$35,000 - That's what you'll pay to put a bum on these seats

Edward Rooney looks at a flash theatre planned for Queen St
Theatre buff Lisa Rogers has sat in dimly lit Auckland theatres watching hundreds of shows. "I attend as much as I can. It's always a question of money, though. If I can afford it, I'll go." Forking out between $12 and $55 for a show, 34-year-old Ms Rogers enjoys the cosy Maidment Theatre at Auckland University just as much as the steep rows of seats at the Herald Theatre in Aotea Square or even the sometimes drafty Silo in Greys Ave. She's understandably excited at the prospect of something a little different. Work on a new venue, Q Theatre, is likely to begin later this year at 305 Queen St, next to the Town Hall. Costing $17.8 million, more than half of the money will come from Auckland City Council. Mayor John Banks' new council is holding onto the cheque for now and thinking about it. But the council has already granted the land and the heritage buildings at a peppercorn rental. When building starts, ASB Community Trust will hand over $4.5 million towards the theatre, rehearsal rooms, bar and cafe. Spending millions of public money on a new theatre when at least half a dozen are dotted around the city, is always going to raise hackles. Q Theatre general manager Susanne Ritzenhoff says, yes, there are other venues. But there is a gap for a purposebuilt venue with 350 to 400 seats. "If the place is too small, it's hard to make it viable. It takes about three weeks [of a production] to break even," she says. "If a venue is much bigger, the overheads are so much more." Ms Ritzenhoff can outline the deficiencies at the existing venues, but wouldn't want to appear critical of them. The Maidment is the obvious one to consider as it has a similar capacity of 450. The university-owned theatre is booked almost two years ahead. It doesn't seem the university will shed crocodile tears if a rival venue opens. It has been suggested the Maidment will be exclusively for university events once the Q's curtain goes up. Its director, Paul Minifie, confirms the university has been considering how the Maidment fits with its campus plans. "In terms of taking it back, or whatever you call it, there is nothing firm on that. At present, it is a university facility that is used for campus events, community events and public productions," he says. "At present, we are continuing to look at 2008 and 2009 as normal." Ms Ritzenhoff says whatever happens to the Maidment, Auckland will always lack performing arts venues: "Wellington has five venues around 500 seats. Brisbane is a similar size to Auckland and they have seven." But why should the average ratepayer pay $35,000 for a posh theatre for the idle rich? Ms Ritzenhoff says the benefits go into the wider community. "It trickles down," she says. "People in this scene are inspired to go out and provide resources for community theatre. This then goes on to inspire people in schools. Performing arts is part of the curriculum now and these students can come back and see the people who provide the inspiration in an appropriate setting. "A well-founded performing arts culture will spread out across an entire city." According to Statistics NZ, Auckland City is the country's fastest growing centre of creative industries, with employment growing nearly three times the industry's national rate.