As a favor, we were asked to give a performance to a group of children whose trip to see a professional performance was cancelled due to the weather.  We obliged and made arrangements for our space, actors, techies, etc. 

 

Three days later, we were called and told that they felt our show might be "over the heads of the audience" and that they had changed their minds about coming to see the show.  (Note:  We had told them not only the title of the play, but also our suggestions for age appropriateness.)

 

We've been able to scrape together a small audience in the last couple of days, but will not make enough to cover our expenses.  How do other community theatres handle something like our experience?  (Don't worry, it won't happen again.  We're getting policy into place for the future.)

If nothing else it will stir a reply & give the theatre the oportunity to put their side of the story & prove thier loss.

Frankly in future a 'no cash - no seat' booking policy, may be in order.

You should make it clear that any cancelation must be done by these requirements.  If they cancel they should have done it in a timely manner. 

If having a small audience will not pay the bills, you may offer them a ticket for a future performance and just cancel that performance all together. 

Hope everything works out for you.

There are three types of contracts;-

Writen, Verbal & implied, each are valid. Although writen is easier to proved in court, than Implied, but the latter can't be dismissed, unless unproveable.

You have suffered costs &/or damages. Thus the normal course of recovery action can be applied. Send a Bill & if they refuse to pay - summonds them! Even a school can summons & be sumond!

Usualy just the threat is enough to get them to open a dialogue with your theatre, about the situation  - even resolve the problem to a mutal satisfaction.

As i'm sure you will find they would have no hesitation to do unto your theatre - if you did it to them.

I found with schools 7 institutions they will aviod any of these problems politicly & pay up, rather than look like ratbags!

Chookas

Joe

However it may be worth a follow up article in the local 'Rag'. With the actual $ amounts the theatre lost or an estimated & inflatted amount,

Cry hardship making up the loss, you never know you may get the odd gold brick in the mail. From either the old chook [hen] that perpertrated the loss or a kind member of the community?

Although I would still prefer to bill the school & hopefully give them a lesson in commercial ethics & practices.