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Springfield Little Theatre Executive Director Beth Domann speaks as part of SBJ's 12 People series.
Springfield Little Theatre Executive Director Beth Domann speaks as part of SBJ's 12 People series.

Little Theatre director preps for new season

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A month ahead of kicking off Springfield Little Theatre’s 2015-16 season, its animated executive director fielded questions before a laughter-filled audience this morning in Springfield Business Journal’s 12 People You Need to Know live interview series.

Preparing for the eight-show season - which starts Sept. 11 with “Grease” - Beth Domann said the theater would spend over $480,000 in production costs.

Single tickets are on their way toward meeting the theater’s $456,000 sales budget, while season tickets are on track to hit the organization’s $160,000 goal, she said, noting sales are up from last year’s slight slump over nine shows.

“Tickets are going great for the season,” Domann said, noting “Grease” and “Miracle on 34th Street The Musical” are garnering the most interest.

For Springfield Little Theatre, that’s important, given ticket sales represent roughly 70 percent of the organization’s revenue.

“Underwriting helps, but really and truly, a majority of our revenue is ticket sales - single ticket sales and season ticket sales - which is a little odd for most theaters,” Domann said. “Most of their stuff is in underwriting and sponsorships.”

Domann said it likely would cost the theater upwards of $40,000 for the rights to show “Grease” during its Sept. 11-Oct. 4 schedule. Typically, shows average $25,000 to $30,000 for the rights, and typically cost around $60,000, she said.

With $16,000 a year from the Missouri Arts Council and no funding from the city, it’s on Springfield Little Theatre to make sure it has the funds to take care of the Landers historic building, which the organization owns.

“We have this beautiful theater, and we have to take care of her,” Domann said, noting the organization is operating in the black this year, adding with a laugh, “so far, thank you baby Jesus.”

Speaking from Hilton Garden Inn, Domann talked about her dual roles as actor and director for the organization’s performances at the 500-seat Landers Theatre downtown, as well as her acting job fighting Jennifer Lawrence in 2010’s critically acclaimed film “Winter’s Bone.”

The audience joined in the conversation this morning, asking her questions including one about what she wants on her tombstone.

“I’ve come up with several things,” Domann said to a laugh. “‘Screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke.’ ‘What now?’ ‘Next.’ ‘You know, that was fun.’ I gotta really think about that. ‘Never say never.’ ‘Life’s short. Have fun. It’s a ride, man. Just grab it and wrestle that sucker to the ground. Why not?’”

She finally settled on: “‘I land now.’”

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