Cleveland Public Theatre, Near West Theatre Choose What You Pay makes theater affordable for all

[Both photos from Google]

Theater is often thought to be a luxury, but Cleveland Public Theatre and Near West Theatre have long worked to make their productions accessible to as many people as possible regardless of income.

Both theaters offer Choose What You Pay programs, with Cleveland Public Theatre patrons paying as little as $1 and Near West Theatre audiences having a low ticket price of $5.

And even that $5 is not cast in stone, said Near West Theatre Executive Director Mike Obertacz.

“And if that person does not have the $5 I will make sure they get in to see the show,” Obertacz said. “I will find another way to make up that money somewhere else.”

People also volunteer to earn tickets, Obertacz added.

Both Obertacz and Cleveland Public Theatre’s Executive Artistic Director and CEO Ray Bobgan said the theaters have a long tradition of making sure all groups from the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood were included in the audience.

Making dollars make sense

Kim Furganson, Cleveland Public Theatre’s director of audience engagement and marketing, said last season, which was the 2024/2025 season, had the highest attendance “post pandemic,” with nearly 8,000 attendees. Just over 75 percent of guests took advantage of the Choose What You Pay option. She said numbers fluctuate each year depending on show/event.

This year the season was shortened because of the construction going on at Cleveland Public Theatre.

The Choose What You Pay Options at Cleveland Public Theatre typically are: $1, $10, $20, $40 (market rate) and $80 (full price). Last season (2024/2025) approximately 23 percent paid $1 (the lowest option).

Obertacz said Near West Theatre has seen a slight uptick in people using the Choose What You Pay option. He said the average using it had been 30-31 percent but recently has gone as high as 34 percent, adding possibly rising gas prices could be one of the factors.

And because the tickets can be purchased online, Bobgan said, people can make their purchases and not feel self-conscious about it.

“We are operating on a different set of economics than the theaters downtown,” Obertacz said. “We are a community, hard stop, theater.”

Reflecting the community

With a mixed income neighborhood like the Detroit Shoreway area, Obertacz said, you want to ensure that no one feels excluded.

Bobgan also noted Cleveland Public Theatre always wanted people in the audience to come from the neighborhood. “We always wanted to make sure we were serving people in the 44102 zip code.”

Typically, ticket revenue only covers a small portion of the production costs. Bobgan said he may get 10-12 people during each production’s run that will pay $80 for a ticket – the full cost for a seat. Fundraising efforts and grants help pay the rest of the cost.

Obertacz agrees that serving the neighborhood is vital, adding that includes how the theater casts shows.

When Near West Theatre did “Cinderella” an African-American woman was cast in the lead role.

“I heard a little girl tell her mom ‘Cinderella looks like me,’” Obertacz said. “Our shows have to reflect the neighborhood.”

Bobgan and Obertacz both said their theaters want to ensure that everyone has access to the arts because for some people it can be life changing.

“Theater can be transformative,” Obertacz said, adding that when he was in school he was involved in athletics but decided to switch to theater. That led to spending a decade working as an actor to begin his career.

For a recent production at Near West Theatre, Obertacz said, 28 percent of the tickets were the discounted Choose What You Pay option, which is about an average percent for each show.

Obertacz appreciates the financial support big and small, but he feels the neighborhood showed the theater support during challenging times.

“This was not a big donor,” Obertacz said. “This was during COVID when we were wondering how we were going to keep the lights on. It was a check for $5. That is the one that made me cry.”

Bobgan said having a diverse audience also makes the theater more enriching for everyone.

Some people, Bobgan said, might decide to try out the theater for $1 because everyone always wants a bargain, but he said if he can get those people in the door he often gets them hooked.

“Those people often see the value in what we do, and then if they can they come back paying full price for shows,” Bobgan said.