Spring 2024

State of Community Theate continued from page 13
Has your acting/volunteer pool changed in numbers?
threshold, where over 75% are paying production
participants something.
• Quite a few theatres give stipends or other funds
to directors, tech crews, and others who put in the
most time on a show, other than actors. In addition,
13.4% offer a standard small stipend/reimbursement
to actors and crews to cover gas/travel, baby-sitting
or other personal expenses related to rehearsals and
performances.
• A few theatres charge participation or costume fees
for their actors. This may reflect educational programs
with tuition-based programming.
The results of the AACT survey are enlightening on a number of levels,
showing that the state of community theatre is not as dire as some would
have it, while also acknowledging areas of real concern. They also help
you judge how to interpret your own theatre’s situation as compared to
others’, providing insights into your organization’s past, current, and
future.
For last thoughts, we turn to the recent General Social Survey by the
National Endowment for the Arts. It found while performing arts
companies in general have experienced large setbacks since 2019, yet,
“throughout it all, we’ve also seen people gravitate to arts venues and
activities for social connectedness and a sense of healing.”
Such is the power of theatre.
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AACT SPOTLIGHT