Community Theatres Should Be Asking Audiences What They Actually Want to See

by Chris Peterson

A few months ago, I spoke with someone who worked at a community theatre that was watching its season ticket sales slowly disappear.

The productions were polished. The performers were talented. The organization had been part of the community for years. Yet fewer people were committing to the full season.

Eventually, the theatre asked some longtime patrons why.

The answer was painfully simple: They were no longer excited by the shows being selected.

That should be a wake-up call for any community theatre struggling with attendance. You can produce excellent work and still choose a season that people have little interest in seeing.

Theatre leaders sometimes become defensive when this subject comes up. They insist audiences need to be challenged. They worry that asking patrons what they want will result in five familiar musicals and nothing remotely adventurous.

I understand that concern. A theatre should have an artistic point of view. Season planning should never become a popularity contest.

But ignoring your audience is not artistic leadership either.

Community theatre depends on a relationship between the people creating the work and the people buying tickets. When attendance declines, theatres often blame streaming, ticket prices or younger generations who supposedly do not appreciate live performance.

Sometimes the problem is much closer to home.

The season simply does not look appealing.

That is why more community theatres should regularly survey their audiences. Ask patrons what they enjoyed, what they skipped and what might persuade them to return. Ask whether they want more comedies, dramas, musicals, new work, family programming or stories they have not traditionally seen on that stage.

Then pay attention to the answers.

This does not mean allowing patrons to program the entire season. Audiences may request shows the theatre cannot afford, cast or legally produce. Some responses will contradict others.

That information is still valuable.

A survey can reveal that your audience is tired of seeing the same titles recycled every few years. It might show that people want more contemporary plays, smaller productions or work that better reflects the community outside the theatre’s doors.

You may also learn that the problem extends beyond show selection. Perhaps performances start too late. Maybe the ticketing website is difficult to use. Maybe patrons are frustrated by parking, accessibility or a lack of affordable options.

You cannot address problems you refuse to ask about.

The survey does not need to be complicated. Keep it brief, make it easy to complete and give people space to answer honestly. Share it through email, social media and at the theatre.

Most importantly, tell people what you learned.

Too many organizations collect feedback and then allow it to disappear into a committee meeting. When audiences respond, show them that somebody listened. Explain what influenced the next season and which suggestions could not be followed.

There should still be room for artistic risk. A smart season can include a recognizable crowd-pleaser alongside a newer or less familiar work. That balance requires knowing who your audience actually is.

Community theatres cannot survive on tradition alone. Being around for decades does not guarantee that people will continue buying tickets. Loyalty fades when patrons feel that the organization has stopped paying attention to them.

So ask the question.

What do you want to see on our stage?

You may not follow every suggestion, and you probably should not. But the answers could explain why seats are empty. More importantly, they might help fill them again.