Safe is Dangerous

There is a theatre near you that you probably think of as successful, and with good reason.  They’ve been there for a long time, have a good reputation, and sometimes have shows that pack ‘em in.

I know there’s a theatre like this near you, because there’s a theatre like this in every mid-size to large city in America.  You might have seen “Annie” there or “Godspell.”  You probably even have a fond memory or two of this place.

But, chances are, you haven’t been there in a while, and if you have, it’s because it’s comfortable for you.  It might not be the greatest night of life-changing entertainment you ever have, but it’s always a consistent B+ experience.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

And that’s just the problem.  Absolutely nothing wrong with it is not really enough anymore.  To build a following for a venue or an act that’s going to last, you have to be providing something of unique value to the audience.  Just doing solid work that you can find in a lot of places and being decent to your customers isn’t enough.

That stuff is just the ticket of entry.

You’ve got to give people something special, something memorable, something that makes them want to come back the very next night if possible.

(For more on this, re-read the Banana Split Test.)

Which is why I’m sad but not entirely surprised to hear about the changes at the Bethesda Theatre in Maryland.  It’s a great venue in a great spot in suburban DC with highly competent management.

But they are one of those theatres, the kind that, in my opinion, have been living on the declining bounty of older boomers for just a bit too long.  Here’s the key tidbit from the story:

“The financially strapped Bethesda Theatre will no longer program its own works and will operate only as a rental house for the time being. The theater has been dark since the “3 Blonde Moms” stand-up comedy show in June. The “Forever Tango” touring show will light up the space briefly, Oct. 27-Nov. 1.”

What I find interesting is the comment by Tom Baum, president of the Bethesda Cultural Alliance, which also owns the theatre.  He’s right and yet in some ways, it’s totally irrelevant that he’s right:

“…Montgomery County requires that the Bethesda Theatre must be a “cultural venue” and he says he’s not giving up on the idea of a theater that presents small professional touring shows. But it is, he notes, ‘a different concept than any other theater in Montgomery County . . . and it requires a certain vetting out, trying some different shows and getting the right mix. . . . I absolutely believe that it’s a viable concept, but it’s in a terrible economic time to prove that.’”

I get the idea of a theatre that presents small, professional touring shows, but I have to say that as a marketer, that’s a pretty skinny peg to try to hang my coat on.

And in the battle for attention and mindshare, I’d say you’re outgunned.  Particularly in tough economic times, winning people over, when your product is somewhat costly and a luxury, only comes from selling something people want.

In other words, safe is dangerous.  Putting comfortable, B+ material on the stage night after night means you’ve done your job and you probably won’t get fired.

If you lose your job, it’ll be because your marketing bankrupted the shop.