LPA Ticket Attendance and Revenue Survey 2016

Photo: Kinky Boots, Michael Cassel Group, Matthew Murphy

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Theatre experienced an increase in ticket sales revenue by 40% from $56.8m in 2015 to $79.6m in 2016 and in attendance by 19.1% from $1.14m in 2015 to $1.35m in 2016. This is the first year of growth in the Theatre category following declines in revenue and attendance each year since 2014.

62.3% of revenue and 66.3% of attendance in the Theatre category was generated through performances by AMPAG companies including Bell Shakespeare, Belvoir, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, State Theatre Company of South Australia and Sydney Theatre Company. AMPAG companies overall experienced an increase in revenue by 12.9% and an increase in attendance by 1.5%.

Growth in Theatre was primarily driven by an increase in high-profile theatre productions including a national tour of the major commercial production Mrs Brown’s Boys, Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Speed-the-Plow starring Rose Byrne and Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of The Odd Couple starring Shaun Micallef.

The 2016 Survey includes data provided by The Blue Room Theatre (WA) for the first time which also contributed to increased revenue and attendance recorded in this category.

ACT was the only state or territory to experience a slight decrease in revenue of 2.5%. NSW and Victoria generated the majority of Theatre revenue and attendance, with a combined 76.4% of revenue market share (48.1% and 28.3% respectively) and 75.1% of attendance market share (47.3% and 27.8% respectively).

Close Table

Theatre - Revenue and Attendance (2004–2016)

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%

*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 (2016)

State/Territory Revenue ($) Market Share Proportion Change from 2015 Attendance Market Share Proportion Change from 2015
NSW $38,308,867 48.1% 24.8% 638,853 47.3% 16.1%
VIC $22,492,337 28.3% 37.5% 375,305 27.8% 13.1%
QLD $6,660,250 8.4% 64.2% 124,124 9.2% 13.4%
WA $6,149,070 7.7% 134.4% 105,173 7.8% 58.9%
SA $3,983,751 5.0% 111.9% 74,781 5.5% 44.2%
ACT $1,155,529 1.5% -2.5% 24,961 1.8% 4.5%
TAS $758,871 1.0% N/A 6,306 0.5% N/A
NT $75,595 0.1% 120.2% 2,150 0.2% 40.8%

Photo: Things I Know To Be True - State Theatre Company of South Australia, Shane Reid

Individual Category Results