The Stratford Shakespeare Festival wrapped up its 2011 season on November 7, with its sold-out hold-over week of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Yet here we are at November 25 and the box office numbers have not been released. When I enquired a few weeks ago, I was told that the numbers would be released ‘in a few weeks.’ Why, one wants to know?
A few years ago there was a similar delay with the reason being the festival was doing aggressive fundraising and wanted to announce the figures then at the end of its fiscal year. Fundraising and box office numbers have nothing to do with one another. You either sell a ticket or you don’t. I want to know about that.
I want to know if the huge success of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and the eventual success of TWELFTH NIGHT were enough to off-set the weak box office for: CAMELOT, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, THE MISANTHROPE, THE GRAPES OF WRATH and THE HOMECOMING to name a few.
The Shaw Festival ended its 2011 season October 30 and announced its box office numbers three days later. What’s the delay with Stratford?
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Were the numbers ever released and how can I find them, please? Thank you.
Good question. To my knowledge the numbers have not been released because they are waiting for their aggressive fundraising to finish. They did that last year as well and the year before that. So rather than get just the box office numbers we might get a skewered picture of box office with a bit of help with infusion of fund raising. It’s always interesting to try and sort out what is what. No fear that I will blog about it when the numbers are released.