Rich benefactors may very well be the reason most arts organizations continue to see the light of day. And when those sources are tapped out--much like the Metropolitan Opera cutting salaries for union workers--the plight of theater becomes stark.
However, such is not the case for the Wilma Theatre, which recently received a large donation by philanthropist Leonard Haas, an equity actor and descendent of the family who formed the William Penn and Wyncote Foundations.
The grant, you might ask, is for a grand total of $750,000 over a three-year period.
Thus, the price of tickets at the Wilma will be slashed to a nominal $25 for the first four weeks of a show's run (which is a big cut indeed from the previous $35 ticket price).
Before the markdown, the Wilma Theater was only filling 70% of its seats.
Managing director James Haskins said of the low attendance, "We do believe that the energy of a full house provides a richer experience for all, and have established a 90 percent paid capacity goal to achieve just that."
Hopefully, the Wilma's lowered prices will attract a new demographic, too--improving the diversity of the house, overall.
I mean, who wouldn't want to see Mika Allen?
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