Every year, Marquette Theater Company (MTC) performs three shows: a straight play, dinner theater (senior directed/one act) and a musical.
“Next year, things are going to be different,” Judi Greene, theater director, said.
For the first time in the 13 years Greene has been director, instead of three shows, Greene said theater will only perform two shows, a musical in the spring and a dinner theater in the fall.
Instead of all senior directed one acts with only freshmen and sophomores cast for the dinner theater, Greene will direct a one act with only seniors cast. Then, all of the other one act’s will have senior directors as usual, but juniors will be cast in those, along with sophomores and freshmen.
“I think it’s going to be better for us. Dinner Theater will get more opportunity to be in the spotlight, but a lot of people can’t sing and dance, so in that way it’s a negative,” Makayla Lantos, junior, said.
Greene said money was part of the issue.
“We just realistically can’t do it, although I would prefer to do all three,” Greene said.
This year, the company performed a rendition of “The Three Musketeers” this fall and plans to perform “Hairspray” for the musical, opening Friday, March 4. It will run through Saturday, March 12.
“I’m disappointed that I will have less opportunity to do what I love,” Gabby Mancuso, sophomore, said.
Mancuso performed in “The Christmas Carol,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and Dinner Theater last year and also played a part in “The Three Musketeers” this year.
“I wish we had more plays. We have a really big theater company, and it would show if we had more plays,” Ellen Strathman, sophomore, said.
Greene said the main problem is the economy. The theater budget is $10,000, about half of the budget she had when she started 13 years ago.
“The idea here is to figure out how to minimize the loss and keep moving forward so our students may continue to gain all the benefits possible from what we can afford to offer them,” according to Michael Daehn in the article, “Doing More with Less” in the magazine, “Teaching Theatre”.
In contrast to Rockwood, Parkway School District high schools do not receive a budget and must fund raise for their program.
“We have to fund raise for every show,” Nicole Voss, Parkway Central High School Theatre department chair, said. “We sell season tickets and discount cards, as well as putting on car washes and raffles.”
Additionally, they raise money by charging their actors a production fee of about $25-45 and having a sale called Lots of Matzo during the Jewish holiday of Passover with a silent auction. They also only put on musicals every other year.
Voss’ last show, “Leading Ladies,” cost $3,500 and they made a $70 profit.
Amie Gossett, Parkway West Theater director, said the theater program must borrow a lot of money.
“I would never cut a show for money reasons, I would just produce a lower budget show,” Gossett said.
Their last show, the fall play production called “Steel Magnolias,” cost only $500.