Empire strikes back

Theatre records surplus despite $1.1m revenue loss from COVID

THE Empire Theatre managed to make a small surplus in the previous financial year, despite COVID-19 wiping out more than a $1 million in potential revenue during the final quarter.

The organisation, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Toowoomba Regional Council, revealed the figures during its annual general meeting earlier this week.

While it posted a surplus of just under $20,000, Empire Theatre general manager Kerry Saul said the temporary closure of the theatre during the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions between March and June cost it $1.145m in lost potential revenue.

This was mainly from cancelled and postponed performances, events and functions ($880,000), but also included $110,000 in lost bar sales, $140,000 in lost ticketing sales and $15,000 from a lack of external hires.

“After the incredible difficulty experienced in the final months of the financial year, the Empire Theatre was able to reopen with a COVID-safe plan with the first performance of the Empire Strikes Back series on July 11, and a music performance of Project 62,” Mr Saul said.

“We lost the majority of our casual staff in March when restrictions first came into play and operationally, this has had an enormous effect.

“Once we were able to operate again, the remaining staff moved to an 80 per cent salary position in June 2020 and have taken on their original roles and worked in those areas traditionally undertaken by casual employees, including working behind the bars and completing front of house duties.”

The pandemic overshadowed the success of the theatre’s major event Mamma Mia in March, which became the highest-selling in-house production in its history with more than 10,000 tickets told.

That production alone injected $140,000 in revenue into the operating result for the Empire Theatre.

The organisation also received three months’ worth of rental credits from the council during the pandemic, totalling more than $100,000.