🔒Shubert Theatre’s new leader McDonald wants to recast, diversify playhouse’s personnel, programming

Anthony McDonald, the new vice president and executive director of New Haven’s Shubert Theatre, is aiming to make his tenure at the historic venue a transformative one.

His plans include making the 107-year-old theater a reflection of the diverse New Haven community, including what people see on and off the stage and in its staff.

It’s a tall order for the not-for-profit theater that has had its ups and downs over the last century, and this one, too, as it faces shifting markets, increased competition and changing tastes — not to mention a global pandemic.

McDonald, 32, succeeds John Fisher, who headed Shubert for more than 20 years. McDonald, a Howard University and Columbia University graduate, had previous experience in general, company, house and venue management.

Most recently, he worked with the Nederlander Producing Co. of America at the Minskoff Theatre (home to the musical “The Lion King”) and Gershwin Theatre (home to “Wicked”). He is one of the few African-American executives in the presenting field and he sees his position as one to further the arts and entertainment industry’s announced goals of equity, inclusion and access.

“I’m somewhat of a unicorn in this business where there are not too many Black men around the country doing what I’m doing with a theater of this size and revenue,” says the New Jersey native who started his job in March.

With a dramatically downsized staff because of the shutdown, McDonald says he has an opportunity to build an “almost all-new team that only knows me and the future — and who are not held back by the past. I made it no secret to the board that we had to do better to resemble multicultural New Haven in every way if we want the community to come to the theater.”

Financial challenges

Developing new and diverse audiences for the approximately 200 events it hosts every year is something that presenting and producing theaters across the country are grappling with, he says, especially as they face a fast-changing entertainment landscape.

Though it posted a surplus of $589,812 in the 2018-19 year, according to public filings, the Shubert Theatre faced deficits in the two previous years totaling more than $400,000.

The 2019-2020 season was halted in mid-March by the pandemic, contributing to a $717,002 loss for the fiscal year.

Since 2013 the Shubert has been owned and operated by the not-for-profit CAPA — Connecticut Association for the Performing Arts — whose parent company is CAPA Columbus [Ohio]. The theater was previously owned by the city since the 1980s and managed since 2001 by CAPA Columbus.

“We pay [CAPA Columbus] a fee for shared services but any type of profits we make stays right here in this community,” says McDonald.

The Shubert and other Connecticut theaters receive state financial support because of their economic impact on cities. The New Haven venue receives about $200,000 in annual state aid and will receive an additional $625,000 for each of the next two years because of financial losses from the pandemic.

The theater also received $2.53 million from the federal government’s COVID-related Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program and has a $4 million endowment, which spins off around $200,000 annually.

All of that funding is helping Shubert survive the pandemic.

The Shubert’s new development team, McDonald says, will be reaching out in significant ways to foundations, businesses and other entities to support his outreach plans.

The season ahead

McDonald acknowledges uncertain prospects of what lies ahead in terms of shows and audiences.

“This delta variant is still causing us issues,” he says.

The theater plans to reopen for the first time in 18 months in October, and will require mask-wearing and proof of vaccination, or a recent negative COVID test, reflecting the city’s current restrictions.

Children under 12 will not be required to be vaccinated or have a test but they must wear a mask. The policy will be in place through Oct. 31.

McDonald says he will oversee the 2021-22 programming and its 23 play dates that were established before he arrived. That includes a five-show Broadway series that begins with the tour of “Anastasia,” Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, and a sprinkling of other events.

He said the 2022-23 season, which he is currently planning, will include a fuller slate of engagements and better reflect his vision for the 1,600-seat venue.

Though he seeks a broader entertainment menu, McDonald is quick to point out “theater [shows are] not going away from the Shubert. The legacy is too big to say, ‘No more [Broadway] theater for us.’ That is not happening.”

But McDonald says Broadway shows are not always selling out at the Shubert, which doesn’t bode well for expanding that programming.

However, McDonald said he sees potential for Shubert, with its close proximity to New York, to host the lucrative building, rehearsal and launching of Broadway tours, as it has occasionally done in the recent past with shows such as “Amazing Grace” and “Jersey Boys.”

But the Shubert is at a disadvantage in competing with states like New York and Rhode Island, which offer tax credits to lure such productions. Though Connecticut has tax credits to attract outside film companies it has none for the creation of touring shows.

McDonald said he plans to work with legislators to change that.

Beyond Broadway

McDonald said he has already begun booking shows for the 2022-23 season, which will be announced in the spring. He has also begun conversations with Yale and the College Street Music Hall across the street about potential partnerships.

Shubert’s future goes beyond Broadway, he says, “which doesn’t connect for everybody. We need to be living out the fullness of a performing arts center doing more than just Broadway and recognizing that there is comedy, dance, music, jazz, lectures and other things we can do to integrate ourselves into this community to serve its needs and wants.”

“It starts with us diversifying the audience and making sure the community feels welcome here,” he continued. “Right now I’m like a grassroots politician who is trying to get out there and make sure people know who I am and that the Shubert has a new face. Sometimes it takes a different face for people to begin to feel a little bit more comfortable and welcome.”

McDonald says it will take time and patience for the theater to diversify its audience.

“To do things we had not been known for means it’s going to take time to develop that audience,” he says.