The nation’s entertainment venues have suffered an enormous plunge in revenue in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.
On Broadway, five shows permanently closed shop and even Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” the musical-comedy some have dubbed the hottest ticket in history, failed to fill to capacity for the first time.
While New York has endured much of the brunt, many concerts and performances throughout the United States have likewise been canceled or postponed. In a very short time, the entertainment market has contracted and Columbus-area venues haven’t been spared from turmoil.
The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts was forced to make several postponements. Country singer Alison Krauss opted out of her Sept. 13 engagement at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., as a gesture of respect. Soprano Kathleen Battle, originally slated to perform at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., on Sept. 14, was grounded in New York due to the Federal Aviation Administrations unprecedented two-day freeze on all domestic flights. Both have been rescheduled, as has a performance of The Boys of Lough, a Celtic musical group.
Sluggish ticket sales of upcoming CAPA events in the aftermath of the attack have proved to be another setback.
“There was definitely a slowdown in the week of the tragedy,” said Kelly Boggs, CAPA spokeswoman. “On Sept. 11, it seemed like things just stopped for all Americans. It was just hard to think about anything else. But lately business has begun to pick up again.”
Still, some CAPA employees aren’t entirely convinced that the public is once again ready to return to the theatre.
“People got worried, thinking why buy tickets for shows that will be canceled anyway?” said Roshaunda Ball, a ticket office staff member for the Ohio Theatre. “We’ve got to reassure people that these shows will play.”
“The thought of this continuing, the thought of people not going to the theater, is a little scary for me. I mean, this is my livelihood,” Ball said.
A similar scenario has played out at Ohio State’s University Theatre, 1849 Cannon Dr. Though theatre season has yet to begin, the box-office sells tickets to a variety of local events through Ticketmaster.
“Business has been very slow,” said University Theatre box-office assistant Kimberly Hairston. “Many of the students who used to come aren’t doing so any longer.”
“Last year, we had students lined up all the way out the door. Lately, I’ve seen maybe only five or six lined up at a time. It’s like people are scared to go to anything that’s a big event. They’re scared to be in a big group,” Hairston said.
While box-office malaise continues to grip many venues, reason for optimism can be found. The Contemporary American Theatre Company, 77 S. High St., has managed to buck the trend.
“To our surprise, we’ve seen a substantial increase in ticket sales since the incident,” said Jarred Berry, a CATCO box-office assistant. “People watch the news, they see the flags at half-mast, and they’re looking for something to divert them.”
However business fares in the coming months, the events of the past week have by all accounts reaffirmed to those who promote acts and sell tickets the importance of their jobs.
“We believe in the power of the arts to mend the human spirit,” Boggs said. “In the face of such tragedy, they are needed more now than ever.”
