It took a few years.

We do four to five shows a year.

We started by advertising one of the shows a "classic", and offered Tennessee Williams (Glass Menagerie one year, then Streetcar Named Desire the next), then Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman, with All My Sons a year later.. Then we offered The Shape of Things, then Betty's Summer Vacation, Dead Man's Cell Phone and Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them.

We did just one serious/controversial show a year. Over time, the patrons became willing to stretch their theatrical horizons.

All the other things we did were Neil Simon, Jones Hope & Wooten, Kauffman and Hart, and silly sex farces like Boeing, Boeing, Love, Sex and the IRS, No Sex Please, We're British, Out of Order, etc.

We also picked one specific time of year to always show the serious or controversial stuff; which, for us, was the April show.

Also, every January we have a season kick-off where we show scenes from the year's upcoming shows. It whets their appetites, and we warn them about the April show, but in a way that sort of dares them to come see and decide for themselves.

It's been working very well for us, but it didn't happen overnight.

Hope this has been helpful.

Edited by edh915 - 2/03/15 at 10:41pm

Hm. We do 5 shows a season and try to do one "risk" show each year (we define "risk" as a show with adult or controversial content, or a title that is challenging or unknown.) The majority of our audience is resistant to these shows. The is definitely a small contingent that appreciates it, but it a small and not very vocal contingent. I like the idea of presenting the season with an understated challenge to try something new. And perhaps we should look at a more long term progression of specific titles from point a to point b. (with the flexibility to adapt is something crashes and burns or, conversely, sells like hotcakes). Thanks for the input!