Evaluating cultural industries: investigating visitors' satisfaction in theatres

Abstract

This study investigates visitors' satisfaction with their subjective experience in theatres. Reconciling research on theatre marketing and theatre studies, a model of visitors' satisfaction in theatre is suggested and an instrument to capture visitors' satisfaction and its determinants is developed. Results from a field study (n = 158) on three performances of ‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’ (Shakespeare) in a German community theatre revealed spectators' perception of stage direction and their emotional response as significant determinants. Comparing experienced to inexperienced visitors' judgements, no differences were found. Conclusions for theatre marketing are drawn.

Keywords:

• visitors' satisfaction in theatre
• subjective judgements
• experienced theatregoers
• inter-rater agreement

Notes

Since there was no music in the production of Twelfth Night or What You Will, this element was not considered in our study.

A sufficiently high inter-rater agreement is assumed if ICC_unjust = 0.70 is met (Wirtz & Caspar, 2002).