In a statement Batman said, "With the economy faltering and in my effort to be fiscally prudent, it is necessary to step back and re-evaluate our plans so that we may continue to produce the high-quality shows that our audiences have told me they want. We've built a lot of momentum over the last two seasons - a very short time by anyone's reasoning. In order to keep on an upward course, while all around us the ground is shaking, we think it best to re-schedule our production of Hello, Dolly! I don't want to cut corners and give our audiences a production that is less than it deserves to be or what they've come to expect."
New playing dates for the Jerry Herman musical will be announced at a later date. The company's 2009-2010 season will be announced within the next few weeks.
Batman added, "Hello, Dolly! ticket holders will receive full value and may request a refund or apply the unused amount to a new or renewal subscription, but it will certainly help our cash flow more if ticket holders apply the amount owed them to a subscription for the new season of Broadway Classics, which we intend to make more affordable than ever as part of our own economic stimulus package.
"Over the past two seasons the White Plains Performing Arts Center has enjoyed extraordinary critical acclaim and audience support, with subscriptions growing with every show and our seven major musical productions on budget and selling well. But the wobbly economy has recently stepped into a leading role here and we find that our contributed income is not where it should be. As I tell our audiences before nearly every performance, ticket sales only cover 30-35% of our annual operating expenses. Every other dollar needs to be contributed. To help us over this little bump in the road, we will be hosting a fundraising event, 'One Enchanted Evening,' on Monday, June 1, 2009 as a benefit for the theatre. Part of the evening's activities, which also features cocktails, dinner and a silent auction, will be an entertainment featuring some of the stars of the musicals that we've produced over the last two years, plus other celebrity appearances. Benefit tickets are on sale now at the box office."
The White Plains Performing Arts Center is located on the third level of City Center at the corner of Main and Mamaroneck in downtown White Plains, NY. For tickets or other information call (914) 328-1600 or visit the website at www.wppac.com. The company recently presented a production of A Little Night Music featuring a host of Broadway performers.
