Next time you’re at a show at the McPherson Playhouse, you might think twice before complaining about the price of drinks.
Victoria is subsidizing the theatre’s operations to the tune of $10,000 a performance or $27 for every ticket sold, says Victoria Coun. Geoff Young, who is issuing a report to councillors today.
“I’m quite convinced that changes have to be made, primarily because the theatre just isn’t being used that much,” Young told the Times Colonist. “That’s the nub of the problem. Seventy-five performances a year means it’s dark most of the time.”
Victoria taxpayers typically provide McPherson with about $750,000 a year. For 2015, the theatre is projecting 27,800 paid tickets, so the city’s subsidy works out to about $27 per ticket, Young says.
That subsidy could be seen as being much higher if one looks at the fact that only about 28 per cent of those attending performances are from Victoria.
“Only about 7,800 of its 2015 paid audience will be from Victoria, which means for each Victorian paying to enjoy a performance at the Mac, Victoria taxpayers contributed some $96,” Young says in the report. “I think we need to ask whether spending this same money in other ways might produce greater benefits for our citizens.”
The McPherson is managed by the Royal McPherson Theatre Society. While Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich all contribute to the costs of the Royal Theatre, only Victoria contributes to the McPherson.
In 1999, the city succeeded in having the McPherson funded through the Capital Regional District, in the hope that other municipalities would view it as a regional facility and chip in to cover a portion of the costs.
That hasn’t happened.
Young says “it’s a budget that doesn’t get inspected either at the CRD or at the city and that’s one of my major concerns.”
He will ask his colleagues today to consider hiring an independent consultant look at such items as:
• Why is usage not higher?
• Why are users developing alternative facilities?
• Are there shortcomings with the facility?
• How does the McPherson compare with other facilities in terms of efficiency or operations and in ability to attract private donations and government grants?
• Is usage likely to keep declining?
“Because of the sensitivities involved in asking theatre companies to comment on their landlord,” a consultant hired by the city should carry out the study, not the Royal McPherson Theatre Society, Young says.
He recommends that council look at what steps have to be taken for the city to resume management of the McPherson.
He also wants Mayor Lisa Helps to make a presentation to all municipalities in the capital region, indicating the city is concerned about McPherson costs and to see if some are prepared to assist.
In May, a consultant hired by the Royal McPherson board said that the Royal McPherson Theatre Society is an extremely efficient and well-run operation. But the consultant said the McPherson’s seating capacity is too high for rental by many local groups and too low for many commercial tours.
