Just under 30,000 people visited the Orpheum Theatre in 2015.
That’s according to Orpheum Executive Director Kevin Maynard who said that it bests last years total attendance by a couple thousand.
Paired with the attendance rise came a larger income for the theatre than in 2014, landing the historic theatre a net positive income.
The profit boost Maynard says can be attributed to the Throwback Thursday summer movie series and an uptick in theatre rentals.
He tells WGIL he’s optimistic that the upward trend can continue.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any reason that we can’t surpass that 30,000 by a good chunk,” Maynard says. “I’m very excited about that”.
This is the first time that the Orpheum has turned a profit since Maynard was hired as Director in May 2013.
He says they’re also aided by booking shows that are more “financially responsible.”
“We’re booking shows that through our sponsorships and through our ticket sales we can pay for and we can turn a profit on,” Maynard says.
He adds although shows may not feature big name acts but the acts are bringing in are getting a overwhelmingly positive response from the community.
“More people are trusting our choices and what we’re bringing in.”
Now that the theatre is turning a profit, Maynard said he would be looking into replacing the sound system and heating and cool systems, a plan that was explored a few years ago before grant dollars fell through.
No concrete plans for the replacements are realized at this time though.
