Since it first drew back its curtains in September, the Gladstone Theatre has experienced significant growing pains due to the relative inexperience of its owner.
Steve Martin has already invested $1.5 million into the venture, after purchasing the former home of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, which moved in 2006. While this is not Martin’s first business – he is also the franchise owner of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio located down the street from the Gladstone – this is his first foray into stage management.
As such, there are aspects of the business that Martin didn’t expect.
For example, he purchased the theatre without realizing that the majority of the electrical wiring was not up to code; he has already replaced about eight kilometers of wire.
Adding to the theatre’s structural woes is a poorly insulated backstage extension. Until repairs begin in the spring, Martin is paying increased heating costs lest the actors freeze between scenes.
However, Martin faces his greatest challenges on the stage itself.
The Gladstone’s first play, How the Other Half Loves, opened to positive reviews from both critics and audiences.
But the following performance of Rabbit Hole was, by Martin’s own admission, commercially disappointing.
Martin says that he failed to take into account the somber subject matter, which didn’t strike a chord with audiences when it opened Oct. 9.
“When a play should actually be placed in a season is crucial,” Martin says.
“We put [Rabbit Hole] right in front of Thanksgiving weekend. Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate and be thankful – nobody wants to see a play about a kid dying.”
The timing also meant that no media outlets were present to cover the play’s opening night.
Raven Drake knows the importance that media coverage plays in selling tickets. As box office coordinator for the Ottawa Little Theatre for the past 18 years, Drake has seen shows that she felt were “real stinkers” go on to have strong sales due to glowing reviews.
“A good review will make or break a production. If people feel ambivalent about a review it will definitely affect sales.”
It’s an oversight that Martin can’t afford to repeat.
With each production costing between $30, 000 and $50, 000, the Gladstone needs positive word-of-mouth to compete with more established theatres in the city.
Theatre patron Ivo Valentik has seen every show at the Gladstone so far, and acknowledges that the theatre is poised in a David and Goliath scenario.
“The weakness is, being a start-up theatre, [the Gladstone] doesn’t have the mailing list that other theatres have. They can’t send out an e-mail to 15,000 people telling them to come see a show.”
Promoting the theatre is Martin’s chief concern.
In addition to advertising in Ottawa Xpress and the Ottawa Citizen, Martin is also in talks to advertise on CTV.
While the Gladstone may not have the budget or resources of larger, well-established theatres, Valentik, who also designs sets for some performances, says that the theatre’s relatively small size is actually one of its greatest assets.
“The strength of [the Gladstone] is that they can take more risks. I can bring more interesting things into the theatre. I guarantee that I could not build the same sets at the NAC that I can build at this theatre.”
The Gladstone is Steve Martin’s labour of love, and his passion for the theatre is infectious.
What he doesn’t know about the theatre business, he is learning quickly.
“We’re running around like headless chickens,” says Martin.