The Mendel Center in Benton Township has made some changes to its business model to reduce its risk of losing money on the shows it hosts.
Lake Michigan College Vice President of Advancement and Community Impact Doug Schaffer tells us due to generally declining ticket sales since the pandemic, the center will now charge performers a rental fee for use of its Jenkins Theater. They would also pay a fee to use the Mendel Center ticketing system.
Schaffer says the new model is more in line with what many for-profit venues do.
“It’s a rental-only venue, and that just means that touring artists or production companies can look to the Jenkins Theatre as a venue to have their performers be available to the community, but they take on all the risk of the good or the bad associated with ticket sales,” Schaffer said.
The Mendel Center started operating with this rental model with the current theater season, and Schaffer says it’s been working well.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised that there is a demand for the theater that we have here at Lake Michigan College that has over 1 ,500 seats and provides premium sound and visuals. And so we already have four shows booked for this upcoming season and we’re negotiating with others.”
Schaeffer says he doesn’t think the theater-going community will notice much of a difference.
Under the new rental model, how much money the performers make will simply depend on how many tickets they sell. Either way, the Mendel Center gets paid.
Schaeffer notes the theater season is well underway with upcoming shows to include “A Taste of Ireland – The Irish Music and Dance Sensation” on October 18, and “Cirque Mechanics: Tilt! A Circus Thrill Ride” on October 25.