Box Office Breakthroughs
Arena Stage broke sales office records during November's New Deal Sale when the theater sold 6,661 tickets for nearly $200,000 in revenue in one day, more than doubling our previous highest grossing day. The New Deal Salewas Arena's theater-going stimulus to give patrons a chance to see quality theater at a significantly reduced price.For one day on Friday, November 14, all tickets for the first week of each remaining production of the season were $25 each. Following the success of the New Deal Sale, numerous regional theaters implemented similar programs including American Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Huntington Theatre Company and Portland Center Stage. The New Deal Sale was so popular that Arena chose to implement a $25 New Deal seating section for all remaining shows limited to the last four rows in the Crystal City venue and the upper balcony at the Lincoln Theatre. This resulted in 11,877 additional tickets sold through the remainder of the season.
International Ticketing Association (INTIX) selected Arena Stage as the recipient for the 2009 Outstanding Box Office Award. INTIX represents over 1,200 members from 23 countries. This yearly honor recognizes only one box office. Arena Stage's nomination focused on the year-long challenges of moving mid-season to Crystal City in Arlington, VA from the theater's home in Southwest D.C. in 2007, as well as the current challenges entailed in serving a large subscriber, patron and usher base in two cities. During the renovation of the Mead Center, Arena performs at the Lincoln Theatre in Northwest D.C. as well as in Crystal City. The Arena staff faced these complex logistical challenges with the teamwork and professionalism needed to earn an outstanding reputation with patrons and within the ticketing world.
New Play Development initiatives
In addition to the development of three new plays workshopped during the 2009 Downstairs New Play Reading Series, Arena continues to support the future of American theater by serving as the administrator of the National Endowment for Arts' (NEA) New Play Development Program, which supports the development of seven projects at theaters across the nation. In partnership with the NEA, Arena has provided a forum that not only encourages the dialogue around existing and new models for new play development, but also actively supports the dissemination of any findings throughout the field. Frequent updates from Arena and participating theater companies can be viewed here: http://npdp.arenastage.org.
Artistic Achievements on Stage
Part One of Arena Restaged featured work by some of America's most talented actors, designers and playwrights including Edward Albee, Irving Berlin, Daniel Beaty, Kathleen Chalfant, Carrie Fisher, Michael Greif, Valerie Harper, Maureen McGovern and Alice Ripley among many others.
For information regarding Part Two of Arena Restaged, the final year of programming before the opening of Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater, visit www.arenastage.org.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Managing Director Edgar Dobie, Washington, D.C.-based Arena Stage has become the largest theater in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation's original resident theaters and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater in 2010, Arena Stage will be a leading center for the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000. For more information please visit www.arenastage.org.
