“What we find when people are making decisions about destinations for meetings and events is they want to experience the rest of the city. Performing arts centers are just part of that equation and opportunity that really extend those opportunities,” Mitchell says. He sees current cultural trends as opening new doors. “With the pop culture success of Wicked coming from the musical stage production to the big screen, that can translate into getting more individuals aware of the arts,” Mitchell suggests. “This is an exciting opportunity to say, ‘You liked Wicked. Here’s what else you might like. Here’s what’s coming to your town.’” ATTRACTING NEW AUDIENCES TO PERFORMING ARTS Despite the wonder of the performing arts, the challenge of bringing new faces into theater seats remains a priority for venue managers, who must balance artistic integrity with financial sustainability. Mitchell offers practical insights into this balancing act. “It’s always in the purview in terms of driving ticket sales because at the end of the day, they are trying to manage the bottom line of their venue and making sure that it remains profitable,” Mitchell says.“I think where we have an opportunity is to look at how we create interest in attending these venues? How do we attract non-traditional audiences?” Mitchell sees engagement as key to expanding attendance beyond traditional theatergoers. The approach needs to respect theatrical traditions while embracing contemporary expectations. “Clearly we don’t want them on their phones or doing anything to distract the performance,” he notes,“but what are ways we can create experiential moments leading up to that? Once they walk through the foyer, even while they’re sitting in the seat before it starts, how do we engage them at intermission?” He points to successful post-show programming that creates deeper connections.“I’ve had the opportunity at a couple of different shows where they’ve done guest productions. One of them was with Matilda, and we had a conversation about what it means for 96 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03
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