Anybody doing theater is a facility that is 2000 square feet or less? How many people can you seat?

From a letter to a friend asking about theatre size -

Hi James - glad the info was of some value. My last two theatres were both dinner theatres - actually, my last three, if I count being artistic director at the place downtown.

Dinner theatre is a bit of a different animal, and usually attracts a somewhat different crowd than family-style stuff, so I'll have to write some about some different areas of concern if that's the way you're going, although I brought some of the flavor of the family-style place to the shows i was writing and directing at the dinner theatres. The audiences responded well, but it's a finer line to walk, so I'll treat that in a different post.

Family-style was about 7000 square feet, if you count the upstairs. It sat about 300 people.

My Candlelight Dinner Theatre sat about 110 people packed into three levels, with a small stage managers booth in the back corner on the top level. It was just about the perfect size for a 100-seat dinner theatre, but I wish it had about 200 more square feet to avoid the crowding problem.

Although a tightly contained audience creates energy very quickly, it can also get uncomfortable and crowded-feeling, generating complaints from the older retired crowd that tends to frequent dinner theatre. They LOVE to complain unless you cater to their every whim, but if you CONSISTENTLY get it right, they are very loyal as long as their retirement funds are in good shape. And some of them will literally have a heart attack during the show. Happened at least three times at the downtown theatre!

So REALLY think twice if dinner theatre is where you're heading, because it's more difficult to run well, and not much more profitable unless you are VERY VERY SHARP. There's a LOT of money in popcorn, soft drinks, hot dogs and junk food that causes heartburn...after all, no one ever went broke underestimating the good taste of the American Public ;-)

Just be sure to sell Alka Seltzer too.

All the best!
David Michael Max

I see:
The Stage area is 50' wide x 30' deep, and the seating area is 24' deep x 50' wide, with 120 seats. I guess it's more like 2,700 feet. With dressing rooms I would venue a guess at 3,500 feet.

However, that's not the entire venue. The venue itself has two performances spaces (the 120 seat on the 3rd floor, and the 70 seat'er on the first floor), 3 floors and fairly extensive offices. I would venture a guess that the entire space is nearly 50,000 square feet or more.

The rental for the 120 seat is $1,400 per week, the 70 seat is $700 per week. There are daily rates as well, but we don't rent by the day.

Basically, for our upcoming production of The Boxcar Children we the rental is $2,800 for two week, with a move-in on the Monday prior to start of performances (Friday).

Basically, it's the same rate regardless of use.

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Edited by lparks - 7/10/10 at 8:13pm