Tampa's Creative Heart is a Profitable Enterprise
By Neil FrandsenJudith Lisi, CEO/President of Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (TBPAC)
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles. These cities are first to be recognized as markets that support the Arts. When a producer makes plans to tour the country with Broadway show, Tampa is always one of the top markets for consideration. There are many different components that make up a profitable stop and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (TBPAC) seems to be at the top of everyone's list when it comes to hosting a successful run.
"We've posted the highest grossing week in the Carol Morsani Theatre," confidently relates Judith Lisi, the CEO/President of TBPAC "for different shows that come through Tampa. When producers look at where to go, we consistently outperform other markets throughout the country", continues Lisi. "We've even done better than Atlanta for different shows that have played in both markets."
As the largest performing arts center in the Southeast, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center brings a wide variety of opportunity not just for Broadway quality shows but for smaller productions as well. The Morsani Theatre is the crown jewel in the complex that sits on the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. This 2600 seat horseshoe shaped hall provides quality sightlines and acoustics for even the most elaborate musicals and plays. For smaller plays, concerts and dance productions, the Louise Lykes Ferguson Hall allows 1042 theatergoers an opportunity experience the arts in an appropriate setting. Rounding out the campus are the Jaeb Theater, TECO Energy Theatre and the Shimberg Playhouse. Each of these intimate venues provides seating for 300,250 and 130 patrons, respectively.
What many people don't realize is that the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is one of the top retail/service businesses serving downtown Tampa. With a $40 Million budget, TBPAC impacts the surrounding area on any given week. Studies have shown that TBPAC generates over $100 Million in economic impact for the Tampa Bay Market.
Lisi explains "Every large show that comes here brings 100 to 150 people with it. They get hotel rooms, they eat, they shop, and they get professional services. Then the patrons prepare for the event. They may shop for new outfits to wear. They'll go out to dinner or perhaps eat here at the Center. They may go out afterwards.
"And then look at the center itself," she continues. "There are 130 Full Time employees at the center. When you add cooks, waiters, ticket personnel, stagehands, security..that could mean an additional 400 part time jobs depending on how many theatres are live. And that doesn't even include the economic impact of community initiatives such as Business Redevelopment. When the Chamber shows businesses around Tampa in an effort to get them to relocate, the Arts Center is usually one of the stops they make along with Raymond James Stadium. Art and the Sports sector are important parts of leisure in any thriving community. Many people don't realize that more people attend the Arts than professional sports in this market."
Their mission is quite clear. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center inspires audiences and artists to dream and discover, to create and celebrate. So how does TBPAC determine what goes where for the over 800 events that are held in a given year?
Lisi shared a basic understand of how the process works. "First," she explains, "we start with Broadway shows. Broadway shows have always been our anchor. We usually plan these out two years in advance. As I evaluate different shows that are on Broadway in 2007, I'm thinking ahead to Tampa in 2009." A lover of the Arts for as long as she can remember, Lisi is usually in New York on a monthly basis. "I try to take in two to three shows every visit so that I can see what's playing" Judith continues. "As I watch the shows, I'm trying to get a feel for how it would do in Tampa and if it would fit into the mix we are trying to present for that season." As one of the voters for the annual Tony Awards, she is required to see every play that has been nominated and usually ends up attending in the neighborhood of thirty Broadway shows every year.
"It sounds like a tough job," Lisi quips.
However, it really is a job when she is watching the performance. She is observing everything that is going on with the performance and how it would relate if it were brought to TBPAC. What's the theme of the production? Are there any set designs that might be unique for Morsani Hall? How many people are involved with the production? Are there unusual lighting arrangements that would need to be accomplished? Is the show well received by the audience in attendance? Will the huge loading dock area at TBPAC comfortably support the freight carriers needed to bring the production to Tampa? These are all items to consider when conceptualizing the season two years out.
"Once we determine which shows we would like, then we have to find out when the show will travel", says Lisi. "Are they starting in New York or the West Coast? As they traverse the country, what week would they be in Tampa? Can we get the shows we want and set aside the week needed that works best for them? Will we be able to set aside multiple weeks for more involved shows so they can amortize the cost properly? So as you can see, there really is no easy 'set' way of scheduling events."
As the Broadway shows are eventually locked into place on the schedule, then the rest of the schedule can be firmed up. Dates are set aside for the Florida Orchestra. Opera Productions and plays produced by TBPAC are dropped into the appropriate dates. Then the calls start to come from various promoters for different artists and events. The TBPAC staff takes special care to bring a wide variety of performances and artists to benefit the entire community. At the same time, they are scheduling so that like genres don't compete against each other.
"There have been times where we have all five theatres live at the same time," Lisi informs us. "We could have a musical in Morsani, as smaller play in Ferguson, an up & coming artist in Jaeb and perhaps a regional or ethnic show as well. As part of our mission, we need to try and include all styles and customs."
As the season get closer, the schedule gets filled and ready for promotion. Even after the schedule is publicized, there may be some last minute additions usually in the form of a Pop Artist. Last minute additions can be handled as close as six weeks away from the requested date. If the date is available, the decision to add a show is usually based on the strength of the artist. "Some artists have a great following and might have a new CD release with a tour to support it", Judith explains. "If their name is strong enough, all we have to do is reserve the space and the promoter can get the tickets sold with a minimum of promotion." On the opposite end of the creative spectrum, "we might not do the same for a rising artist on such short notice" as they may have a hard time filling the venue with only a few weeks of publicity.
Even though the center boasts a $40 Million budget and is a 501C3 non-profit organization, great care is given to negotiate with producers to provide a win-win situation that is profitable for both. There are two primary types of contracts negotiated for usage of the TBPAC. The first is a straight rental. The producer knows they have a Blockbuster on their hands and want to retain as much of the ticket sales as possible. In this instance, TBPAC charges a flat rate for everything the producer needs.
The other most common form is to have a guarantee on minimum number of tickets sales. The TBPAC will guarantee that "x" number of tickets will be sold and then share with the producer a percentage of all sales above that amount. The guarantee number will be negotiated based on the strength of the show. When asked if she ever fell short on the guarantee, Lisi was quick to answer, "No! And it won't as long as I am involved. Unlike other markets, we have an advantage as we have a strong subscriber base. This means that a typical show will be sixty to sixty five percent sold before the producer even starts to promote in the market. This is another reason why Tampa is the top of the list when it comes to venues around the country."
A large, multiple seat venue and strong subscriber base are two of the main reasons TBPAC gets looked at first by producers. A third component are the constant updates being made to the theatres. Technology is rapidly changing and especially in the lighting and sound area and TBPAC stays on top of the changes. Updating the aesthetics in and around the theatres is another area that is constantly a work in progress. "Think about it", Judith explore. "The patron is coming to an event. They are walking on carpets. They are sitting in chairs. The performers are on a stage. Air Conditioning, House Lighting. The roof, All of these wear out and need to be replaced. For example, we are currently remodeling our fountain outside. It's part of the overall experience of coming to the theatre. "
Lisi continues, "the patron is here for enjoyment, to be enlightened, perhaps to be educated. It's a spiritual experience. When that curtain goes up, they don't think about their chair or the carpet they walked on. They are focused what's going on the stage. We work very hard to take care of everything we can so they have the experience they desire."
When asked if there any times that the experience of a performance was shattered by an unforeseen event, Judith smiled and related, "I remember it was opening night of our first time for Phantom of the Opera back it..'95 I believe. It was a gala event and everything was going perfectly. The second act had just opened and then the lights went out. Literally. Our back up generators kicked in but they weren't enough to handle the demand of the show. Then I was told that our computers had gone down so I began to realize that it wasn't just a problem at the center." It turns out that the entire grid had plunged the area into darkness.
"It took about ten minutes for the power to be restored to the area," she continued, "but now all the computers (controlling the lighting, sound, etc) had to be re-cued and this took time. Fortunately, everyone was understanding after we explained the situation so once everything was reset we started the second act over. So, it goes to show you can be prepared in everything you do but sometimes it's out of your control."
Lisi went on, "but even with the power outage, there was a wonderful moment. The start of the second act has the Phantom on a gondola with many candelabras throughout the set. The lights went out but the backup generators produced enough powers not only to light what was needed but the candelabras were lit as well. There was a beautiful glow across the stage from all of these candelabras which made it.well wonderful.
Being the largest performing arts center south of the Kennedy Center brings a strong reputation to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The strength of the subscriber base who appreciate touring productions brings a tangible quality to the venue that other markets can not give. Add the attention to scheduling and the constant updating of the facility and one can understand why the 600,000 guests last season keep coming back for more.
© Copyright 2007, Tampa Bay CEO Magazine®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
