During a work session last month, Wheeler Opera House Executive Director Mike Harrington told Aspen City Council that the community wants more high-profile, world-class acts, like Jerry Seinfeld.
Harrington said these marquee acts will bolster the Wheeler’s existing programming and international reputation.
But at what cost?
Arts and Culture Reporter Regan Mertz spoke with Aspen Daily News’ Lucy Peterson to talk about what this means for ticket prices and artists fees, as well as what city council members think.
Regan Mertz: So, the Wheeler’s Mike Harrington referred to getting marquee acts as a “layered investment” during the work session.
What does this actually mean?
Lucy Peterson: Harrington said getting these marquee acts would bolster the Wheeler’s programming and enhance its reputation as a world-class venue. He described the types of acts the Wheeler pursues in four different categories or tiers. A majority of artists they get are what Harrington called Tier 1 and 2 artists. Those make up about 90% of programming and often cost $50,000 or less to book the performer.
A marquee act would fall into Tiers 3 and 4. These performers could cost the Wheeler more than $100,000, but they’re often bigger-name artists. Harrington said the artists Jazz Aspen Snowmass booked for their JAS Labor Day Experience would all fall into those two top tiers, like Imagine Dragons and Lenny Kravits.
Mertz: Has the Wheeler had these types of marquee acts before?
Peterson: The Wheeler has had a number of marquee acts in the past, and a lot of them have been part of the Wheeler’s annual Laugh Festival. In 2022, Jim Gaffigan headlined Laugh Fest, and the Wheeler paid about $70,000 for his two sold-out performances.
The most recent marquee act at the Wheeler was Jerry Seinfeld, who headlined this year’s Laugh Fest. It was Harrington’s first major artist that he booked since he took over the executive director role in September and generated a lot of buzz in the community. Seinfeld’s two performances in March also sold out.
Mertz: So, the Wheeler makes money from performances like Seinfeld’s, as well as from rent from Aspen Public House and the Aspen Collective art gallery, but it also gets some funding from the arts and culture Real Estate Transfer Tax, which would generate $7 million this year.
So, it’s a publicly funded institution by Aspen residents … But both Harrington and the city declined to release how much they paid Seinfeld this year.
Why is this?
Peterson: I submitted two different requests to the city for the payment details for Seinfeld’s two performances at the Wheeler, and was denied both times. The city attorney’s office told me the details were exempt from open record laws because they were deemed trade secrets and confidential commercial and financial information.
Harrington also declined to tell me Seinfeld’s payment details and later told me that it is industry practice to not disclose artist fees.
He says if word gets out that the Wheeler is disclosing how much they pay for artists, it would be difficult to book any marquee acts. However, they have disclosed artist fees in the past, including those of Tier 3 and Tier 4 acts.
The contract, which is accessible online, did include the revenue potential from ticket sales, and showed that if the Wheeler sold 501 tickets at different price levels, which is the capacity of the Wheeler, the gross potential for two performances was $413,300.
Mertz: Speaking of tickets, as Harrington pursues more marquee acts, how will that impact ticket prices?
Peterson: These artists will definitely require more expensive tickets. For context, 126 of the 501 available tickets for Seinfeld cost $1,000 each.
But Harrington says the newly re-launched Wheeler Insider Program, which gives locals priority for show announcements and special ticket pricing, will help keep costs low for locals and sometimes give early access to ticket sales.
Those tickets will have to be offset with a higher ticket price for the general public, probably catered to a more tourist audience.
Mertz: And what did the Aspen City Council tell Harrington about moving forward with these marquee acts?
Peterson: City council was very enthusiastic about the idea of getting more marquee acts.
Harrington originally asked for their blessing to create about 10% of the Wheeler’s annual programming with these types of artists, but they told him he should shoot for more if he can.
They said they would be open to up to 15% of programming at the Wheeler consisting of more high profile artists, but that will cost the city and Wheeler patrons more, so it will be a balance moving forward.
Mertz: Well, thank you so much for being here, Lucy.
Peterson: Thanks so much for having me, Regan.
