Australia's musical theaters are facing rising costs despite high demand
Australia’s musical theater industry is facing increasing financial pressure: attendance at live performances is rising, but the sector’s annual revenue has fallen by 2% to $531 million. ABC News Australia reported this, citing last year’s report from Live Performance Australia.
Live Performance Australia CEO Eric Lassen stated that this trend is evident across various segments and genres of live performances. According to him, labor costs, technical support, and freight expenses for productions touring the country have increased. Lassen estimates that the cost of such transportation has increased by more than 50%.
Demand for live shows, he said, remains high, but producers cannot raise ticket prices beyond a certain level. As a result, they are operating under higher risks and ever-shrinking margins as they try to cover their costs. Amid rising costs, several major touring theater productions have been canceled in Australia, including the national tour of the musical *Beetlejuice* in June.
For more breaking news, follow the UA.News Telegram channel.
Lassen called for the introduction of tax incentives to partially offset the initial costs of new shows, including set construction, costume design, and preparatory work before performances begin. The Australian federal government is conducting consultations and developing a new national cultural policy.
Meanwhile, the Dracula’s theater-restaurant on the Gold Coast, which has been in operation for 41 years, continues to put on performances five nights a week. According to the venue’s general manager, Luke Newman, a team of 50 people is involved in the production, and another show tours Australia and New Zealand for six months.
Actor Jordan Kulos, who plays a role in the production of *Abyss* at Dracula’s, noted that live theater is capable of engaging all of the audience’s senses. He said that even during dinner, people put down their cutlery and focus on the stage.
