Contents

Contents.............................................................................................................................................................1 Executive Summary..........................................................................................................................................2 Situation Analysis.............................................................................................................................................2 Market Size...................................................................................................................................................2 Sales History.................................................................................................................................................2 SWOT Analysis............................................................................................................................................3 Customer Analysis............................................................................................................................................4 Demographics...............................................................................................................................................4 Cabaret Goals and Objectives:........................................................................................................................10 Break Even Analysis...................................................................................................................................10 Marketing Communications Strategy and Timeline:.....................................................................................11 Budget.........................................................................................................................................................11 Marketing Message.....................................................................................................................................12 Pricing.........................................................................................................................................................14 Potential targets for Public Relations (PR) campaign:...............................................................................16 Measuring Results...........................................................................................................................................16

Nicole Wetzell

Executive Summary The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University plans to continue its On Stage With...Summer Cabaret Series for 2009. On Stage With...Summer Cabaret Series was created in 2006 to boost revenue during a generally quiet time in the theatre. Initially, the Series featured two cabarets. In 2007, the Series expanded to three cabarets. In 2008, the series expanded to four performances and grossed its highest revenue of $41,088 a 71 % increase from 2007. On Stage With...Summer Cabaret Series is a special opportunity for patrons to enjoy live music in an intimate setting from a unique view point of the theatre typically reserved for the performer the stage. In 2009, patrons will have the opportunity to enjoy four Cabarets: Joan Curtro with Beckie Menzie, Megon McDonoough, Susan Werner and Tom Wopat. The Auditorium hopes to increase Cabaret sales and subscriber orders through new incentives, promotional discounts as well as communication through the artists mail and email house lists, social networking web sites and various local partners. Situation Analysis Market Size The Auditorium has demonstrated success in attracting patrons from many different demographics for various different performances. The US Census Bureau of 2000 states that Chicago has a population of 2,896,016. However, according to The Lifestyle Market Analyst, the market of potential Cabaret patrons at the Auditorium is approximately 629,560 in the Chicago area. Sales History Below is a 2006-2008 sales history for Onstage withCabaret Series. Year Total Revenue 2006-2008 Sales for Onstage with 2006 2007 $14,750.00 $22,385.00 2008 $41.088.00

Competitor Analysis According to the Chicago Cabaret Professionals web site, there are 43 venues that present Cabaret. Many of these venues are local restaurants, lounges and bars; however a few venues are similar to the Auditoriums capacity of 300 seats for the Cabaret: Drury Lane Water Tower Place: Musical Mondays o Tickets are $25. Drury Lane offers a monthly Cabaret series that could possibly sell out for every performance. Theater capacity is 550 seats. Musical Mondays presents well-known local entertainment such as Denise Tomasello, Carol Obertubbesing and Carol Gordon. The Skokie Theatre Music Foundation The Skokie Theatre o Tickets are $15-$35. Skokie Theatre Music Foundation offers many different Cabaret-type shows featuring similar entertainers from Chicago Cabaret Professionals.

Larger restaurants, lounges and bars which are well known for cabaret are: Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret Petterinos: Monday Night Live Redhead Piano Bar

As a general rule, these venues typically charge a $10-$20 cover charge for Cabaret. Overall, the Auditoriums biggest Cabaret competitor is the Drury Lane Water Tower Place. SWOT Analysis Strengths Tom Wopat is a well known name which may entice more patrons into becoming subscribers. Unique Cabaret setting on the stage of the Auditorium is appealing to patrons. The Auditorium brings in higher quality Cabaret artists than competition. The Auditorium has gained a reputation for having high quality, personable service among Cabaret patrons. Cabaret subscriptions offer a discount. Weaknesses Price of Cabaret is much higher than competition. Union labor costs make it difficult to keep a low price and break even. Low marketing budget makes it difficult to communicate Cabaret to potential patrons.

Opportunities Access to fan clubs for all our Cabaret entertainment Access to Chicago Cabaret Professionals as many of our entertainers are members

Threats Threat of a deep, long recession may extend through the summer Drury Lane Theatre offers Cabaret on a monthly basis, year round Customer Analysis Demographics The Auditorium will mainly target patrons who live in Chicago. Potential Cabaret patrons are generally Caucasian (ethnicity information is based on information below) and 45-74 years old. Potential patrons are either single females or married couples with two incomes. Both segments do not have children in the household. Patrons also make $50,000 or more annually. Patrons who attend cultural/arts events are also interested in the following categories at a much higher rate than the national average: fine/art antiques, foreign travel, our nations heritage, gourmet cooking/fine foods, wines, science/new technology, own a smart cellular device, fashion clothing, wildlife/environment, real estate investments. The Auditorium will also target a small segment of young professionals who are 2534 years old who make $75,000 or more as it is crucial to an arts organizations long-term survival to engage the next generation in the arts. The Auditorium will also target some tourists. Geographical Information The Auditorium mainly attracts patrons for Cabaret from the following areas of Chicago:

Zip Code Analysis

derived from 389 zip codes from our Cabaret database

Southwest Chicago Suburbs, 1.29% Western Chicago Suburbs, 16.20% Northern Chicago Suburbs, 14.40%

Northwestern Chicago Suburbs, 4.37%

Downtown, 17.74% Other, 8.23% Northern Chicago, 24.16% Southern Chicago, 3.34%

Southern Northwest Chicago Chicago, Suburbs, 7.20% 2.83%

Western Chicago, 0.26%

The top ten zip codes account for 42.67% of the entire Cabaret patron base: Zip Code 60611 60614 60610 60657 60605 60201 60660 60622 60640 60622 City, State Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Evanston, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Highland Park, IL Number Orders 29 24 20 19 16 13 11 10 11 10

As an average, 51% of Chicagoans are 18-44 and 23% of Chicagoans are 45-65 in the above zip codes. The average ethnicity is also based on the above zip codes:

Caucasi an 68.75

Black 13.64

Asian/P ac. 8.91

Hispan ic 12.47

Other Customer Information: Survey Highlights A survey administered through SurveyMonkey was also sent to all Cabaret patrons from 2008 (267 patrons) to determine improvements and appropriate marketing avenues and tactics for 2009. Forty-three patrons, or 16%, responded to the survey. The top three responses to how 2008 Cabaret patrons heard about Cabaret were: 1. 32%: 2008-2009 Season Brochure (first year Cabaret was featured in the brochure) 2. 32%: Word-of-mouth 3. 26%: ATRU emails

Newspaper ad or article (please specify) 10%

How 2008 Cabaret Customers Heard about Cabaret

ATRU e-mail 26%

Ujamaa e-mail 0% Season brochure 32% Word-of-mouth 32%

Chicago Jazz Magazine email 0%

Patrons were also asked why they chose to attend a Cabaret. Fifty-two percent of respondents attended a Cabaret because the idea of being on the Auditoriums stage is unique. Forty-eight percent of respondents chose to attend a Cabaret because they are a fan of the artist or genre.

Reasons patrons attend Cabaret.

I am a business owner entertaining clients 0% Other (please specify) 0%

I am a fan of the artist/genre 48%

The idea of the being entertained on the stage is unique 52%

Patrons were also asked what sort of incentives would convert them to a Series Subscriber. Patrons were mostly interested in the following: 1. 34%: 10% discount on the Series 2. 25%: Opportunity to be entered in a drawing which includes dinner with the artist as a prize AND opportunities for subscriber only meet and greets with the artist.

Incentives that would convert a patron to a Series Subscriber Opportunity to

be entered in a drawing that includes dinner with the artist as a prize 25% Opportunity for subscriber only "meet and greet" with the artist 25% Other (please specify) 8%

10% discount 34% Opportunity to purchase cheese trays at a discount 8%

According to the survey, 97% of Cabaret patrons had been to a previous show at the Auditorium with 69% of Cabaret patrons attending a musical theatre show.
Types of shows Cabaret patrons have seen at the Auditorium
80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 69.0% 52.4% 52.4%

11.90%

Dance

Musical Theatre Popular concerts

Other (please specify)

Patrons were also asked to rate the quality of customer service on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being at an exceptional quality and 1 being the lowest quality. Approximately 81% of respondents rated the Auditoriums service as above average or exceptional quality. No respondents gave a below average rating to the Auditoriums customer service.
Customer service quality

2 - Low quality, 0.0% 3 - Average quality, 18.6%

1 - Lowest quality, 0.0%

5 - Exceptional quality, 41.9% 4 - Above average quality, 39.5%

Cabaret Goals and Objectives: Generate $60,000 in sales Increase subscription sales to $2,000

Break Even Analysis Total expenses in 2009 are estimated to be 59,335.471 which include artist guarantee, marketing budget, union labor, ushers, linen rental etc. The average reservation price to the Cabaret is $56.25 which includes the subscription price per Cabaret. $59,335.74/$56.25 = 1055 reservations need to be sold in order for the Auditorium to break even on the Series. Cabaret Artist Summary: Joan Curto with Beckie Menzie Shaking the Blues Away Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.: With her daring and decadent voice, Joan Curto will make her debut at the Auditorium with her award-winning show Unexpressed which features works from esteemed song writers and entertainments such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Ella Fitzgerald from the smoke filled Cabaret lounges of the past. Megon McDonough An Evening With Megon McDonough...dedicated to every girl who ever sang into her hairbrush - Saturday, July 18, 2009 at 8 p.m. Singer, songwriter, entertainer Megon McDonough performs signature songs of platinum divas who sang from stage, screen, music halls, clubs and cd's right into our lives and hearts. Her performance of songs by the ladies of the British Invasion -- Petula Clark, Lulu and Dusty Springfield back to back with their American counterparts Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Janis Joplin is lighting in a bottle. An evening with Megon is not about nostalgia but about reigniting a moment when a song became legend. Susan Werner - Classics Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. Over the course of her colorful career, singer songwriter Susan Werner has cultivated a reputation as a daring and innovative songwriter with a killer live show. She boldly endeavors to weave old with new to create altogether new genres of music when existing ones do not suit her muse, and she regularly keeps audiences guessing and laughing simultaneously. Susan Werner's new release Classics asks no less of her distinguished audience or herself. With Classics, Werner delivers entirely new string arrangements of mainstream popular songs by top songwriters from a
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All expenses will be considered fixed expenses as variable expenses account for approximately 3% of total expenses.

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"classical" pop era - the sixties and seventies. Drawing on her unique training as a classical vocalist and the diverse talents of esteemed Boston Symphony and Pops players, Classics highlights songs like Paul Simon's A Hazy Shade of Winter, Marvin Gaye's Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed and America's Lonely People. Tom Wopat Love Swings - Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 8 p.m. You wont want to miss Tom Wopat, famous for his roles on TVs Cybill and The Dukes of Hazzard, an up-close-and-personal setting. Tom Wopat is also a major presence on Broadway - from his 1978 debut in I Love My Wife to his Tony nominated role in Annie Get Your Gun, with stops along the way in Guys and Dolls, Chicago, 42nd Street, and David Mamets Glengarry Glenn Ross.

Marketing Communications Strategy and Timeline: Budget The budget is $8,000 for the Series and will be spent as follows: The Auditoriums small marketing budget is the weakest aspect of the Cabaret series. In order to maximize the Cabaret budget, the Auditorium will utilize free online sources such as facebook.com, twitter.com and youtube.com by posting names, dates, descriptions, photos and videos of Cabaret and its artists. Making use of the email house list is also crucial to a successful Cabaret series. The Auditorium also requires that the artists become involved in selling the Cabaret by sharing mailing lists for the season brochure and blasting their email lists. In order to retain customers and generate word-of-mouth, superior and personal customer service is also recommended. ATRU will also reach out to various segments (different shows, and geographical areas) from the house list, particularly with musical theatre ticket buyers from 20082009.

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Marketing Communications Plan: Marketing Message The entire Cabaret takes place on the Auditoriums legendary and famous stage. This unique feature is what sells the Cabaret. The Auditorium uses the tag line Step ONTO our stage, take a seat at your table, order a drink and enjoy the show to accentuate a unique experience. However, potential patrons are often confused about where the Cabaret takes place. Photos of patrons at tables on the stage with the Auditorium as the background are also posted on the Auditoriums Aud Blog for the sales force to direct potential patrons. Each Cabaret will be featured separately on the ATRU web site. Cabaret will be featured on facebook.com, youtube.com and twitter.com as applicable. Recommendations: General Recommendations: 3-sheet in front of theatre for the spring and summer. Cabaret Series fliers will be printed and sent around to various locations around the city focusing on the top areas of the city. Ticketmaster Mediums (all are free): o Impressions on Ticketmaster.com in the On Sale Now and On Sale Soon boxes o Event detail pages on Ticketmaster.com (includes an email a friend and share button.) o Targeted Ticketmaster email (must include a discount) to 1.4 million consumers o American Express and Affiliate programs offer discount to premium members o Ads on the confirmation web page o Ads on the TicketFast page o In-shipment flyers (must pay for printing and shipping) Both Petterinos and Drury Lane Water Tower Places Musical Mondays Cabaret performances take place regularly on Mondays. It is recommended that the Auditorium partners with both firms in marketing each others series through fliers and eblasts. A program ad is also recommended, if available. Partner with the Chicago Loop Alliance in having Cabaret featured in an eblast. Partner with the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau in attracting more tourists to Cabaret Eblasts from the artists to fan lists. Include photos of the performers view in various media where appropriate o Ask Bob Carl if he is willing to take great photos of Cabaret for complimentary tickets

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Large use of photos/video social networking sites Hold a three day presale to past subscribers/single ticket holders Find arts bloggers for extra publicity Work with top sponsors to see if a Corporate Night is possible at the subscriber price level

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Recommendations for Joan Curto with Beckie Menzie: Email to everyone who came to Beckie Menzie in 2007 Recommendations for Megon McDonough: Partner with the Metropolis Theater and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage Email our Red Hat Society groups Work with affluent retirement/assisted living communities in getting some groups together Recommendations for Susan Werner: Target the gay/lesbian community Organize a Young Professionals Chicago (YPC) Night. YPC members can purchase the last few rows of tables for the $40 subscriber price. Enable a Chicago Street Team through Market Monkeys Susan has released a new CD Classics which will reach a new audience: o Symphonic pops music o Feature on ChicagoClassicalMusic.org o Chicago Conservatory for the Performing Arts faculty Blast to Susan Werner fans on the Facebook.com fan page Recommendations for Tom Wopat: Use of the Dukes of Hazzard fan club in Chicago Partner with Broadway in Chicago and off-Broadway theatres Contact Pat Tomlin a person on Facebook.com who started a Dukes of Hazzard group which now has 739 members For further details on the Marketing Communications Plan, please refer to Exhibit 1: Marketing Timeline. Pricing All patrons sit at tables of six. Patrons can take advantage of many different packages to the Cabaret: Subscriptions: A subscription qualifies when reservations are made to three of the four Cabarets. (Subscriber benefits - 20% discount, priority seating, includes a private meet and greet with each artist after the Cabaret, and the first 25 subscribers will receive a complimentary CD from a select artist from the Series) o VIP (First four rows in the center of the stage) - $240; $60 per Cabaret. o Rest of the stage - $160; $40 per Cabaret.

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Group sales: Cabaret patrons can save 10% when they reserve one table, or make six reservations in the the $50 area. o Rest of the stage - $270; $45 per seat Single Reservations o VIP (First four rows in the center of the stage) - $75 per person o Rest of the stage - $50 per person

Since many experts agree this may be a long, deep recession, ATRU will consider selling the last few rows of tables for $25 if the Cabaret does not sell.

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Potential targets for Public Relations (PR) campaign: The Auditorium out sources PR to Carol Fox and Associates a local arts marketing and PR firm. The Auditorium will ask Carol Fox representatives to expose Cabaret to the following media outlets: Chicago Tribune Chicago Sun-Times Windy City Times Todays Chicago Woman WTTW Chicago Jazz Magazine (web site and paper) WNUA 95.5 WBEZ 91.5 WFMT

Measuring Results The marketing success of Cabaret will be measured by: o The number of tickets sold which will include subscriptions. o Follow up surveys, a zip code analysis to further determine if the targeted demographics are being reached.

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