The number of theater-goers through June was 1.2 million, the second highest in the last seven years. “The drop in theaters is not as great as the drop in the economy,” said Sebastián Blutrach, president of AADET. We also consulted Carlos Rottemberg and Ariel Stolier.
Although June registers a 7% decrease in theatergoers in CABA compared to the same month in 2023, This year is the second best in the last seven years, with rates even higher than before the pandemicAccording to the latest report from AADET (Argentine Association of Theatre and Music Entrepreneurs), how can this phenomenon be explained in a semester of devaluation, brutal price increases, falling consumption and a blow to the pocketbook?
In dialogue with Ambit, Carlos Rottemberg He said: “There is a very strong offer and many artists are turning to theatre as there is no fiction on TV. Although since the summer we have always been below last year every month, the fact that all the figures decide to go on stage, as in 2017, is a big trend, it is a matter of offer and attraction for the public. There are also theatres that are operating that were not used to having official seasons, such as Broadway, Premier or Coliseo. Everything comes together to compensate for the decrease, the fall in consumption is cushioned, which is good for the activity.”
Another unprecedented factor is that of musicals taking precedence over other proposals, something similar to what happened in Spain last year. So, is musical theatre a trend or a mirage?, he asked. Rottemberg last year, and today produces “Legally Blonde” after the furor “Piaf” and “School of rock” after the event of “Matilda. And he anticipated that he will carry “Mamma mia” to Mar del Plata, which is the musical he saw most times with his wife Karina: in Las Vegas, in New York, in London, at the Opera and now at the Coliseum. In tune with the “family SME” as he calls it Rottemberg, one of the reasons why it carries “Mamma mia” to Mar del Plata is because Karina believe that the version with Grief It is the roundest.
Except Guillermo Francella and Ricardo Darinwhich are still missing in the theatres, there are legions of popular artists on stage: The author is a member of the American Academy of Sciences, a non-profit organization founded in 1998. She is the founder …just to mention a handful who were able to headline TV series and today attract audiences to go see them in the theater.
In turn, the semester registers a cumulative decrease of 15% compared to last year. With an audience flow reaching 1.2 million spectators in these 6 months, the volume of activity remains above pre-pandemic levels. The average number of spectators per function registers a decrease of 23% compared to 2023, although it is ranked as the second highest in the last 7 years. A noteworthy fact is the evolution of the average ticket price in June: its update is significantly lower than the inflation of the last year.
For its part, Sebastian Blutrachpresident of AADET and owner of El Picadero, explained to that medium: “It is a year that started very badly, with a brutal devaluation and that from March until now has been recovering despite the fall compared to last year, which was a record. The decrease is not as great as the fall of the economy. The reasons are the price below inflation, we are cheaper than what the ticket should cost if we had maintained the inflationary price. There is an interesting and diverse offer as the polarization in the economy makes many people able to consume and the theater continues to be an excellent option for going out.”
While, Ariel Stolier Del Paseo La Plaza concluded: “There is a lot of variety in multi-programmed venues like La Plaza, the Met, the Picadero, the Astros, with plays every day and even two or three per day, which allows us to aspire to a greater flow of public. There are shows segmented to the public that do not necessarily seek a traditional play but rather aspire to a show and there is also variety there. From the sector we are careful that prices are not an obstacle, so there is a lot of variety by sector, day, advance purchase, that is what has been worked on from the sector so that the theatrical release is possible. The projection is positive, we have 15 premieres starting in July and August so we have a good perspective.”
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
