Judith: Our capacity rate is fairly high compared to other regional theatres. However, our audience is getting older. Also, demographics in DC are changing. These are key reasons the creation of the Young Patron’s Board is so timely. A top priority for them is to attract their peers to the theatre.
David: How are people thinking about the changing demographics, both in terms of the audience and who is on stage and what’s being presented on stage?
Reggie: I think the change in demographics and audience composition is reflective of how people have become accustomed to being engaged. The competitor to live performance is on-demand video and on-demand activities where you can engage in different ways—and instantly—and in your living room. What we are seeing at McCarter is a change in demographics and in interest. Our average subscriber is older, definitely grayer. But what we’re challenged by is how to attract younger families and young professionals.
From a board perspective, we want to encourage risk-taking in programming to reach new audiences, to tell diverse narratives. Financially, it is difficult to justify the risk without growth in diverse patrons that we can measure through season subscriptions. It’s tough to get younger patrons to commit early in advance ticket sales, let alone season passes. The competition for their attention and financial support is fierce.
Judith: I concur with that. One of the objectives of starting the Young Patron’s Board is to lower the average age of our audience. We also have a “pay your age” program for patrons who are thirty and under. And our DC Ticket Partnership program also helps us develop younger patrons. We offer subsidized tickets, in-class workshops, and study guide materials to DC public- and charter-school teachers. I’ve met patrons in their twenties and thirties who talk about the fact that their first theatre experience was at Arena through the program. Now they are subscribers.
David: I remember a class with Professor Thomas, who’s now the president at Morehouse College, when he was at Harvard. He asked a group of people of color, C-Suite folks, whether it was an obligation or responsibility to support other leaders who look like them. A responsibility in that there’s some sort of moral or ethical impetus, versus an obligation being more of a mandate, what you are asked to do.
I was really taken by the fact that half the group felt like it was a responsibility, half felt like it was an obligation. Do you think it is an obligation or a responsibility?
Reggie: If you respect the person leading the charge, you have a responsibility to support them. I find time to lend my strengths and gifts to non-profit work because I strongly believe that the development of venues for diverse voices and diverse points of view, which demonstrate the fabric of our community, is important. However, it is difficult to financially support every endeavor that appeals to you. It is easy to be pulled in too many causes and directions.
Judith: That’s an interesting question, David. One of the issues I find leading an integrated arts organization, which depends very heavily on charitable donations, is that people of color like to support organizations of color. I spend a lot of time convincing people of color with capacity that attending Arena is great but donating to Arena is even better, especially if we want to continue to have our voices presented on the stage. I also spend time explaining Arena’s impact in our community.
If you respect the person leading the charge, you have a responsibility to support them.
David: What do you think needs to happen for people of color to want to make that investment? How does the theatre respond and engage in that conversation?
Reggie: You’ve got to have theatre leadership. Not necessarily from the board level, but from the staff level, engaging the community. That comes down to access and inclusion of diverse people on staff and having proper intern programs to cultivate new talent so they can rise in ranks. Barriers need to come down, and a lot of the barriers are financial—you need to be supported as you’re being educated. Without that support, you don’t have any diversity. Without the diversity you don’t have people willing to understand the message being delivered. And the message delivered has to be delivered with authenticity and not necessarily germinated by people who just believe in it, but who actually share in the personal experience.
Judith: Our board and senior staff are laser focused on making sure the stage and all programs at Arena reflect the demographics of the DC population. Our challenge is educating residents about all that we do and the impact that we have.
Additionally, as a people, African Americans have traditionally donated time. We will show up. We will work. But we don’t necessarily give large sums of money. In the case of Arena, many patrons believe that paying for a ticket is enough to support the theatre. As we know, the ticket price only covers a portion of the cost. So part of educating patrons is explaining that that, and that we need donations to cover the rest of the cost.
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