The Playgoer: The Broadway of the North?

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Thursday, July 06, 2006

The Broadway of the North?

Here's an article lamenting a fall-off in Toronto theatre attendance. But what they mean is commercial ticket sales, with the soon-to-close "Lord of the Rings" as the main example.

But isn't this because "Lord of the Rings"...sucks? And represents the most ridiculous of commercial theatres inherent excesses and packaging-by-committee?

The article even concedes implicitly the limits of its narrow focus:

Nevertheless, the Tarragon, which has one 200-seat theatre and another 100-seat space, had a strong 2005-2006 season. It sold around 4,000 season subscriptions, and Gilbert says the company has already sold around 65 per cent of that for 2006-2007, and she has no doubt that Tarragon will match last year's numbers. Subscribers make up about 40 per cent of the Tarragon's audience.

Theatregoers recognize good quality at good value when they see it, and will keep coming back.

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