What to do about Studio Arena

Studio Arena is down, again, but not out, still.

The plan to save the troubled theater now involves bankruptcy protection, a limited season, reviving its theater school and turning some of its facilities and marketing over to its neighbor, Shea's.

There are a lot of ifs, maybes and 'we think we cans' in this strategy, and Buffalo's theater community will be keenly interested in the outcome. The loss of Studio would be a blow, not matter how self-inflicted. A great theater community thrives on having more stages, not less.

For anything to work, Studio must bring back its audience. To make it worth their time and money, it must present shows that can't be found on other local programs, and present them with the professionalism demanded by a sophisticated audience.

What would bring you to a seat, and to your feet, at Studio Arena?

Comments

[john]

AdelleX, you are refering to American Style magazine. Although Buffalo was rated #1 in small to medium cities, it was also noted that residents were encouraged to "stuff the ballot box."

[toe]

No pulic funds for SA. All this talk about comparing public support for Bills games vs studio arena is nonsense. The Bills have a huge public following, performing in front of sold out crowds of more than 70,000 while the tiny studio arena plays in front of 40% capacity.
As someone mentioned earlier, in order to have a big league sports team communities have to pony up or else the blood sucking owners shop the team to other communities. Unfortunately that is a reality. Another one is not enough people give a hoot about Studio Arena.

[spend on real needs]

"(aren't we even building a new stadium downtown?)"

Adelle, No there are no plans to build a sports stadium in downtown Buffalo. You're mistaken about that.

Some politicians have proposed that, but that's all it is - talk.

But I do agree, let's stop subsidizing sports too. Let theatre fans and sports fans pay for their own hobbies!

[Barton Keyes]

A reply to Tom:
I must have been unclear in making my point. I was not railing against capitalism. I was railing at businesses that say they are capitalistic while holding out their tin cups for all manner of government subsidies. That is not capitalism. That is corporate welfare.
Capitalism would be going to a new venue because a company or a sports team can sell their product to more people and not be taxed as much in that new venue.
But a corporation that moves somewhere else because the government will give them a better subsidy is not capitalism. At best it is crony capitalism.
And too money corporations have decided not to compete fairly in the open market place but to get an unfair advantage by lobbying for government handouts or tax breaks to the disadvantage their business competition.
That isn't capitalism. And companies that engage in it do so because they fear open competition and want an unfair advantage. They certainly don't do it because they want to compeat in the open market place.
The fact is that government intervention in the economy has become so pervasive that we have only something resembling capitalism in the United States.
That may be good or bad. But that argument is for another day. My other point was, however, that if the government is going to give handouts to companies then should do it fairly, and not just to the one's with the better paid lobbyests.

[AdelleX]

To continually chime the "Buffalo is dead" bells of doom is every bit as empty, mindless and fruitless a tactic as is the clueless "we're talking proud" sort of cheerleading put out by organizations by the chamber of commerce. Both extremes are completely out of touch with Buffalo's realities.

Barton is actually correct; we DO subsidize the sports teams in this city (aren't we even building a new stadium downtown?); if you don't think that public, tax-payer dollars get poured into such things, then you are really clueless. And I happen to be of the opinion that the arts community every bit as deserving of support as is the sports community.

That said, whether or not Studio Arena closes, the arts and theater communities in Buffalo are FAR from being dead. Only suburbanites who never venture into the city for anything other than the occasional Sabres game would believe such a thing. Buffalo does, in fact, have a flourishing arts community, including a number of great theaters and theater companies, large and small (the Kavinoky, the Alleyway, the Irish Classical Theater Company, the BET, just to name a few). Indeed, it was only a couple of months ago that Buffalo was named -- in a national publication whose name escapes me now -- as the #1 best "small to medium city" for the arts! Clearly we *do* have a thriving jewel here that is deserving of support!

Does that mean that we must "Save Studio Arena" at all costs? Not really. The problem is not that Buffalo is dying or that the arts are dying in Buffalo. The problem is Studio Arena! They are not dying because they are "cutting edge" -- it's just the opposite! For decades, they have attracted an older audience (often seeking "safer" productions); their production costs are high; their ticket prices are often high (compared to other live theater venues in the area); they often use out-of-town talent; and their *administration* costs are also very high. The arts community in Buffalo (although not flush with money) is thriving; Studio Arena's audience, however, has grown older, and has (for whatever reason) stopped buying tickets; meanwhile, SA simply isn't attracting the new audiences that *are* supporting and populating all of the other theaters in Buffalo (not to mention other art venues).

I don't have an easy answer, but perhaps the OLD Studio Arena's "end" has simply come. They need to change or perish. Even if they do perish, however, there is ever indication that Buffalo's rich theater and art community will continue to grow, change and thrive.

[Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki]

Thank you, Barton Keyes. I, too, am fed up with corporate welfare. Sports teams and commercial real etsate developers have plenty enough money to build what they need without tax breaks and other subsidies, guarantees, lobbyists, and other public largesse.

Enough of this!!

[OP Mike]

For those who missed the event, the City of Buffalo died some decades ago. The City was resuscitated and has been kept alive by massive transfusions of taxpayer cash from Albany each year.

Almost nothing can survive economically in Buffalo, much less prosper and grow. The only growth industry in Buffalo is the poor. The poor are self sustaining, their numbers increase every year as more and more teens and other unwed mothers contribute to Buffalo's population base of the uneducated and unemployed.

Buffalo no longer has a population of educated and employed persons large enough to sustain an institution such as the Studio Arena Theater. Over the decades the suburban population has diminished, too. And frankly, except for paying for a Sabres ticket or an occasional rock concert, they are not much interested in another very expensive trip into Buffalo.

Bringing audiences back to the Studio Arena Theater may just be impossible. What we certainly don't need is another "regional Asset" supported by the over burdened county taxpayer. If the management of the Theater can't find the right mix of productions that can compete for the shrinking regional entertainment dollar, the Studio Arena should be allowed a dignified passing into the collective memory of the few remaining inhabitants of Erie County.

[tom]

Barton,You must be joking! Sports franchises sell themselves to the highest bidder all the time and if you don't believe it, watch the Bills move to Toronto. If that is not a perfect example of Capitalism I don't know what is. The same thing with Tax incentives designed to either keep or bring in new businesses to a locality. The owners of commercial enterprises have the freedom to sell themselves to the highest bidder and local, state, and federal governments have to bid just like any other customer in a Capitalist society. 
If you are going to rant against Capitalism you might want to exhibit an understanding of what it is. A socialist utopia that you would no doubt prefer would prohibit such activities, but it would also restrict individuals the freedom to act in their own best interests. Of course there will always be plenty of people, perhaps even you, who would be happy to tell the rest of us what we can do with our lives and our business interests.

[Barton Keyes]

A number of commentators have suggested that Studio Arena should not receive one dime of tax money. No subsidies should be permitted. If the theater cannot make money and survivve on its own it should be permitted to die.
Let's set aside for now the issue of whether the paramount motive of Studio Arena should be to make a profit.
The calls for no subsidies would be a lot more convincing if that rule applied across the board. But that would mean no financial help to professional sports teams by building stadiums with tax dollars and letting them take the cream from revenue from corporate seats etc. It would mean not giving tax breaks to businesses to locate in the area. It would mean no more tax breaks to oil companies who are making record profits. And it would mean no subsidies to corporate farmers who are increasing the bottom line through higher food prices.
But the problem is we probably won't see any oil companies or corporate farmers etc. getting their government help reduced. And that has more to do with their lobbying power than fairness or economic common sense. And the arts will get less money not because they violate a sacred rule of capitalism but because they don't have sufficient political pull.
And that is the true realty. Today the rules of capitalism tend to apply only to the politically weak. For the politically strong there are always political friends. That is capitalism in America today. True capitalism primarily happens in economic theory and school text books.

[mayme]

My spouse and I were season ticket holders for many years at Studio Arena and enjoyed it immensely. However, it is time to close the doors. Fewer and Fewer young people have been attending in recent years while the rest of us have been dying off.
Studio Arena can not compete for the entertainment dollar any longer. It is going the way of Harness Racing, bowling, and pool. These activities have succumbed to 24 hour sports networks, HD television and DVD's, Casino's, High tech special effects movies,The ubiquitous computer and all that it has to offer, and so much more.
Studio Arena had a great run, but its over. It is part of a by-gone age. It should not be subsidized by the taxpayer.

[Louis]

One more comment. Why should Studio One have to be subsidized? The very moment you subsidize something all logic goes out the window.
I would tie any money given to Studio Arena to be only on an incentive basis. In otherwords, for every dollar they take in, they will received a dollar.
Eventually, the goal should be to become totally financially self-sufficient.
Now, if that means developing more commerically appealing productions, so be it!
There are no free rides anywhere! Someone has to pay, now don't they?
Let them run productions with nationally acclaimed stars and let them make money.
The Buffalo Philharmonic has people like Marvin Hamlish come in and give concerts. Marvin Hamilish is world acclaimed, name brand talent, and the shows are solidly sold out!
Studio Arena needs to bring some nationally acclaimed name brand talent to boost their income. This is just part of the bottom line.
People will go to the Casino and pay to watch a name brand talent perform, they certainly would go to watch certain nationally acclaimed performers perform.
There must be a mixture of the local and national talent.
The Buffalo Philharmonic routinely has people like Marvin Hamlish come to town and perform. You don't have to be a music aficianodo to appreciate Marvin Hamlish and his music. People who are not music "eggheads" happily buy tickets and attend Marvin Hamlish's performances. This not only helps the Buffalo Philharmonic in terms of popularity, it also helps the orchestra's bottom line!
In addition, we need some major corporate and private donors. Patrons of the arts who will lend their knowledge and their business expertise to the mix!
The Studio Arena could be a premier theatre if they would make some major changes. Business and money is extremely tight right now.
Only a major name brand performer is going to sell enough tickets to start to turn things around.
Now, as I'm writing this I'm thinking of Bransom, Missouri.
They are noted for wholesome family entertainment and are making a fortune.

[Louis]

If I were Studio Arena's creditors, I would not give them one more dime unless a board of three local businessmen were chosen to oversee their turn around.
First of all, why did they allow their debt to ballon to well over $2 million dollars?
Secondly, the artists allneed managers. They are not capable of making sound fiscal decisions as to how to turn around their group.
Thirdly, event though Studio Arena is an artistic group, it also needs to make MONEY!
That includes running plays and productions that have appeal to the common folk who will actually go downtown and buy a ticket. So often, these artistic groups will put on plays or productions that have no appeal to the general public.
So, in addition to running the esoteric plays that no one has ever heard of, Studio Arena needs to run a few money makers like Arsenic and Old Lace. Now, it may not appeal to the eggheads, but it may just very well appeal to the common folk who have a few bucks who will brave down and go buy a ticket and watch the show!
The arts need financial managers. Those are the people that make the difficult decisions that keep the company afloat.
So, before I would give them one more penny, I would want to know what their plan is to bail things out and I would want a group of three businessmen who will make the hard and fast and commercial decions necessary to operate in the black.
No one wants to be commercial, but guess what? Times are tough and to turn the Studio Arena around this is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, they can fold and other groups can pick up the slack.
Now, one cost cutting measure might be to move everything over to Shea's and use their facilites but I don't know if that is feasable or not!

[Placeba User]

There's already dozens of theatre companies in Buffalo. Having Studio Arena go away would help those diverse companies draw more audience and donors.

Tom's idea for a dollar store idea isn't bad, but what I'd really like to see on the Studio Arena land after it's torn down would be a Mighty Taco with parking and a drive-thru! That would help draw a lot more people downtown. MIGHT-tee-tock-o! MIGHT-tee-tock-oh!

[The Relocated]

It would be a shame to see Studio Arena fail but Buffalo has other companies. Government money should be used to support the arts but not wholly subsidize them. If teh stage goes dark then that void will be filled by other players.

Should it wish to survive though,Studio Arena needs to form a partnership with UB and Buff State to use that stage. I think it would be nice for those programs to have that kind of exposure. I know the stage hands are not making a great deal of money but at this point they may have to accept more interns and fewer paid staff to have some degree of job security. It's not a great deal but it beats being unemployed.

[Exit Stage Left, Studio Arena]

For once, the final cylon is correct (leave the Prozac dosage right where it is, Tom).

Studio Arena should not be given any more tax money ever, no matter what. If the private sector saves it, fine. Otherwise put the building and land up for sale and whoever wants to buy it for whatever purpose will serve the greater good much better than keeping that thing alive.

[Tom Loughlin]

The first thing that the people charged with saving Studio Arena should do is pay a visit to Milwaukee Repertory Theatre (www.milwaukeerep.com), sit down with Artistic Director Joe Hanreddy and his staff, and get some expert advice on how to run a regional theatre in an area with a weak economy. Milwaukee is a city comparable to Buffalo; a declining manufacture-based blue-collar economy on the shores of a Great Lake. Yet over the past 15 years Milwaukee Rep has not just survived; it has thrived, financially and artistically.

Perhaps the most important component of their success is that they have established a Resident Company of core actors, most of whom are local to the Milwaukee/Wisconsin region. The nurturing of local talent and the establishment of a resident company of actors has led to a strong identification with these actors by the Milwaukee community, and theatregoers in the area have been able to follow the careers of people like Lee Ernst, Laura Gordon and James Pickering over 15 or more years. People come to the theatre to see their favorite actors as much, or more, than to come to see a particular show. Milwaukee supplements the Resident Company with Guest Actors who perform at the Rep often, as well as Intern Actors from nationally recognized acting programs across the country. In this way they build a strong reserve of talent, and do not have to rely on jobbing in different actors for every single show.

Buffalo has a wealth of local talent, strong enough to begin this process. Past Studio Arena ADs have ignored this talent pool, to the benefit of theatres such as ICTC, Musicalfare and the Kavinoky. It would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity to model a revived Studio Arena after one of the strongest regional theatres in the country. It's the local actors who are the face of the theatre community in Buffalo, and Studio Arena would do well to step up and be the driving force behind the further development of that talent pool.

[Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki]

Where are the benefactors? There is clearly a need for private donors!

Also, how about some new, avant garde, unusual theatre mixed in with classics?

How about award-winning new works?

How about a partnership with university English depts in creative writing? One of the best new pieces of modern theater I know of comes from a graduate student at the University of New Orleans. It won first place at the national collegiate competitions. How do I know? My daughter worked in it at the finals at Kennedy Center.

I do not remember the writer's name, but the play is named "Lot's Daughters" and it is a powerful drama.

There are a gazillion new plays out there that could be used to launch promising talent.

Give them a break!

[Mike]

Why can't we just get the guys together once in a while and put on a good ol' musical. Where's Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland when you need them.

[Tom Zarek]

Buffalo has subsidized its dead theater district for years. It is a drain on tax dollars and the community. The money could go to help the poor. Studio Arena will make a nice dollar store.

I am the final cylon!