Reno Little Theater—which will soon start its 91st season—announced plans to acquire Good Luck Macbeth Theatre, founded in 2009, in an Aug. 25 press release.
Reasons for joining forces, according to the press release, include “funding cuts, affordability and infrastructure challenges.”
As an example of affordability issues, Melissa Taylor, RLT’s executive director, said in a phone interview that her group budgeted $25,000 for materials for sets and costumes this season—“paint, nails, wood and all of those things.” The actual costs have been $6,000 more than budgeted.
“We’ve never run into that before,” Taylor said.
Eric Boudreau, RLT’s community engagement manager, mentioned another financial hurdle.
“Corporations, because their prices are going up for tariffs and all of that, they’re not giving as much support as they used to,” he said.
Said Taylor: “Part of why this merger makes sense is that we are in need of more space, because our programming has grown so much, and they (at Good Luck Macbeth) are in need of more structural support.”
As of 2019, RLT owns its building on Pueblo Street free and clear—an unusual arrangement for a performing-arts group in a city of this size. GLM leases a space on Taylor Street, in fast-appreciating Midtown.
RLT’s Melissa Taylor said her group budgeted $25,000 for materials for sets and costumes this season—“paint, nails, wood and all of those things.” The actual costs have been $6,000 more than budgeted.
Boudreau spoke about what the new arrangement will look like.
“For time being, RLT’s full-time staff is taking over operations of both spaces,” he said. GLM will dissolve as a nonprofit entity, and GLM board members are invited to join RLT’s board.
Boudreau said both theaters will remain in operation. “RLT is like the organizational structure, and then we have the GLM stage under the RLT umbrella,” he said.
The two groups have a longstanding, collaborative relationship. “We share costumes; we share artists,” said Boudreau. RTL already handles GLM’s ticketing.
“We do find that collaborating over competition is what’s going to get us through these unprecedented times,” said Boudreau.