Dear Editor,

Opera House Entertainment

Thompson?s Opera House has had great, but all too brief run of live entertainment in the last year and a half. It now appears that the era is over. In order to continue to bring in entertainers, it is imperative that the number of people coming to the shows brings in enough money via ticket sales to cover paying the entertainer, plus the cost to promote the show. During last years summer and fall season, everything went great, so we all got ?conditioned? into thinking it was something the community wanted, and would support by attending.

This year has been a completely different story. The attendance for the shows started low and just got worse. During last month I lost over $1000.00 presenting the Melanie Devaney and the Mary Kye shows. I have no idea what happened this year, but this is just not sustainable.

Entertainers are booked on their financial needs. Some will do a percentage split of the ticket sales, and others require a guarantee. What I have learned is that I need to get 100 people or more to attend each show to break even. THERE IS NO INCOME OR PROFIT in presenting these shows. It is just a venture to bring some ?culture? and live entertainment to our remote community of Northern Lincoln County. Based on the attendance numbers this year, it seems that NO ONE IN NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY CARES ABOUT OR WANTS this entertainment. If that?s the case, I have heard the voice of the people, and realize that I was trying to bring something to us that no one wanted. I?m afraid that IT?S OVER.

Leslie Derkovitz