Final act?
The Marton Players Theatre is struggling to stay afloat amid dwindling audience counts and staff resignations.
"It really is getting to use-it-or-lose-it stage."
Annie Whitfield, Marton Players Theatre president
The Marton Players Theatre is struggling to stay afloat amid dwindling audience counts and staff resignations.
Like many boutique and smalltown cinemas, president Annie Whitfield says the Rangitῑkei drama hub is struggling to keep the curtain raised after falling out of favour with the community.
Whitfield hesitantly volunteered to run the group last year, but now finds herself the last resort after a host of committee members resigned.
Without a secretary and treasurer, the group was forced to cancel a performance of Sweet Dreams from actor Chris Green on February 23.
Modest ticket sales had also put the future of the theatre at a crossroads, Whitfield said.
The cancellation was particularly frustrating for Green, who had a passion to grow the arts in small and rural communities, Whitfield said.
His last visit to Marton with Coaltown Blues was so successful that he put on an extra show.
‘‘He is really disappointed ... but out of professional respect for his colleagues he cannot just hope that all the people who have expressed their best intentions will turn up for door sales,’’ Whitfield said.
‘‘This is how he earns his living and he cannot be reckless and expect to continue.’’
The group of Rangitῑkei actors was established in 1948 and they soon purchased the Salvation Army hall for £100.
But the iconic black and wooden building on Wellington Rd is run down and the group is unable to fund any upgrades or maintenance work.
The theatre, which seats 135 people, requires an upgraded lighting system as well as external work.
However, the theatre doesn’t break even and it has no plays scheduled this year.
‘‘It’s a catch-22. We need to do the plays to get the money to do maintenance on the building.
‘‘The royalties on plays are huge and you have to get a lot of bums on seats just to break even. It really is getting to use-it-or-lose-it stage.’’
Whitfield was exploring the possibility of joint ventures with drama groups in Feilding and Pahiatua, and other ideas.