CLINTON, Iowa — Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and a Clinton performing arts venue has yet to recover to where it was before the outbreak.
The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre closed its doors for all of 2020 when the pandemic hit. It was just months away from the June start of its five-show season.
"We had paid a lot of the royalties to run the shows in 2020 when they cancelled us," said Chris Streets, the theatre's Board of Directors Vice President. "They do not write refund checks. And so COVID 2020 hurt us pretty badly."
Flash forward to the 2021 season when they were allowed to open, but only outside. Shows were held in the outdoor theater at the Riverview Bandshell.
"It was awesome what the technical crew was able to do and the actors pulled off," Streets said. "But people didn't want to sit outside in 94 degrees with bugs flying around their hears. And we had to test all of our actors and crew members each week for COVID, so that expense was not budgeted. 2022 was much of the same. We still had to do COVID testing on top of our normal expenses."
The Showboat Theatre has a $200,000 budget each year. Royalties, for example in the 2023 season, cost $30,000. COVID tests each year cost $15,000-$20,000.
"When you throw that kind of money at a budget that was already pulled pretty tight, it really hurt us," he said.
The theater gets most of its revenue from donations and advertising, but the other 40-45% comes from ticket revenue, which they did not get in 2020, and ticket sales were down in the last two years. Now in 2023, that's all having an impact on the fast-approaching season.
"Here we are 2023, looking at what we're going to do this season, and we've overextended our budget from the last few years, and so we are in dire need of some financial assistance and backing," Streets said.
Of its $200,000 budget, Streets explained that they like to have about half of it in the bank before the season begins. That goes towards paying show royalties, which have already been paid for the 2023 season, housing for the actors and the actors' paychecks when they arrive in about a month.
"To feel comfortable starting the season, we'd like to have about half of our budget in the bank ready to go," he said. "And then we can live on the ticket sales and other donations that come in. So you know, right now we're looking at a $60,000, $70,000 shortfall of that number."
Streets has served on the Board of Directors on and off for 10 years. He grew up with the Showboat Theatre and he's also acted in some of the shows.
"It makes me sick," he said. "Just to think that I could be on the board that couldn't keep the doors open, makes me feel an inch tall."
The theater is doing everything it can to raise the funds so it can put on its summer season. For the first time in its 35-year history, the city of Clinton is providing financial help and Streets said other organizations and people are offering to help. But they are asking for people to either donate money on the theater's website or buy tickets to the shows.
"We're leaning now to we're going to open," he said. "We've already put contracts on a lot of actors. We've already paid the royalties, it would be a huge disaster if we were to stop now. But with that being said, we're hoping we get through the whole season. That's our main goal now, is we got enough maybe to kick off the day and keep the lights on for the first show. But we really need some help to make sure the whole season plays out."
Before the pandemic, the Showboat Theatre never had this type of financial trouble, Streets said. He's hopeful that if they can make it through the 2023 season, the theater will rebound and be open for many years to come.
The 2023 season is set to begin on June 1 with The Leading Ladies Cabaret. The rest of the lineup includes Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, The SpongeBob Musical and Murder For Two.
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