Broadway hangs on despite the war

The lights of New York's theater industry are still shining. After America galloped into a second war with Iraq, Broadway was hit with another blow to attendance and sales. But after the combined effects of Sept. 11, the recent four-day strike sales dropped since the beginning of the war, with many productions cutting back spending or canceling production altogether. According to a study done by the Associated Press, the box-office receipts during the second week of the war fell from $12.9 million to $12.5 million in a single week. The New York Times also reported that nine commercial Broadway shows have closed during the year due to decreased sales.

The precise role of the war in the drop in theater sales in New York and throughout the United States is not clear.

"It's really hard to judge attendance," said Mark Rossier, Director of Development and Marketing for the Alliance of Resident Theatres. "It's been all over the place since Sept. 11."

While recent studies show that attendance did not have a steep drop-off after the beginning of the war, the effects of Sept. 11 are still an issue. In an article published by The New York Times, staff writer Jesse McKinley reported that, "The industry's advance sales, which are critical to shows' long-term marketing plans, have never fully recovered from Sept. 11."

Also a factor after Sept. 11 was the threat of terrorism. Members of the theater industry believe that attendance declined due to the possibility of retaliatory attacks.

Many of the heads of organizations and productions can't help but reflect on the effects of the first war with Iraq. Negative impact was expected at the beginning of this war as a result of the dip in business after the first. The New York Times reported that sales fell sharply after the first two weeks of the Persian Gulf War, but recovered soon after. Opinions differ this time around as to whether or not the end of the war will actually boost the industry's success.

Despite the statistics, loyal theater-goers and members of the theater community are hoping for the best, even if the atmosphere has changed. Rossier noticed that audiences are recently drawn to a much lighter fare. Comedies and upbeat musicals are in demand, while the dark, serious productions are suffering slumps and an overall lack of interest.

The war has also had different impacts on different levels of production. Rossier feels that the well-publicized celebrity events and shows have continued to draw crowds, while the smaller shows see the war as one more factor in their uphill struggle. Not everyone agrees, however. According to the Associated Press, "It's those shows that depend on the out-of-town audience, the tourism audience, the people who buy not on knowledge but on perceived reputation [that will suffer the most]," said George Wachtel, head of Audience Research and Analysis, an entertainment research company.

In an effort to keep the theater industry alive in the midst of hard times, much emphasis and trust has been placed on the continued attendance of the local theater lovers. The League of American Theaters and Producers instituted a discount "Greetings from Broadway" ticket promotion. The program offered local fans severely reduced rates to a number of Broadway productions and free entry to smaller shows.

With the second war with Iraq possibly coming to a close, the future of Broadway is not clear. Randall Bourscheidt, president of the Alliance for the Arts in New York, stated in the organization's April newsletter that "the threat of still further cuts in funding, combined with the uncertainties of the effects of the war in Iraq, has created a mood of anxiety as we go into final stages of the city budget process."

While pressure will remain in the industry, the worries of the theater-goers should decrease. "[The end of the war] will certainly help ease a certain degree of uncertainty and anxiety among the audience," said Rossier. "Even though times are hard, the curtains of Broadway's theaters will continue to be raised high."