By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
October 4, 1999
“Bluff'”
To Oct. 24
Victory Gardens Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln
Tickets, $25-$30
(773) 871-3000
Daniel J. Travanti, Ethan Hawke and Teri Hatcher all are actors best known for their work in films or on television. But in recent years, each of these stars has been wooed by a local theater company to star in its latest production of “fill-in-the-blank.”
Hatcher sang and danced in “Cabaret” this past June. Hawke headlined “Buried Child” in 1995 at Steppenwolf. And now you can watch Jon Cryer – still remembered by many as the erstwhile Duckie from “Pretty in Pink” – star opposite real-life girlfriend Sarah Trigger (“Turks”) in the Victory Gardens Theater world premiere of “Bluff.”
“I would like to think that it’s my glowing talent that got me cast in `Bluff,’ ” says Cryer, laughing. “Did I get cast because I’m a `star’? If casting me can get people to come to the theater, that’s great. But I think that Chicagoans support theater regardless of who’s in the cast.”
It’s a different story in Los Angeles. Back there, Cryer says, filling even a 99-seat theater was difficult.
“When people with marquee recognition are hired by theaters, it certainly is with an awareness that there may be a potential impact on the audience,” says Martha Lavey, Steppenwolf’s artistic director. “It’s what motors Broadway at the moment. The conventional wisdom about a Broadway show is that unless it has a star, the show can’t open or sustain itself. Producers are very aware of that. I think it’s fortunate that in Chicago we’re not star dependent.”
Chicago may not be star dependent, but when a familiar face joins the cast, it’s generally reflected in the ticket sales.
“Casting a celebrity has a huge impact at the box office,” says Steve Scott, associate producer at the Goodman Theatre. When Brian Dennehy starred in `Death of a Salesman,’ his shows tended to sell out faster than some of the others. We extended it for two weeks – which was as long as we could because we had another production coming in – but we could’ve extended it for several more weeks.”
Adds Eileen Boevers, co-artistic director for Highland Park’s Apple Tree Theatre, “Name recognition certainly helps because people know the quality of work to expect. When Travanti starred in `Wicked Old Songs,’ we had a huge boost in single ticket sales.”
The fact is, familiarity sells. In focus groups last year, the Arts and Business Council asked participants what would make them go to the theater more. The No. 1 answer was familarity with what they were about to see.
“It doesn’t take a lot to make people familiar,” says Marj Halperin, executive director of the League of Chicago Theatres. “The name of a star usually fits the bill, because then people identify with something they know.
“You can also get that from a well-known show name, playwright or theater company. A lot of people may never have heard of the Lookingglass until all the press came out about (`Friends’ star) David Schwimmer being one of its founders.”
