Flanagan's
Wake celebrates one-year anniversary...
MAYOR RANDY KELLY TO HELP FLANAGAN'S
WAKE CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY IN ST. PAUL
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, February 7, 2002---The Brave New Workshop
Comedy Theatre (BNW), founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958, is pleased
to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Flanagan's Wake in downtown
Saint Paul with an open house on February 19, 2002. Assisted in part
by $60,000 in Cultural STAR grants from the City of St. Paul, Flanagan's
Wake has breathed new life into the historic Saint Paul Palace Theatre.
The upcoming open house will acknowledge and thank the many individuals,
organizations, and ghosts who have continued to support the theatre.
The anniversary open house is scheduled from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
and will include a brief program featuring St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly,
the cast of Flanagan's Wake, Irish music, and a dead man in a box.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour the unique Palace
Theatre and enjoy some snacks, beverages, and an open bar in the Irish-themed
pub.
In reviewing the first year in St. Paul, it was determined that Flanagan
was very busy for a dead man. In fact, Flanagan (and the Palace Theatre)
played host to a variety of corporate meetings and community events;
32 weeks of improvisation/acting classes; the Tuesday Tourist program;
and BNW's Six Ring Circus shows. During Flanagan's first year:
- more
than 13,000 people paid their respects to Flanagan and enjoyed the
show;
- Flanagan's
Wake was performed 205 times;
- audiences
suggested 157 different causes of death for Flanagan;
- ticket
sales exceeded $500,000;
- 195
groups and 30 holiday parties attended the show and
- more
than 7,000 heads of cabbage, 39,000 potatoes, 26,000 butter cups,
and countless pints of Guinness were served.
In further
analyzing the first year performance of Flanagan's in St. Paul, the
economic assessment team of the Brave New Workshop once again determined
that Flanagan's Wake also generated approximately:
- $14,100
in sales tax on liquor and beer;
- $38,500
in city parking revenue;
- $130,000
in gross revenues for hotels and bars and
- $250,000
in gross revenues for local restaurants that supply food and beverages
for the show.
We suggest
that anyone interested in visiting the historic Palace Theatre and
celebrating Flanagan's cultural success in St. Paul on February 19,
2002, contact the Brave New Workshop at 612-377-8445. And, though
still dead, Flanagan accepts reservations for 7pm shows on Thursday
and Friday and 5pm shows on Saturday and Sunday. Simply call 612-332-6620
to reserve your tickets to the best wake you'll ever attend.
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