Saturday, October 01, 2011
Quantity doesn't mean lack of quality at Onyx Theatre
ReviewJournal.com: The Onyx Theatre offers so many different shows in a month's time that there's only one way to keep up: Memorize onyxtheatre.com. The little-playhouse-that-could just turned 5 years old, and its bill of fare shows no sign of losing stride.
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6 comments:
They say creating scarcity drives up demand of a product and although the Onyx is doing MANY shows and performances, none of them seem to last very long [by design]. It makes me wonder if they've a solid audience base who arrive with absolutely no knowledge of what's going to be on stage that night. Like a Russian Roulette of live theatre. It intrigues me. It's a fascinating phenomenon.
I think the common perception for a successful theatre [of any size] is to find a show that EVERYONE wants to see and then run the hell out of it until no one shows up anymore for it. Onyx seems to have done the exact opposite and just creates this smorgasbord of live performance that no one can hope to see it all.
I agree with Jake. Groups like this one and like the Neo Futurists keep consistent audiences because they offer so many different experiences. You can always see something new so if you like what you saw before you are likely to come again. This is a different strategy for companies but it has obviously worked. I think the fact that they are still open even in this economy means that they are doing something right.
Like Jake and Devorah, I think that the Onyx has found something special. They have found a way to keep audiences coming back. What is very important that the work is consistently well-produced. The theater has to be careful that they don't overreach themselves. It would be interesting to see what their rehearsal calendar looks like (although, from the article it seems like they tend to bring in full productions.) I think that it would be exciting to be able to decide to go to the theater one night and not know what you are seeing. It seems like the biggest problem in this industry is how to keep the theater full of performances while still allowing them to prepare sufficiently to produce a superior product.
Unlike Jake, Devorah, and Chris I don't think audienes are coming back to Onyx because of their programming (multiple shows all the time,) I think what works is that they've started a theater from a Fetish shop. Let me explain.
In early 1974 two fasionistas opened a fetish store simply called SEX. Also part-time music promoters the duo hired a group of local youths to promote the store. They funded a rehearsal space and a stage in the same neighborhood for the band to perform. That band was called the Sex Pistols. The rest is history.
I'm not saying that to create the next big thing in the theatre you need to start in a fetish shop. It rather sounds like the early shows staged in the fetish shop were a bit riskier than other small groups were doing. Main point: Onyx founded a theater out of the local culture. Cater to who you know first and then if you know you have a good thing, everyone will follow.
The Sex Pistols changed the way rock music sounds. Perhaps the style of shows Onyx performs has tapped into the same vein as the early London punks. Other groups are doing the same type of programming. It works for them. Maybe the theatre should listen to its counter culture and take some notes. One can argue if punk is dead or not but the greater reality is that theater is dying and needs a good swift kick to jump start it again. Maybe that boot needs to be made of black spandex rubber and equipped with a very sharp stiletto heel.
I actually stage managed the production of Jekyll and Hyde mentioned in this article! I am happy to see that the Onyx has been getting so much recognition. As Jake and Devorah mentioned, the Onyx does have a pretty consistent audience. The local theatre scene in Las Vegas is comprised of a pretty small group of people. I have worked on and seen many a show at the Onyx and I have never gone there without running into so-and-so from that show or so-and-so's friend from another show. The people that put on these short-run productions at the Onyx are, in large part, the same ones that fill the seats at every show. The shows produced at the Onyx are always thought-provoking little gems. The people producing shows there are not putting on producing to make money, but are putting on shows to get a message out to people and to simply share their art. The Onyx is a great space for new local companies to use to get their work out to the public and establish a fan base and a following. Another great thing about the Onyx is that many of its shows give portions of proceeds to local and national GLBT charities. I see Matt's point about the Onyx gaining its early successes out of catering to the local culture, but it's important to note that now the Onyx simply shares space with the fetish shop and the Onyx would be successful today with or without its connection to the shop.
I think it's great to see small theatre companies getting publicity and recognition. Clearly this is a place that is not usually heard of, but because it started with a fetish shop, it must bring in audience members that don't usually go to the theatre. And spreading theatre is always a good thing. And showing so many works must open up the audience's eyes to tons of new stuff. (Also, that's really cool that you worked there, Shannon).
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