TMSA

THEATRE MANAGEMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICA

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT : Richard Loring

T.M.S.A.
ANNUAL GENERAL REPORT - 01/02/2007

“SHARING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
A PLATFORM OF GROWTH FOR SOUTH AFRICAN THEATRE”

It was exactly a year ago whilst in Cape Town that I received a phone call from TMSA administrator, Dawn Lindberg, asking on behalf of the members present whether I would be prepared to]stand for Chairman for the year 2006/7.

Although complimented by the invitation from the Committee my initial hesitation was based purely on work load for the year ahead which I knew involved intense international travel.

I have just returned from the 50th Arts Presenters Conference in New York where a major four day showcase platform for “African Footprint” was established and then travelled onto Washington for the launch of the Africa Channel TV. My assessment from the meetings with Producers, Presenters and Agents from all over the U.S.A. was that we all had the same challenge and goals, which is simply “to make theatre work in 2007 and beyond.”

This made me realize that my presentation, based on personal contacts ranging from London’s West End to Broadway, Montreal, Canada, Walt Disney’s Florida operation, Belgium and Munich, along with meetings with Show Producers, Lawyers, International Media and P.R. plus seeing show product in London, U.S.A. and Europe, needed to be shared in order to have lasting and altruistic value.

Accordingly, my year end Chairman’s Report which deals very specifically with the advent of overseas influences in theatres and shows, viz a vie local theatres, I have accorded the title “Sharing information and knowledge in order to achieve a platform of growth for South African theatre”.

One only needs to look back to 1994 to see how the current state of theatre has emerged and grown, presenting a challenge to theatre audiences in respect of ticket prices, show content and perhaps more importantly, South African artists who have had to revisit their talent and ability.
There is no doubt that the professional show bar was raised considerably in 1996 in relation to international show content with overseas performers and the introduction of “Les Miserables” produced by show impresario Pieter Toerien and world acclaimed producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

However the first real test in the local market arose in 2000 with the development and introduction of local musicals, such as “African Footprint”, “Umojo” and “Drumstruck” internationally with the second Cameron Mackintosh/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Cats” produced by Pieter Toerien in 2002.

For the first time since the birth of democracy the International spotlight was falling on the production value of South African shows, the talent of local artists in relation to combined singing, dancing and acting roles and the availability and expertise of local technical staff in relation to box office potential.

That South African artists have been able to deliver in true Broadway/West End style in the eyes of the patrons is evident, in that the critical and financial assessment of shows mounted between 2000 and 2006 the majority achieved high returns for the producers and the investors, with the bar being raised yet again with musicals such as:
  • “FAME”


  • “WE WILL ROCK YOU”


  • “JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR”


  • “CHICAGO and most recently


  • “THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE”
Most significantly in relation to local productions ‘”Umojo” is in its fifth year and currently playing in Europe, ”Drumstruck recently completed a season in New York at the Dodger’s theatre and “African Footprint” after 6 and a half years and some 3,500 performances world wide, is preparing for a launch into the U.S.A. in 2008, “Soweto Gospel Choir” and “Afrika Afrika” and many others, bodes well for local producers and creators looking for overseas opportunities for the future.

We now come to the year ahead – 2007. Certainly looking at the current theatre scene one would have to say there has never been a better time for theatre patrons with forthcoming theatre shows planned such as:
  • LION KING


  • HAIRSPRAY


  • SOWETO STORY


  • RENT


  • BUDDY


  • GREASE


  • HAIR


  • ROMEO & JULIET - THE BALLET


  • ST PETERSBURG BALLET


  • And PETER PAN
To add to all of this excitement is the announcement of five brand new theatres at an approximate investment cost of R 400 million namely:
  • MONTE CASINO TEATRO Monte Casino 2 000 Seats


  • LYRIC THEATRE: Gold Reef City Casino 1 056 Seats


  • ALEXANDER THEATRE: Braamfontein 550 Seats


  • VICTORY THEATRE Orange Grove 472 Seats


  • MIRACLE THEATRE Jabavu, Soweto
From a financial/planning perspective one must also take into account the following top stage/recording artists who are booked to perform at theatre/stadiums around the country:
  • CELINE DION


  • CLIFF RICHARD


  • GEORGE BENSON – AL JARREAU


  • HELMUT LOTTI


  • MICHAEL BOLTON and


  • IL DIVO
Celebration time it is for our local talent to whom all from TMSA say well earned and deserved, who along with a growing band of dedicated professional agents/ managements are helping to put local talent on the International stages. Certainly from a performer’s perspective, the future of musical theatre, locally and internationally, has never been so good with possibly more work than artists to fill the many diverse roles on offer.

One assumes that common sense and trust will exist and prevail between the Managements, Agents, and Artists in respect of the fairness of the audition process and the contracts to be negotiated.

Certainly on the surface all bodes well for theatre and perhaps more specifically the artists, but with the opening of five new theatres, ten international productions, numerous International artists plus some as yet, unannounced events, could we possibly have reached saturation point?

It would seem not. With the current cost of show tickets varying between R 625.00 to R 65.00 from a mix of shows and venues such as The Civic, Coca Cola Dome, Baxter Theatre, Monte Casino Teatro and The State Theatre, the average price was R 236.00 per seat, to which current patrons have not, as yet, reacted negatively.


However, what we do not want, as a vibrant theatre industry, is to appear greedy by pricing ourselves out of the market, especially to a new theatre going audience. We certainly do not want to kill the proverbial Goose just when it appears to be laying “golden eggs”. However there is no question with some 17,000 seats nightly on offer, to the seemingly theatre hungry public in Gauteng alone, there will there be financial casualties.

Accordingly for the Producer, the show’s success more than ever is going to be down to the following:

a) Name brand recognition

b) Price of the ticket

c) Quality of the production

d) Specialized marketing and promotion

e) Other productions/events on offer


With all the managements after the same critical media coverage, i.e., Radio, Television and Newspapers for “bums on seats”, competition will be rife and fierce.

For new producers entering the market I use the word “caution” in relation to planning, as we all need to be aware that the game of theatre as we have all known is changing in South Africa.

Broadway, in essence, like the West-End, has over years produced and presented, either with their own money or investors’ money, (the Angels) various styles including Vaudeville, Music Hall, Comedy, Plays, and now of course, the big block buster musicals.

Las Vegas on the other hand started out at the end of World War 2 with only gambling revenue as a major source of income, switching to Girlie Shows, Extravaganzas and most recently, potted versions of Broadway shows in order to increase revenue.

Johannesburg also had their Vaudeville, Music Hall and recreated the musicals, even in some instances trying their luck in the overseas market, with shows such as “King Kong” “Ipi Tombi” and “Sarafina”, etc. However, we now have a scenario in Gauteng, unlike any other theatre city in the world, where current and long term theatre will be influenced by the Casino wealth of four Gauteng Casinos:
  • Carnival City
  • Monte Casino
  • Gold Reef City and
  • Emperors
Fortuitously with the hundreds of millions being put into the construction of the theatres and international shows, this is an extremely positive contribution for the current South African theatre scene and certainly for the seasoned performers and budding newcomers straight out of Drama School - times will have never seemed so good.

One might well ask how any of this helps theatre which suffered for so long under the previous government. I would say to all our Producers, Directors and Writers to take inspiration from the one of the major commercial successes currently on the Broadway stage. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and drawing a strong black audience for the first time in many years, “Color Purple” has proved that an audience that has stayed away from Broadway and or theatre, will come if the subject matter is entertaining and has been give the right platform through marketing and promotion.

It is complimentary for the theatre industries growth that each and every Producer achieves financial and critical success, however in accepting that “all is fair in love and war”, we certainly do not wish for our industry to become embroiled in “second hand car deals” amongst overseas and local Producers in order to achieve an overnight success.

South African Theatre is faced with the following:
  • South African theatre is looking at its greatest growth in many years;


  • South African artists will have a wealth of options to choose from;


  • Producers are currently being swamped with International Product;


  • Theatre audiences will have more theatre and show choices than ever before;


  • South African Casinos will start to influence the theatre scene;


  • 17,000 Show tickets on sale nightly in Gauteng will create strong competition;


  • Producers will be competing more than ever before for share of ticket sales


  • Producers will be fighting for exposure in all the media outlets
I believe all of the above will present South African theatre with its biggest growth for many years, for the new as well as seasoned producer, the director, the artists, costume designer, lighting/sound and script writers in order to create our “own piece of Broadway” of which all South Africans can be proud.

Let me say it is possible I am telling some of the more seasoned Producers something they already know, however at T.M.S.A. we know there are young, passionate theatre people looking for guidance and help and we want them to know that the organization, with its professional skills and knowledge, is available at this critical time for everyone to draw from.

Chris Barnard many ago years showed a group of people a glass half full with water and asked his audience to put up their hands if they saw the glass “half empty or half full” to which most of the group put up their hands to say they saw it “half empty”. I believe South African Theatre is currently sitting with a glass half full with opportunities for everyone to benefit from.

However I do not believe that T.M.S.A can be all things to all people, and you possibly cannot do it by yourself, so let us all come together to face the challenge ahead.

In closing I finish my report as I started with the same quote:

“Sharing information and knowledge in order to achieve a platform of growth for South African theatre”.



THANK YOU TO MY RIGHT HAND AND STALWART ADMINISTRATOR OF THE TMSA, A POST SHE HAS FILLED FOR 12 YEARS, DAWN LINDBERG

SIGNED:

RICHARD LORING




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