveys a better sense of varied programs. But six plays require more subscriber money upfront.

Also, the playhouse this year reduced the length of each run from six weeks to five (including previews) to accommodate an extra, non-subscription, family-oriented holiday show, in response to the success of recent “Forever Plaid” holiday shows.

“A lot of people were unhappy because they were asked to take new seats” after the runs were shortened, Epps said.

“Given the economy, it probably wasn’t the best time” for these moves, said White.

Despite what playhouse Chairman Kerry McCluggage calls the company’s “cash-flow issue,” the board has authorized a new five-year plan. But one element that’s missing from the plan is a long-discussed 350-seat second theater elsewhere in Pasadena, which has long been one of Epps’ goals.

The 350-seater “is not possible within the scope of our five-year plan,” said White; the opinion was seconded by McCluggage. Epps said he still hopes that “by the end of five years, we’ll be raising money for it.”

The playhouse does plan to develop the upstairs 180-seat Balcony Theatre, including renovations estimated to cost $300,000. The five-year plan also establishes a set of goals including a youth theater program, an affiliation with a university drama program and a new donor group to enlist wealthy Hollywood figures -- in addition to such predictable aims as financial stabilization, greater national recognition, higher salaries and a larger artistic staff.