RUNNING: How do you decide when to cancel a performance?

[BeckyGG]

I actually had my second show ever cancelled last night.

The first time was an outdoor summer stock venue and we cancelled due to a rain-out .... pretty straight forward.

Last night, we experienced a catastrophic lighting equipment failure ... our board kept freezing beginning at about 1/2 hour, we were able to get it up and running and then it froze again at 5 minutes.  It unfortunately seemed to be a problem with the DMX, so we couldn't even hold a cue state on-stage - when the board froze the stage would go to black.  The work lights are somewhat dim in our theater, and not adequate for performing under.  (I actually would use stage lights for understudy rehearsals).  Luckily, my company manager was still around as curtain wasn't up yet and he was in touch with both the general manager and the producer.  Once we realized that there was nothing we could do to revive the board, and the limited work lights would not provide a safe show for the actors or an enjoyable show for the audience the producers' rep (the CM) and the venue staff decided the best course of action would be to cancel the performance.

[SMJkoo]

the only person who can be blamed for this is the producer. We have cancelled shows sometimes due to 2 or 3 people only in the audience, but it depends on the production. When we rent out the place, we continue no matter what. But, when it's one of our season's equity shows, we'd cancel, mainly because the power is in our hands, and equity does allow for these things.
other times, we do cancel because of bad weather, like this horri le storm blew in one night, and we had to cancel closing night - fire marshall's orders. But we did plan an encore performance the next week.

[MusicTheatreSM]

As an SM, it's not my responsibility to make the desicion to cancel a show. I currently work with a theatre where I am good friends with the executive director/producer. He makes all decisions regarding show cancellations.

This past winter here in Chicago, we had a lovely blizzard. We cancelled two of our shows that weekend. The first was because of the blizzard itself and lack of accessibility and safety to the theatre because of the snow. The second was because we had a Sunday evening show on Superbowl Sunday and no tickets had been purchased. We did have our Friday and Saturday shows that weekend, and even with the snow storm, we had a house of about 1/3 which wasn't too shabby. Had it not been for the blizzard, we would have sold out all three weekends of our run.

All the actors were willing to come in for the show Thursday after the blizzard, but so many people had called to change their ticket dates, that the producer would have lost money. The actors were pain on a per performance basis.

[Cedes]

I had only 30 people show up to a 1, 100 seat theatre a couple years ago because of weather.  We still did they show for those few brave souls who risked ice, snow, and wind to be there.  I'm pretty sure they were the best crowd we had. 

[Jessie_K]

I personally have never solely made the decision to cancel a show, but have been in involved in several cancellations.

Outdoor shows due to rain.  Usually pretty straight forward.  Including one show where a torrential downpour came out of nowhere about 80% of the way through the show.  It was amazing as audience, cast and crew all simultaneously made the decision to run for cover. 

Now that the shows I do rely very heavily on automated lifts, flying and scenery, if that system fails, there is no decision but to cancel.  This decision is made by people way higher up the food chain than the SM.

Most recently, we cancelled 2 performances because the air conditioning was down in the whole resort.  Again decision made by the upper management.