LPA Ticket Attendance and Revenue Report 2018

Photo: The Book of Mormon, The Gordon Frost Organisation, Jeff Busby

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Theatre witnessed a y-o-y increase in revenue by 22.2% (from $64.2m in 2017 to $78.5m in 2018) and a y-o-y decrease in attendance by 1.9%, from 1.46m in 2017 to 1.43m in 2018. The average ticket price increased by 29.8% from $49.24 in 2017 to $63.91 in 2018.

68.8% of the revenue and 66.0% of the attendance in Theatre was generated through performances by AMPAG companies such as Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Belvoir, Bell Shakespeare, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Queensland Theatre and the State Theatre Company of South Australia.

Top events in this category in 2018 were The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, An Ideal Husband, Twelfth Night and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.

NSW and VIC generated the majority of revenue and attendance, with a combined 80.1% of market share in revenue (46.8% and 33.3% respectively) and 77.9% of market share in attendance (47.7% and 30.2% respectively).

NT and the ACT witnessed the highest y-o-y growth in revenue (247.5% and 126.7% respectively) among all the jurisdictions, which may be explained by touring theatre productions. VIC, WA and SA witnessed a y-o-y decline in revenue in 2018. All states and territories except NSW, QLD and the ACT witnessed a y-o-y decline in attendance in 2018.

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Theatre - Revenue and Attendance (2004–2018)

Revenue ($) Growth (%) Total Attendance* Growth (%) Average Ticket Price ($)** Growth (%)
2004 $89,417,616 2,202,812 $43.87
2005 $73,988,892 -17.3% 2,117,854 -3.9% $38.04 -13.3%
2006 $143,564,232 94.0% 3,828,254 80.8% $39.42 3.6%
2007 $117,382,525 -18.2% 2,505,458 -34.6% $50.42 27.9%
2008 $80,476,671 -31.4% 1,944,188 -22.4% $46.92 -6.9%
2009 $64,440,541 -19.9% 1,602,591 -17.6% $46.58 -0.7%
2010 $60,151,139 -6.7% 1,354,336 -15.5% $51.47 10.5%
2011 $65,880,712 9.5% 1,380,622 1.9% $56.14 9.1%
2012 $82,973,259 25.9% 1,601,425 16.0% $59.86 6.6%
2013 $119,647,414 44.2% 1,842,177 15.0% $72.88 21.8%
2014 $99,714,555 -16.7% 1,504,367 -18.3% $73.83 1.3%
2015 $56,831,724 -43.0% 1,135,128 -24.5% $56.81 -23.0%
2016 $79,584,271 40.0% 1,351,653 19.1% $66.51 17.1%
2017 $64,217,536 -19.3% 1,457,962 7.9% $49.24 -26.0%
2018 $78,505,052 22.2% 1,430,263 -1.9% $63.91 29.8%

*Based on both paid and unpaid tickets

** Average Ticket Prices are calculated based only on paid tickets

State/Territory Breakdown Close Table

Close Table

Theatre - by State/Territory (2018)

State/Territory Revenue ($) Market Share Proportion Market Share Change from 2017 Attendance Market Share Proportion Market Share Change from 2017
NSW $36,729,214 46.8% 58.3% 681,994 47.7% 23.7%
VIC $26,147,201 33.3% -2.5% 432,010 30.2% -19.2%
QLD $7,432,565 9.5% 13.8% 151,544 10.6% 7.7%
WA $2,837,201 3.6% -24.0% 61,280 4.3% -43.8%
SA $2,602,787 3.3% -3.2% 57,749 4.0% -27.2%
ACT $2,410,961 3.1% 126.7% 37,725 2.6% 10.4%
TAS $186,247 0.2% 42.5% 5,811 0.4% -0.1%
NT $158,875 0.2% 247.5% 2,150 0.2% -28.4%

Photo: Random, Belvoir St Theatre Co, Daniel Boud

Individual Category Results