No exit

Despite North Shore theater's closing and economic troubles all over, most local stages are managing to keep their doors open

Director John Vogel gives instructions to cast members at a dress rehearsal for the musical, "Blood Brothers," at the Marblehead Little Theatre. (Robert Spencer for The Boston Globe)

The shutdown at the North Shore Music Theatre in January was a dramatic twist, but local stage companies are still playing the first act of the economic downturn.

"We're going into this stage of, how are we going to be able to learn from this and how are we going to adapt to be able to survive?" said Sue Griffin, a member of the board of directors at Marblehead Little Theatre.

Even before the recent stock market plunge, the Little Theatre had formed a strategic planning committee to work toward long-term stability for the group, which is based in a former firehouse. Board president Doug Hill emphasized that the organization has dependable support in its community, from sold-out houses to one patron who responded to a fund-raising pitch last year with a check for $25,000. But there's little margin for error these days.

"Every show we do has to be profitable," Griffin said. "It's a little pressure cooker situation."

They hope to ease the pressure beginning tomorrow night with the popular London musical hit "Blood Brothers," starring Medford roommates Matt Romero and Michael Letch.The Gloucester Stage Company acknowledged the recession last year, offering pay-what-you-can nights for each production, which will be continued this year. But "as a summer theater, much remains to be seen," said artistic director Eric C. Engel, "as the worst turns in the economy have been since we closed last season."

On the fund-raising side, where work is year-round, the theater is anticipating tough times for corporation and foundation grants, "but we are seeing significant increase in personal interest," so that individual generosity may help make up for those losses, Engel said.

In planning the 2009 season, he continued, "we have considered the economic issues and people's desire for more laughter and a little less gloom and doom." Those were factors in scheduling the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," beginning June 4, and "our first Neil Simon play in 30 years, "The Last of the Red Hot Lovers," beginning July 2, he said.

Everyone knew that nonprofits would face challenges, but many were still shocked when North Shore Music Theatre cut short its season in Beverly, laid off all but three employees, and began a drive to raise $500,000 by spring in hopes of restarting productions. The April 15 gala opening of the Nordstrom's at Northshore Mall will benefit NSMT, among other charities. But there's no decision on what will happen after April.

A recent survey by Theatre Communications Group, a New York-based umbrella group for nonprofits, found that 77 percent of its members are "re-projecting expenses" in light of the economy. "The majority of our theaters are having challenges," said TCG artistic director Teresa Eyring.

Money problems don't mean tickets aren't selling, though.

"I've got to say - and this is important, because there's so much bad news on the news, the impression is that everybody's suffering - yeah, it's hard, but our programs are growing, our audience is growing," said Marc Clopton, executive director of the Actors Studio at the Tannery in Newburyport.

Clopton was happy to have sold out the first in a series of one-woman shows at the 50-seat black box venue - adding 25 new names to his mailing list on the same night. But enrollment in performance classes at the Studio is down as much as 60 percent, as people don't want to spend the money.

"They just don't have it," Clopton said. "Their disposable income is either already reduced, or they're planning ahead for that."

On the other side of Newburyport, Theater in the Open operates as artist in residence at Maudslay State Park. They're not worried about getting venues there to stage shows this season, said board vice president Olive Larson. But state budget problems could affect their deal for other park facilities that the troupe uses all summer for everything from rehearsals and storage to summer theater workshops for younger children and teens, she said. And those workshops generate both cash and enthusiastic workers for the troupe.

Boston comedian Jimmy Tingle will star in a pair of benefits for the troupe at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport on April 8 and 10. But even those shows could be affected, Larson said: "$25 a ticket is a significant amount of money."

Surprisingly, there are upsides to the economic situation.

"One place where I think we're seeing a small change for the better, in fact, is among theater patrons in Salem and the surrounding towns, who used to go into Boston for their theater and spend a lot on tickets and parking," Dominick Pangallo, president of the Salem Theatre Company board of directors, said via e-mail. "They're now starting to look closer to home, to rein in those costs.

"Hopefully, they'll come to a play at STC, or MLT, or Mugford Street Players, or Gloucester Stage, or any of the small North Shore theaters, and realize that they're getting the same professional-caliber work for significantly less than they'd spend in Boston," he said.

Salem Theatre Company changed its fund-raising schedule this year, so it's hard to draw comparisons with the past, but Pangallo said, "We do know that when we resolicit past donors for their monthly donation, they're giving at close to the same level they gave in the past."

The troupe has had "setbacks" in grants and foundation donations, though, Pangallo said, and an attempt to gain corporate sponsorships last year for each production was not successful even after the troupe cut its requests in half.

On the bright side, the company's last mainstage production, "No Exit," actually ended in the black by a sizeable margin, he said, and it is anticipating strong attendance for upcoming works by Harold Pinter and Steve Martin.

"The STC isn't in any financial trouble, and we're not going anywhere," Pangallo said.

If the North Shore Music Theatre remains closed, said Engel of the Gloucester Stage Company, "our musical might see some interest that it might not have seen otherwise."

Don't, however, think anyone is happy about North Shore's troubles, he said: "I'm a believer in the idea that a rising tide floats all boats and a sinking tide does the opposite. . . . I feel nothing but disappointment."

And Engel said small nonprofit groups like Gloucester Stage may have an advantage in these times because, well, it's not all that different from before. "Are the times challenging for us? Yes, but it's always been so."