Behind the Mask of a Phantom Success

Packed houses, rave reviews, additional shows added, and the toughest ticket in town … it's hard to ignore the success of TC West High School's performance of The Phantom of the Opera. So how exactly did the record-setting run happen? And in its own small way, could the play's financial success hold any lessons for the Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS), now facing a staggering budget shortfall of some $10 million? The Ticker inquired …

Hitting the High Notes
Initially scheduled for a 10- or 11-show run, audience demand for TC West's production of the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber musical soon dictated that four additional performances be added. Then, after those shows also sold out, a final two shows set for April 9 and 10 were slated. Tickets for the first run were $15 and $20; tickets for the final two performances are $20 and $25.

"The overwhelming response to The Phantom of the Opera has been unprecedented in the history of [West Senior High], says Russ Larimer, West's music director and conductor.

Also unprecedented: TC West was the first high school in the state to stage the show. It first became available for high school and college productions last summer; TC West jumped at the opportunity, and signed a contract that pays royalties for each staging of the show.

At an $18 per ticket average and approximately 500 seats sold, each performance likely generates some $9,000. Sixteen shows in all could generate nearly $150,000 in ticket revenue in just a few winter weekends.

From the Stage to School System … ?
Are those dollars helping offset the TCAPS budget shortfall? Giving pause to those considering cutting arts programs? Unfortunately not, says TCAPS Chief Financial Officer Paul Soma.

"These shows and the funds they raise are critical and valuable, because they allow the school programs and students to do things like trips or purchase things like a high-end piano that we couldn't do otherwise," he says. "But they're on the margins, because those dollars don't flow back to the (TCAPS) general fund. Just like grants, these help fund programs we otherwise wouldn't have been able to fund."

All Phantom performance revenue remains at TC West, supporting school programs, band and orchestra trips, and auditorium improvements.

The possibility of schools getting into business to make money isn't likely; public school systems competing with private enterprise could be dangerous, says Soma.

"Some say our printing department should compete for local business, or that we should get into real estate and lease our buildings. But that's not our core mission, and that's not even legal. All of the sudden we'd be unfairly competing with local printers and local building owners, and also creating tax issues. So it's not that simple … though I applaud the impact Phantom has had on the school, the students and the community."

(NOTE: For those who believe sports are public schools' "cash cows," Soma says athletics tickets and fundraisers total approximately $700,000 in TCAPS revenues annually, roughly half of the $1.4 million annual athletics budget (cost)).