By Sue Merrell | The Grand Rapids Press The Grand Rapids Press
Handout Classic: The 2011-2012 season features a five-show subscription series that includes the 25th anniversary tour of "Les Miserables."
GRAND RAPIDS — From Broadway’s top-selling haunted house musical, “The Addams Family,” to Disney’s high-flying nanny, “Mary Poppins,” the upcoming Broadway Grand Rapids season promises more than one spoonful of sugar.
“What’s the opposite of the perfect storm? The perfect season? That’s what this is,” said executive director Mike Lloyd. “Wonderful shows, wonderful dates, wonderful price. All the things we’ve been working for, coming together.”
The 2011-2012 season features a five-show subscription series that includes the 25th anniversary tour of “Les Miserables” and three special events, including “Under the Streetlamp,” a one-night ’60s rock show featuring recent cast members from “Jersey Boys.” The season ticket price has been reduced, and for the first time in many years, the schedule doesn’t include a show during Thanksgiving week.
Through most of its 23 seasons, Broadway Grand Rapids has complained about being left with the holiday weeks at DeVos Performance Hall because three other organizations — Grand Rapids Symphony, Opera Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Ballet — have scheduling priority at the venue.
But through collaboration with the ballet, BGR was able to adjust the schedule and snag the 25th anniversary tour of “Les Mis.”
“That’s the single largest coup of the season,” Lloyd said.
The tour, which was recently presented in Detroit, had an opening the first week in December, Lloyd said, but DeVos Hall wasn’t available because that’s when Grand Rapids Ballet traditionally presents “The Nutcracker.” The ballet agreed to move “The Nutcracker” to Thanksgiving weekend so “Les Miserables” could be scheduled.
“We were very willing to experiment with moving ‘Nutcracker’ because the upside for the community is so strong,” said Grand Rapids Ballet Executive Director Glenn Del Vecchio, who plans to announce the ballet season later this week.
“People see Thanksgiving as the official opening of the Christmas season, so it could be perfect timing,” he added.
“Les Miserables” is one of two shows the Grand Rapids Ballet will co-present with BGR. The ballet also is co-presenter for the season opener, “Come Fly Away,” a new musical pairing Twyla Tharp choreography with the music of Frank Sinatra.
The show piggybacks on the ballet’s recent presentation of “Nine Sinatra Songs.” Lloyd said BGR is trying to arrange for dancers from “Come Fly Away” to give master classes at the ballet.
“(Broadway Grand Rapids) is part of the art fabric of this community,” Lloyd said. “We don’t want to be perceived as an out-of-town presenter. We’re working to bring the arts community together.”
The opening show in October also will collaborate with ArtPrize. “Come Fly Away” will not have a Thursday performance so closing ceremonies of the international arts exhibition and competition can be presented in DeVos Hall. Some of the dancers from “Come Fly Away” will be included in the ceremony.
“If you choose to be collaborative, it works,” Lloyd said.
Nicole King, director of marketing and public relations for Broadway Grand Rapids, said she is most proud of the upcoming season’s reduced ticket price structure, which had to be accepted by each of the touring companies.
“We spent a month working out the discounts,” she said. “It’s not easy to get those kinds of discounts.”
In the past, subscribers received a 10 percent discount compared to the price of individual tickets. For the 2011-2012 season, subscribers will receive a 15 to 30 percent discount, depending on day and seating preference.
Season ticket prices for 2011-12 range from $128 to $303, somewhat less than this season’s range of $163.90 to $321.40. Subscribers also will be given the opportunity to purchase additional individual seats at the same discount if ordered with the season ticket.
“It’s an additional incentive to be a subscriber,” Lloyd said.
The number of subscribers is down quite a bit from BGR’s high point in the late ’90s when the presenter had about 7,000 subscribers a year. But this season’s tally of 2,500 subscribers is up a little over last season’s low of 2,200.
Total attendance is growing by leaps and bounds, largely because the current season is offering so many more shows than last season. With three shows still to go this season, total attendance is about 43,000 as compared to 29,000 for the 2009-2010 season.
“Each show has a hugely different audience,” Lloyd said, comparing the traditional musical fans who enjoyed “South Pacific” with the much more diverse audience for “In the Heights.” “I don’t think people realize what a broad reach we have.”
The current season is the first scheduled in partnership with East Lansing’s Wharton Center on the Michigan State University campus. Lloyd and King say the quality and variety of shows offered this year has been a turning point for BGR.
“It has restored the community’s faith in the program,” King said.
“There have been a lot of good signs of growth,” added Mike Brand, executive director for Wharton Center, who schedules shows for both venues. “Each show grew a little bit more, and that’s a good sign. We’re building relationships.”
The partnership has provided increased educational opportunities, such as the Take It From The Top summer arts workshop and actors from Canada’s Stratford Festival visiting area high schools.
“I want people living here to be proud of what’s happening in our community,” Lloyd said. “I want Grand Rapids to be a destination city.”
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment