As consumers are cutting back on entertainment spending due to the recession, some comedy club owners are finding creative ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality.
“I’ve been making changes here at Gotham Comedy Club,” Chris Mazzilli tells MSNBC.com. “One of the big keys for me was not to have our customers feel or notice any cutbacks whatsoever.”
Among Mazzilli’s cost-cutting practices are using green products, negotiating lower hotel room rates for big-name acts and reducing the number of spots featuring lesser-known comedians per show so the audience can enjoy seeing more of the headliner.
The downside is local up and coming comedians will have fewer spots; but the upside is we’re seeing a club owner maintain a high standard of producing and booking professional comedy shows with the audience in mind.
