A new performing arts venue that hopes to attract ASU students near the Tempe campus is struggling with attendance.
Venue 104, located on University Drive and Rural Road, opened in mid-August, and wanted to draw in students who would not usually attend performance events.
The venue is currently in its last weekend of its first theater run, Mr. Marmalade.
“We only had a 30 to 40 percent occupancy each night,” said Venue 104 owner Michael Peck.
Less than 10 percent of the attendees were ASU students.
The low attendance rate among students could stem from two factors, Peck said: the stigma attached to attending theater shows and the newness of the venue.
But Peck hopes to run more offbeat, student-friendly shows, similar to Mr. Marmalade.
Written by Noah Haidle, Mr. Marmalade is about a little girl and her drug-addicted imaginary friend.
Peck said his goal is to make Venue 104 more accessible and affordable to the Tempe community.
“We want to do shows that appeal to the non-theater demographic — shows that are poignant and relevant,” Peck said. “Getting the average-Joe student to acknowledge theater is no easy feat.”
Venue 104 has achieved more success with concerts. Theater senior Kaleigh Prue attended the venue’s opening concert.
“It’s a very cool new place for the area,” Prue said. “There’s a nice café out front where I can picture people doing homework and then an awesome venue with high tables and a bar for older people.”
Sustainability freshman Jenny Strickland went to see her boyfriend, ASU alumnus Austen Mack, and his band Captain Squeegee, perform at Venue 104 on August 19.
“It was really nice, and there was good seating available,” Strickland said.
Mack enjoyed performing at the venue.
“The medium-sized room is great for all genres and benefits jazz, local bands, and smaller touring acts especially. I'm really excited for Venue 104; it's currently one of my favorite venues in the valley,” Mack said in an email interview.
Peck hopes the Venue will receive more customers after it hosts nationally touring bands in October. Weatherbox is coming on Oct. 7, Astronautalis on Oct. 13, and The Motel Life on Oct. 14.
In addition to its theater shows and concerts, Venue 104 hosts jazz jam sessions every Tuesday and acoustic nights every Wednesday.
Mr. Marmalade’s final performances will be this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 for ASU students, but can be reduced to $6 by using the promo code backtoschool while buying online at venue104.com.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter
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