Court Theatre in red

Press, 7 May 1981, Page 4

Court Theatre in red

A deficit of >18,640 has been recorded for the Court Theatre for the year ended December, 1980, it was announced at the Christchurch Theatre Trust’s annual meeting last evening by the chairman, Professor J. C. Garrett. The deficit was recorded after the transfer of >25,298 to the Theatre Improvement Reserve, representing ’ receipts from local, bodies, the Department of Internal, Affairs, and the Supporters’ Society. It represented the gap between the funding from the Arts Council and

the continuing growth of the theatre, said Professor Garrett, and was a matter of grave concern 'considering the Government’s attitude towards the arts. Production costs had risen by $97,543 or 48 per cent to $303,857, theatrical: wages and salaries accounting for most of the increase. The box office income had increased by $82,515 or 43 per cent to $275,280, mainly as a result of seat price increases and higher attendances. ; ■ Professor Garrett said that ' the theatre could not survive

without the help of the Government, local bodies, the public, and the Court Supporters, Apart from increasing the price of seats, which might deter patrons, there was little that could be done save invoking further state and civic aid, he said. The structure of administration had been changed as an experiment, but this had been only moderately successful and it had been decided to advertise for an administrator, the appointment of whom was expected “in due course.”