After careful consideration, Know Theatre of Cincinnati has elected to postpone our holiday production of BLERDS, by J. Corey Buckner, to 2024. Amended dates for the run will be announced at a later time.
We remain tremendously excited to bring audiences this story of three middle-schoolers on a quest to meet their hero (and the coolest, Blackest Jedi in the galaxy), Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a tribute to the stories that have become our modern mythologies, and to the moments in all our lives where we stood balanced between childlike wonder and adult pragmatism.
BLERDS is a big show, full of adventure, and that means it also has a sizable production budget, most of which goes to pay a living wage to the cast and production team. Planning our seasons is always a careful balance of production expenses across all shows weighed against a combination of projected ticket sales and contributed revenue from individual gifts, corporate giving, and foundation support. It costs us about $80 per ticket issued to make theatre, with an average ticket price of under $20. That means we’re dependent on contributed revenue to make each show possible.
BLERDS was slated to be the most expensive production of the season, and we were unable to find the necessary funding in advance of the scheduled start of rehearsals. We’re taking more time to find the financial support needed to fulfill our mission of keeping ticket prices accessible while paying everyone who works with us a living wage.
We strive for transparency in our finances, and our budget is available for public perusal at knowtheatre.com/budget. We use MIT’s Living Wage Calculator to estimate the value of a living wage in Cincinnati, which for 2023 is put at $15.33 per hour.
American theatre is facing a tough time, with a steep decline in the foundation and charitable giving that makes the work possible, along with continuing trends in reduced attendance since the return to live performances following pandemic shutdowns. According to the National Endowment for the Arts’ Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, from 2017 to 2022 the adults who reported seeing a musical theater production fell from about 17 percent to 10 percent; the number for nonmusical plays dropped from about 9 percent to 5 percent. The last year has seen many theatre companies across the nation forced to shut their doors for good, due to the repercussions of this new reality.
Derek Snow, the director of BLERDS, said this in support of the Know’s decision:
“I fully support this decision to postpone the show until next season. Creating art, particularly Black art, has been increasingly difficult lately. Between the funding climate and continuing low attendance across the national theatre sector, particularly with the closure of one of my favorite theaters in the world, the New Repertory Theatre, I get it. I am very protective of the projects that I choose, as well as the ability to fully honor the playwright’s vision to the best of my ability. Moving the show into next season guarantees that we have the time and resources to create the show that our city deserves. I am grateful to the friends at Know Theatre for fighting for this wonderful show, and we look forward to seeing all of you in the audience this time next year!”
Patrons who have already purchased tickets to BLERDS will be contacted in the coming days about rebooking or refunding their tickets. Anyone who’s contributed to the BLERDS crowdfunding campaign will still see their donations go to funding the production, and all pledge perks will be honored during the run of the show.
To keep Know Theatre bright during the holiday season, the Know’s staff of intrepid artist-administrators are preparing a slate of short-run productions to benefit the Know during November and December. We’re locking down details now – stay tuned for exciting updates shortly!
Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.
Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.
Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.
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