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Space Invaders
How to capitalize on the rental, loaning and co-location of your facility
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts prides itself on its capable staff, which ensures that first-class productions run smoothly and efficiently. But the ability of the Theatre to attract top stagehands isn't only about the quality of the Theatre's performances.
"We do about 100 rentals each year," says Jeff Brown, executive director of the La Mirada, Calif.-based Theatre. "If we didn't have those 100 rentals, staff members would be sitting around doing nothing. We'd have to convert them from full-time to part-time and we'd have high turnover and the quality of our stagehands would diminish."
What Brown and many other theater company owners and managers have discovered is that theaters can get a boost out of maximizing the use of their space. When multiple groups can share theater space, there is not only revenue to be made, but other benefits, as well.
The revenue that can be made is nothing to scoff at. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, for example, charges $1,500 to rent out the facility for one performance alone, with other fees tacked on for subsequent performances, personnel costs, lobby rental and such miscellaneous items as backstage supplies and piano tuning.
But there are other less obvious benefits, as well. Arts on Real, a performance company in Austin, Texas, not only allows commercial groups to rent out the theater but it also lets local business and political officials such as the Chamber of Commerce utilize the space for nominal fees. "We're not making money in those cases but sometimes getting the mayor here when he wants to be here is worth more money than you can pay," says General Manager Blake Yelavich.
Some theater companies find that bringing in outside groups adds value for their audiences. The Tsai Performance Center at Boston University hosts both university groups and non-university groups throughout the year. "The university gets the bonus of bringing professional organizations onto campus because it provides a local way for students to experience the arts," says Kara L. Mullen, general manager of the Center. Plus, "it's a good community effort in terms of bringing people from the community onto the Boston University campus," she adds.
Leslie Chiu, production manager for the Brandeis Theater Company at Waltham, Mass.-based Brandeis University, agrees. In fact, when determining what external organizations to rent the Company's two theaters to, she looks for groups that complement internal productions. "We do dramas and musicals so we've brought in rentals from opera companies or dance companies because we feel that that's programming that we don't offer on campus," she says.
Creating a System
While it's easy to see the value in sharing theater space with various organizations, the intricacies of putting such a system in place are not so simple. First a theater company must determine how much space is available and when it can be offered to outside groups.
For some theaters, this process has unveiled minor challenges.
"Our building has three theaters but the way the building was designed, they all share a back wall so we can't have two spaces in use at once," says Chiu. "If we could rent two theaters when one was in use that would be great. We would probably be able to generate more revenue that way but we're not able to do that."
For other theater companies, assessing the amount of space that's available is easier since there are fewer options. "The way our theater is structured, it's just the theater," says Mullen.
But even if only one area of the theater can be used at a time, it is challenging to make sure groups don't overlap or schedule the stage to be used on the same day. Logistics must also be considered. "We go between music performances to dance performances, which means logistically you're going between an orchestra show with chairs and a music stand to putting down a dance floor," says Mullen. "We have to be realistic about what our setups are because you can't do a dance concert one night and then the next morning at 9 a.m. be set up for a music concert."
Scheduling software can help in that endeavor. It can be set up to alert users to potential conflicts and highlight dates that are available for booking, says Drew Dawkins, vice president of sales and support for ServiceU Corp., a company that develops event management software for organizations such as theaters.
For a subscription fee that starts at $54.95 per month, the company's Web-based EventU software lets multiple users schedule potential events. "If a theater had a group that came in a lot, the theater could make someone in that group a user of the system and let them enter event requests," says Dawkins. However, theater managers still would maintain control. "The system has an approval process so a request still has to be approved by you before it goes on the calendar."
Many theater companies find that they can't accommodate all requests so they have to prioritize which groups get first dibs at the space. The Utah Shakespearean Festival, for example, shares theater space with Southern Utah University. When it comes to booking space, "the Shakespearean Festival is first, then the University theater department has the next priority, and finally outside organizations that want to book events can do so," says Production Manager Ray Inkel.
One of the most effective ways that Brandeis has managed to juggle multiple groups has been through designating one person to handle all of the scheduling. "It takes a lot of organizing and that's why I think it's good to have one person doing it," Chiu says. It cuts down on the likelihood of double-booking, she says, and then she can depend on the rest of the staff to help plan the events.
Determining Customers' Needs
While scheduling is crucial to ensuring that a theater maximizes its space, the details are key. Some outside organizations know exactly what they'll need. Others need more handholding during the process.
Brandeis created an online form that lets potential renters indicate such details about their event as whether they'll need a dressing room or whether they plan to rehearse on stage. Such information makes it easier for the Brandeis staff to know exactly how much support they will need to provide, be it equipment or personnel.
The efforts needed to find groups to rent space vary depending on how many large-scale venues there are in town. The theater company's Web site is a good place to start, as well as publications that cater to theater-goers. Some theater companies will find that they get a lot of repeat business: "We have a lot of annual groups that come year after year so we want to continue to support them," says Mullen. "At the same time, we are constantly taking inquiries."
When outside organizations book an event, theater companies typically have one or more staff members on the premises for liability reasons, as well as support. In many cases, a theater company's staff will operate equipment or manage the stage for outside groups. In the case of Arts on Real, "we have a beer and wine permit and one of the stipulations is we have to sell the beer and wine," says Yelavich. "So we have to have someone on staff on the premises for that reason alone."
Some theater companies also depend on staff members to make sure outside groups don't use equipment that is off limits. "That's something we've run into where a company will come in and think that just because we're a theater they will think that everything is available to them," says Chiu. "That's why we decided that having a staff member present is really important. To say, 'That's for a show; you can't use that.'"
Theater staff members can also help to make sure equipment is used in the right way and to prevent items from being damaged. "In a renter's wake things that were organized in a certain way may no longer be organized that way," Chiu says. Employees who are working the events held by outside groups should be clear in letting those groups know the rules of the space, she advises.
Such an important job comes with a cost, which is why theater companies must be sure to factor in their own personnel costs when renting a facility to an outside group.
Agreeing to the Details
Whenever more than one group or organization seeks to share space and equipment there are details to be worked out. Naturally, a contract should spell out all of the stipulations and theater companies should check with their insurance providers to make sure there are no liability issues that must be considered.
La Mirada Theatre has an insurance policy that covers minor damage that could arise from rentals. "We pass that charge onto the renter," says Brown. "The renter does not need to supply us with their insurance."
Even groups that have a non-financial agreement to share theater space can benefit from putting the details in writing. The Utah Shakespearean Festival and Southern Utah University share the responsibility for their space, yet conflicts can still arise, says Inkel.
"Who buys what equipment for the space?" says Inkel. "What happens when something breaks? Who picks up the bill? That's a challenge."
To solve the dilemma, the two groups have what they call a memo of understanding, Inkel says. "It details who takes care of what and who's responsible for what equipment. But that's the challenge of working permanently with one group."
Once the details have been ironed out, theater companies find that the working relationships they share with various groups can be financially and professionally rewarding, but they must always keep in mind that the bottom line is business, Yelavich says. "Theater owners or managers have a viable resource that can't be given away without either money coming in or some other benefit coming in."
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