Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 2, No. 320. Friday, 6 Dec 1991.
From: Ken Steele <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Subject: 1991 Stratford Festival Post-Mortem
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 91 18:12:14 EST
Dear Fellow SHAKSPEReans;
The latest press releases from the Stratford (Ontario) Festival may be
of interest to those of you who attended, have followed the discussion
here, or simply have a place in your hearts for Stratford Ont.
Box Office revenue for the 1991 season totalled $15,456,537, from a
total of 479,273 admissions to 561 performances (down 5% from 1990).
That 5% drop in attendance meant a $1,351,271 loss on operations this season,
and despite a 1990 surplus, the Festival is left with a $541,930 deficit
-- the first since 1984.
Fans of *Timon* will be impressed by the following figures, which show
percentages of revenue capacity attained:
*Hamlet* (67 performances) 55.4%
*Much Ado About Nothing* (58 performances) 51.7%
*Twelfth Night* (58 performances) 41.1%
*Timon of Athens* (39 performances) 75.7%
*Knight of the Burning Pestle* (17 performances) 65.0%
The average this season was 55.2%. *Twelfth Night* came in just a hair
above the worst performer, *Our Town*, which attained 40.7% (evidently
word got around about *12N*, although *Our Town* wasn't that bad...).
*Timon*, though, was the MOST popular production, a full 10% ahead of
*Les Belles Soeurs*, the second-place production at 65.7%.
I think I've already mentioned that Shakespeare will monopolize the
Festival stage for the 1991 Season (Stratford's 40th Anniversary).
I'll be there...
Ken Steele
University of Toronto