The report represents the first ever comprehensive analysis of sales data for theatres outside London. It found that 2014 was a stronger year than 2013, with a higher proportion of tickets sold and more cash value achieved.
Musical theatre accounted for £153m (38%) of total box office in 2013 and £162 million (39%) in 2014, signalling the genre's continued popularity across the UK. However, the report also showed an increasingly difficult market for plays: overall sales fell by 278,000 in 2014 and on average auditoriums were only just half full.
UK Theatre president Rachel Tackley said: "The good news is that theatres throughout the United Kingdom continue to thrive despite the challenging financial climate. As the UK Theatre Awards demonstrate, regional theatres continue to produce some of the country's most exciting theatre despite unprecedented cuts to national and local funding.
Any Extras? - West End theatre-goers can be charged up to £18.50 for a programme, an ice cream and a glass of wine, according to research carried out by The Stage. Audiences will be paying the most for extras when seeing Elf at Dominion Theatre, which also has the West End's most expensive tickets - with premium seats costing £240. With the cost of wine, ice cream and a programme on top of the seat price, a theatregoer could pay up to £258.50 on a single night out at a theatre in London.
The average price of buying all three extras across the West End is now £12.45. Added to the average top ticket price across the West End (£86.78) this totals almost £100 for an evening at the theatre, while on top of the average cheapest ticket (£20.13) it comes to £32.58. The cheapest venue to purchase all three extras together is the National Theatre's Temporary Theatre, largely due to the £1 price point for a programme. These are usually less extensive than the average West End programme.
Open Auditions - Motown the Musical is to hold open auditions for two starring roles in its West End cast. The upcoming production - which previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre from 11 February - has announced an open casting call for the parts of Marvin Gaye and the young Michael Jackson. Auditions will be held this week. For the role of Gaye, producers have stated on the musical's website that they are seeking "charismatic male black and mixed race performers with excellent tenor soul/pop voices", who must be 5ft 10in or over. Boys hoping to play the young Michael Jackson must be "black or mixed race", aged between 8 and 12, have unbroken voices and be smaller than 4ft 11in.
X Factor - Simon Cowell has been honoured with the Music Industry Trusts Award in London. One Direction presented their mentor with the award during a tribute-filled ceremony. Cowell was honoured with the 24th MITS Award in recognition of his contribution to music, entertainment and charitable causes. Previous honourees include Sir Elton John, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Tom Jones and Kylie Minogue.
Return of the Roses - The Stone Roses have announced three major shows next summer, their first for three years. The group will play at the Etihad Stadium in their home city of Manchester on 17 and 18 June and at the T in the Park festival on 8 July.
(Jim Evans)
