Despite a drop in attendance compared to previous years, the Théâtre de Verdure continues to draw crowds to the heart of Parc La Fontaine in Montreal. Although rain was a part of one show out of three, more than 33,000 people attended one of the performances this summer. Among the multidisciplinary offerings, the dance shows were the most unifying, a first.
“We’re really happy! This is the third year since the reopening, and I think we’ve found our audience,” confided in an interview Élisa Belhache, development agent for the City of Montreal and responsible for programming and managing the theatre.
After eight years of being shut down for major renovations, the outdoor amphitheatre resumed operations in 2022. That year, more than 42,000 people attended one of the 31 performances. By 2023, the number of spectators had already dropped to 36,000 (over 33 events). That figure is down again this year, with the city estimating that the programming attracted 33,000 people, which includes those who reserved their seats for the Rubberband dance company’s performance on Thursday night, which closes the season.
The city attributes this decline mainly to unpredictable weather conditions. Between rain, storms and heat waves, 11 shows took place in “difficult” conditions, which reduced attendance. The creation of dance and circus LORCA Project d’Ezdanza has been postponed by one day, while two shows have been cancelled: a concert by the group Banitsa and a presentation by the Ligue nationale d’improvisation that was to tackle the classics of Michel Tremblay. The latter has already been scheduled for next season.
“The special thing about theatre is that you can put on a show even when it’s raining, because the artists are sheltered on stage. The audience is in the rain. […] “It certainly has an impact on attendance,” Mr.me Belhache, figures to support it. For this season, the average number of spectators per performance is 1165. It drops to 604 on rainy evenings.
Already in 2023, weather conditions led to the postponement of one show and the cancellation of another, while 10 evenings were disrupted by rain, thunderstorms or smog.
Mme Belhache also recalls the winning conditions that led 42,000 people to attend the theater in 2022. “It was the reopening, people were talking about us everywhere, all the time. […] People wanted to attend shows just to see the renovated theater sometimes.” The weather was also much more clement since only one show was canceled and only one other took place in the rain. She also mentions the pandemic factor: in 2022, many Quebecers spent their vacations in the province.
Dancing attracts crowds
Usually, it is the music shows that attract the most people, but this year, dance broke records. The average attendance for dance performances (6 shows out of 32) was 1,454, which is about 25% higher than the average attendance for all disciplines (1,165).
The urban dance event presented by the organization 100Lux on August 7 is also at the top of the list of the most popular shows of 2024, with a total of 2,426 spectators. The contemporary dance company Catherine Gaudet is in 4e place with 1975 spectators.
According to Mme Belhache says free shows can encourage more people to experience a dance show, which they wouldn’t necessarily do in a theater given the price of tickets. “It’s easier to take the risk when it’s free. If they don’t like it, they get up and leave. In the end, the majority stay and enjoy it.”
“It’s fabulous to see this interest in dance,” says the executive director of the Regroupement québécois de la danse, Parise Mongrain, who applauds the diversity of styles presented at the Théâtre de Verdure. She sees enormous potential for developing new audiences. “In the audience, there are people who are into dance, but also a lot of curious people. It’s beautiful to see older people discovering and appreciating dance. street dance ” she notes.
“The challenge is to bring this audience into the theater afterwards. The price is sometimes a barrier to discovery, but it’s worth paying to see a show,” she continues.
After the dance, it was the music shows that most attracted the public. There was something for everyone, from Diogo Ramos (2e of the prize list), the Metropolitan Orchestra (3e), Michel Rivard (5e), Soleil Launière or even Thierry Larose.
On the other hand, the three shows aimed at children—an addition to the 2024 program—did not find their audience, reaching an average of 593 spectators. “It didn’t work as we thought. Maybe we need to review the offer or the schedule. Or maybe we just don’t have the network of contacts to reach families,” suggests Élisa Belhache, suggesting changes for the next season.