NEWS ITEM: Stratford Fest posts surplus
9 Mar'10

JOHN COULBOURN -QMI Agency

In theatrical terms, it may have been a real nail-biter, but the Stratford Shakespeare Festival managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat in the last act of its 2009 season. It posted a surplus of $172,367, on revenues of $59 million.

The small surplus comes on the heels of losses in the neighbourhood of $2.6 million on the 2008 season. Like many cultural behemoths, Stratford started its 2009 season with ticket sales in a free-fall, but thanks to $3 million received from the Marquee Tourism Events Program — and an additional $500,000 from the province for the purpose of promotion — the festival was able to turn things around to the point where their April-through-October ticket sales were close to record-setting.

Previews for the 2010 season begin on April 10.