Good Person of Szechwan hands out budget spreadsheet instead of playbill — Page 2

Brecht would have loved this thread.

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This is all interesting, but ultimately, who cares? They priced their ticket based on some metric, I bought one, I'm a member of the Public, and that's where my interest ends.

It's sort of like people who keep putting out there that Spider-Man won't recoup... I'm not an investor in the show, so for me, the show is good or bad, enjoyable or not. It's sort of the same as knowing how much a movie costs to make, and how much it grossed. Is the movie any good? That rarely has to do with budget. I love the $18K Clerks movie and can't sit through any of the Lord of the Rings movies.

Why do we keep coming up with new ways to discuss art through the lens of commerce?

Then again, another popular thread today is what will win Tony Awards next year, largely bases on shows that haven't been performed yet, heh. Another layer...

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Updated On: 11/6/13 at 02:50 PM

>Why do we keep coming up with new ways to discuss art through the lens of commerce?

Because without the commerce, there would be not much art. But your point is well taken.

When I go to certain non-profit stagings, I am very turned off when the director of the theater company before the show begins comes out and begs for more of my money. You can put a flyer in the Playbill to ask for donations, that is fine, but to give a speech I don't appreciate.

I don't mind a brief appeal for distentions. If that was the goal here, it almost certainly backfired as the sums indicated are going to make many people recoil and think "Christ my kid could do this in the back yard for $35."

...this is not an appeal for money.

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People, wake up. It's Brecht. That's the point. It's not the PUBLIC asking for money. It's not the PUBLIC showing you their expenses. It's this production, this director, this creative time. Stop being so hard-headed. This is the style of theater. If you don't like, that's fine, don't go see or now you know you don't like it.

"Stop being so hard-headed. This is the style of theater. If you don't like, that's fine, don't go see or now you know you don't like it."

I'm not sure those are the only two options. I'm not overly interested in it being in there, but it literally has no bearing on what I'll think of the production, and I am going...

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>Then you clearly do not understand how NOT FOR PROFITS work. Barring the exceptions (like >Roundabout), ticket sales typically only cover 40 to 50% of the revenue. They need >donations and yes, more money, to fund their operations and education programming. If you >don't like that, don't attend not for profit theatre.

I am a member of the Public, so I understand that they need donations. I understand that when non profits don't meet their budgets, they go bye-bye (e.g. New York City Opera). I just don't want someone standing in front of the curtain before the production starts to ask me to give them more money.

I never said it was a major non-profit. You are correct, those listed don't do it.

I never said they don't need contributions. All I said is they shouldn't be doing their fundraising pitch moments before the production begins. Sorry for derailing this thread off the original topic, I won't comment further. I look forward to seeing this production later this month.