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Walnut Street Theatre:
A National Treasure
An unwavering focus on satisfying patrons with a knack for picking the perfect season has made this Philadelphia theatre more than just a historic icon
No one would dispute that Philadelphia’s 200-year-old
Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest theatre in the country, has one of the most
illustrious histories in American theatre. Actors such as the Barrymores,
Edmund Kean, George M. Cohan, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, and the Marx
Brothers (among many, many others) have graced its boards. Plus, this national
landmark can also boast the first gas footlights in the country and giving
birth to the curtain call.
But all of that pales next to Walnut Street’s achievements over the past
25 years. It currently has 57,000 subscribers, the largest subscriber base
in the world. Add to that record its 82 percent subscription renewal rate—also
the largest in the world. Those kinds of numbers can’t help but impress
other industry professionals.
“Walnut Street Theatre is a real pillar in American theatre,” says
Margie Salvante, executive director of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.
“It’s a flagship theatre. It’s because they produce a quality
product that appeals to a broad base.”
Many theatre companies would die for the kind of reputation and subscriber
base that Walnut Street has. So how did the theatre company achieve it? The
answer can be summed up in two words: Bernard Havard.
Havard Enters the Picture
In 1982, Havard had no intention of leaving the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta,
where in six years he had built the largest subscriber base in that theatre’s
history (a record that still stands, he says). So when a headhunter called
him about the position of executive director at the Walnut Street Theatre,
he declined — until the headhunter suggested Havard would get a weekend
trip to Philadelphia out of it.
“The board of trustees wanted it to remain a booking house, and I had
only been on the producing side,” Havard recalls. “So when I got
there, I laid out a plan for a regional theatre company, telling them I would
need a year to put it together and for them to bankroll the first season.”
Unbeknownst to Havard, some thought had already been given to just such a
plan. John Graham, who has now served on the board for 27 years, recalls that
the trustees knew the theatre had major financial troubles. The foundation
that picked up the theatre’s financial deficits had hinted it might drop
funding (The labor force at the theatre is highly-unionized, making it an
expensive house to run, he says). A board-commissioned study reported that
Philadelphia could use a good regional theatre.
“Then in walks Bernard,” recalls Graham. “I remember it like
it was yesterday. When he heard what we had in mind [to remain a rental house],
he told us he wasn’t interested. He said that until we had a theatre
company, we had a theatre without a heart.”
That’s when community leader Ed Rome called a meeting, asking everyone
to back the hiring of Havard and adopting his plan. So Havard got to work,
marketing a new season with direct mail and telemarketing (which the theatre
still uses). His goal was 7,500 subscribers—instead, he almost doubled
that projection with 14,500.
Building a Regional Powerhouse
Havard had a three-pronged plan for restoring Walnut Street to its former
glory. His plan included a strong focus on satisfying patrons (both with programming
and modern facilities), a formula for play selection, and creating more than
just a main stage program. According to Graham, it’s the strength of
Havard’s vision that made the crucial difference in the theatre’s
success.
“He’s never wavered from his vision,” says Graham. “Bernard
understands the balance of the season and what it takes for people to come
back for five shows. And he’s just as passionate today as the day I met
him. He’s never lost that.”
Formula for Success: The basis of Bernard’s vision could easily be called
“populist theatre,” a label that he has no trouble with (He even
mentions it in his biography on the theatre’s Web site), although he
just calls it “accessible theatre.” Each season is divided into
three musicals (the first, second, and fifth shows), with a drama and comedy
in between.
“Other theatres may view us as a little populist,” says Graham.
“But populist choices are the reason that the audience comes. The theatre
should be accessible to the average guy. Only three percent of the population
comes to the theatre. That’s wrong.”
Salvante defends the theatre’s populist choices as providing “classic”
theatre for audiences. “The work they do includes great works of American
theatre,” she points out. “These are pieces that people want to
see again and again. Walnut Street provides that at a high quality.”
While Havard originally included Shakespeare in his formula, he discovered
audiences didn’t respond to the Bard’s work. The no-show rate spiked
from nine percent for the other four shows to 26 percent. “So they lose
the economic reason for subscribing,” Havard points out. “We couldn’t
afford to take those kinds of losses. The overhead for this theatre is huge,
due to the unions. There was no future for the theatre if we didn’t reach
out to subscribers.”
Focus on Subscribers: Giving ticket buyers an all-around quality theatre experience
is top priority for Walnut Street. This not only includes the play selection
but also the facilities. For instance, one of the first facility upgrades
under Havard’s watch involved expanding and modernizing the women’s
room (He also chooses plays on what will appeal to female audiences, as women
are their largest ticket-buying demographic).
“When we have surplus funds, they’re poured into the productions
and facilities,” said Mark Sylvester, the theatre’s managing director.
“So our caliber of productions is constantly on the rise.”
Ticket price is another component to the theatre’s success. “We
know what people in our market can afford and we price for participation,”
says Sylvester, adding that subscribers get up to 70 percent off the cost
of single ticket buyers. “Plus, we have 22 $10 tickets available at every
performance. It’s important to us that anyone who wants to come to the
theatre can.”
Single ticket buyers are called within hours of seeing a show, asking their
opinion of their theatre experience, then the caller slips in how much they
would save as a subscriber.
Filling More than One Need: The focus at the Walnut Street isn’t just
on its main stage. There’s also the Independence Studio on 3, an 80-seat
black box theatre on the third floor that has its own subscription series
of intimate musicals and more adventuresome plays. Another black box theatre
on the fifth floor is available for rental. Rates are minimal, as it is subsidized
by a foundation. Many Philadelphia theatres started out in this space, including
the highly successful Arden Theatre Co.
“Walnut Street takes a nurturing approach to theatre,” says Salvante.
“It’s a home base for new and emerging companies.”
Walnut Street has a children’s theatre series, a traditional holiday
show, and an outreach program that includes a touring company in the schools,
adopting a school, and also providing classes for a wide range of ages, from
children to master classes for adults. All these programs blend together so
that they work together, such as students appearing in productions. “I
like to think of our programs in a holistic way,” Havard says, “rather
than as separate compartments.”
Keeping the Vision Alive
Another key to the theatre’s success is the hierarchy of command. The
artistic director is solely in charge, so the managing director reports to
the artistic director. “If you have dual leaders, there are two different
visions,” notes Graham, adding that the board also has a “hands
off” policy with artistic choices. “Then there’s a constant
conflict, and conflict brings about compromise.”
Sylvester, who has been with Walnut Street 14 years, thinks this model has
created much of the theatre’s cohesive focus. “Bernard and I are
friends, and we are definitely a team,” he says. “But at the end
of the day, I realize that Bernard is the boss, so there’s no power struggle.
My strength is marketing, and that’s what I bring to the table.”
The Philadelphia market is filled with thriving theatres and Salvante believes
that’s because each theatre has carved out its niche. “Walnut Street
provides the meat and the potatoes,” she says. As a result, there’s
very little competition and a cooperative environment.
That’s not so when it comes to New York City, a mere 100 miles away.
“It’s detrimental on several levels,” says Havard. “We’re
regarded as a backwater by New York critics. That kind of arrogance is hard
to take. And I never have been able to get the rights to ‘Grease,’
which other regional theatres do all the time.”
To celebrate the theatre’s bicentennial, the 200th season embraces American
heritage and Walnut Street’s past. The patriotic musical “State
Fair” opens the season, then there’s “Hairspray,” “A
Streetcar Named Desire” (which made its debut at the Walnut Street with
an unknown Marlon Brando), “Born Yesterday,” and “The Producers.”
Havard reports that the season hasn’t started and already 45,000 patrons
have renewed.
While the theatre already has walls filled with photos of historic productions
and actors from more current shows, a pictorial book on the theatre’s
history has recently been published (written by Havard and Sylvester). A second
that’s more text-heavy is planned.
As for its future, the theatre is in the process of a capital campaign for
an expansion that would add 36,000 square feet to the operation (as well as
house a 14-story retirement facility). This will relieve the overflow of classes
and summer camps, as well as create a larger Studio theatre space. Havard
would like to see more capital income so the Studio could produce riskier
fare.
When asked about the state of theatre today, Sylvester remarked that it’s
“mixed across the country. Theatres that aren’t successful haven’t
adapted by looking at ticket prices, accessibility, and the audience. Too
many companies are serving up theatre like medicine.”
Havard agrees. “So many people in theatre say that subscription is dead,”
he says. “Then it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. But that’s
not the case here. You have to remember what your business is and stay focused
on that. My legacy to this theatre is being known for having the largest subscriber
base in the world. I’m proud of that.”
To continue the conversation about the Walnut Street Theatre or to view
other theatre profiles, visit www.dramabiz.com.
