Metropolis has appointed a new executive director, who plans to bring more prominence to the local theater and lead the company out of its current financial woes.
Charlie Beck, an Arlington Heights native and resident of Palatine, will run the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre after its former director, Jim Jarvis, stepped down this fall after three year to take a job that allowed him to spend more time with his family.
Beck bring a unique background as a marketer for medical supplies and as an actor, who has performed several times with Metropolis, including a stint as the Ghost of Christmas Present in Metropolis’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Beck worked with several pharmaceutical companies marketing and branding their products and medications. But, he said he got tired of working on the corporate side and began a marketing consulting business.
After owning his own company for 10 years, he decided to go back to his first love, performing arts, and began acting. He estimates he has been in about 30 or 35 different shows in the Chicagoland area in the past decade.
When he heard about the open executive director position at Metropolis, he pounced at the opportunity.
But it will be a challenge for the veteran businessman. Metropolis officials recently asked the Arlington Heights village board for a $75,000 loan to keep the business afloat for the rest of its fiscal year, which ends April 30. The board agreed to lend them the money, but Metropolis must repay the loan.
“Fundamentally, we’re in pretty good shape,” Beck said. “What caught the business off guard was that the box office in the first half of our fiscal year was very, very soft.”
He expects the theater will gain some ground with new shows early next year, during a time he calls the “sweet spot” for the theater.
The theater has seen a boost in sales lately, he said.
The company has been giving out discounted coupons for shows as well, and has seen a 10 percent return on those.
“We’re also trying to build strong community relationships,” Beck said. “That’s one of my goals for the future.”
The theater is looking for non-profits to partner with for shows in a program called Spotlight on Support. The non-profits would then encourage their members and donors to attend shows and the theater will give them 10 percent of its ticket sales in return.
Faith Community Homes will be the first sponsor for the show, “The Complete History of America (Abridged),” which starts its regular run Jan. 19.
The theater has also received a $3,000 donation, which was matched by another donor, to allow needy families to attend shows for free.
He hopes these moves will bring more attention to the theater and its upcoming shows.
“I think the future will be a lot stronger if we could generate more buzz at the box office,” he said.
