Chloe Veltman makes a case for doing away with opening nights. Interesting idea - especially for smaller/nomadic theater companies. Opening night is typically not a true gauge of the show simply because there's a push to paper the crowd, so there's a friendly audience when the critics come. But in my experience this has backfired a few times, a few dismal, half-page in what was then the San Francisco Examiner times.
One of the best reviews I've gotten came when a critic showed up to a show (late in our run) that had an audience of less than twenty (and who knew why those people came?) Incidentally, that review packed the house the following weekend.
While we're on it. There's also a push by venues to make opening nights into some sort of carnival. Like it isn't enough to do a good show, you've got to have a DJ or some other such frou-frou to amuse the crowd post-show as they nibble on goodies and drink wine that your struggling company can't afford to buy.
It's good to mark the event for the cast. But as someone who's questioning how and why she produces theater, this is good food for thought.
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