GLT FestÂ's 49th Season Exceeds Ticket Income Goals

Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cleveland's classic theater company, experienced significant audience growth in 2010-11 and exceeded its main stage (Hanna Theatre) ticket income goals by 17%. GLTF's annual holiday offering of A Christmas Carol at the Ohio Theatre exceeded its income goal by 14%. Ticket prices for all GLTF performances in 2010-11 remained consistent with prior seasons and featured the company's New Deal pricing initiative designed to offer affordable price points for all audience members (all performances: Hanna Theatre - adults $15; students: $13 / A Christmas Carol - adults $28; students: $26)

The season's success was marked by consistency as all five productions in the company's 49th year (Othello, An Ideal Husband, A Christmas Carol, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] and The Two Gentlemen of Verona) surpassed their goals. The Festival's most popular main stage offering in 2010-11 was The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), a production buoyed by strong audience response and extraordinary "word of mouth."

Since completing the company's $20M re-imagination of and relocation to its current home at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare in 2008, GLTF main stage attendance has increased by 15% - bucking national economic challenges and a shrinking population base in northeast Ohio.

The Festival's commitment to young audiences was also rewarded by enthusiastic student attendance during its 49th season. 23% of all single tickets sold to GLTF's 2010-11 main stage performances were youth tickets. The strong public performance, youth attendance was in addition to the 15,000 students that the Festival served through its student matinee performances during the season.

Great Lakes Theater Festival has brought the pleasure, power and relevance of classic theater to the widest possible audience since 1962. The first resident company of PlayhouseSquare, GLTF will celebrate its 50th anniversary season in 2011-12. Festival programming reaches 85,000 adults and students annually.

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