Putting the Business in Show Business
On Jan. 1 RIC alumnus Alan Chille ’82, Hon. D.F.A. ’16, took the helm as president and CEO of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), the second largest theater of its kind in New England.
Best known for its touring Broadway productions, PPAC consistently ranks among the top 10 entertainment venues of its size nationwide.
Chille graduated from Rhode Island College with a B.A. in management. He served for more than 40 years as PPAC’s general manager, where he focused on the day-to-day operations and was noted by Professional Facilities Management for his “unsurpassed expertise in event operations, technical production, theater design, food and beverage operations and capital improvements to help drive new revenues and operating efficiencies.”
As CEO, he will focus on the long-term vision, in collaboration with the board of PPAC.
“I am honored,” he said, “by the recognition of our board of directors in choosing me to become the new leader of PPAC, and I am deeply appreciative of Lynn Singleton [former PPAC CEO and president] for the opportunity to work collaboratively with him all these years and for his confidence in supporting me as his successor. My intention is to continue to build upon, with the entire PPAC staff, all the great work we have accomplished together.”
Located in the heart of downtown Providence, PPAC was designed in 1928 as a movie palace by Rapp and Rapp. The interior reflects the opulence of the baroque era, replete with heavy red velvet curtains and gilded architecture. Today, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In this Q&A, Chille talks about this magnificent venue he has inherited, which has been a vital part of Rhode Island’s rich arts and cultural community.
Alan, you actually began your career in entertainment management while you were still a RIC student.
Yes, I managed the Rathskellar – RIC’s college pub. It was located in the lower level of the Student Union where the Beestro is now. We held what we called the Wednesday Nite Series, where we’d present comedians and rock bands. The thought was that because most bands played Thursday through Saturday, we could get them at a lower price on a Wednesday night. We also booked concerts in the Donovan Dining Center and the Walsh Gym, which was where the Murray Center is now. We had Jimmy Buffet and the J. Geils Band in ’78.
At that time, Lynn Singleton, who I am replacing as CEO of PPAC, was director of RIC Student Activities. He would book the entertainment at the Rathskellar and I would provide the beverages. It was the beginning of a long relationship. In 1983 Lynn was hired as executive director of PPAC. In 1984 he hired me as general manager.
What’s the theatre business like?
I think theatre is more of a lifestyle than a career because it’s late nights, it’s working on weekends, it’s working when everyone else has gone home. I find that people come here to work for a week and then say, “You guys are crazy” and leave, or they get bitten by the bug and they’re here forever.
In terms of what we do, PPAC is a touring house. We present shows rather than produce shows. We’re managers. We make decisions on which touring shows to bring in, and we rely on the people who bring us the shows to take care of the artistic side of things.
Our staple is Broadway touring shows. We’re always trolling to see what Broadway shows are being presented in New York and which ones will go on the road. Then we put together a subscription series for the year. We have two series: the Main Series and the Encore Series. Then we fill in around the Broadway shows with a wide variety of other shows. You might see a comedy show, a dance act and a high school graduation – all within two-and-a-half weeks. The fact that we’re not just a Broadway house but do multiple genres is exciting.
You’ve witnessed more than three thousand shows during your tenure at PPAC. What does theatre give you?
One of the things that’s so great about the entertainment world and the theatre business is that you get an immediate reward. As soon as people walk through the door, the feedback is immediate. People come to the theater to be entertained. They’re coming to have a great time. And when the show is over, you immediately see the good that came out of that experience for them. We create memories for people. That’s what makes this work meaningful.
What I try to instill in our staff is that when people come to a show, it may be the only show they see here in five or ten years, so it’s important to overdeliver on patron amenities and give them the best experience possible.
As president and CEO, how do you measure success?
Success is providing great entertainment for the community and being fiscally responsible. Often where theaters fail is they aren’t able to sustain themselves financially. We’re fortunate in that we’re able to pay our bills from our ticket revenue alone. We only do fundraising for community outreach and brick-and-mortar renovations.
What kind of community outreach do you do?
Part of our mission as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit is to create educational and community programs. We have an arts program, for instance, that enables over 30,000 elementary and middle school students in Rhode Island to experience live theatre at PPAC at no cost. We have another program where every sophomore high school student in the state of Rhode Island can see a Broadway play for free. We pay for transportation, bussing the students here. We also offer educational programs like training workshops for aspiring artists. Right now, we spend about one million a year on both community outreach and education. My goal as CEO will be to continue to grow these programs.
A lot of your outreach is focused on young people. Why?
I think it’s important to grow new audiences – young audiences – who haven’t been exposed to live theatre before. Hopefully, they will become our future audience.
Along with fundraising for outreach, you said you raise money to renovate PPAC?
Yes, part of our capital improvements is the restoration of the historic building. PPAC was originally built as a movie theater. Part of our mission is to restore the building and to make sure it remains on the National Register. When we do a restoration project, we work with the state agency for historical preservation to be sure that we’re being historically accurate.
What are your biggest priorities for the next six to 12 months?
As president and CEO, I now have more people who report to me. I will be coordinating goals with all the various departments and continuing to grow our outreach programs. I’ll also be more involved in New York, seeing shows and working with producers.
What keeps you up at night?
We’re constantly concerned that the Broadway industry remains successful, because we draw our product from Broadway shows. What keeps me up at night is the fact that the last mega musical was “Hamilton” and there hasn’t been a new major blockbuster on Broadway since then. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Broadway shows have not been able to sustain themselves and stay open as long. That’s the food chain we rely on. We want that food chain to continue.
How do you see the theatre industry evolving?
The theater is always going to be a place where people assemble to see live performances. I don’t see that piece changing.
Do you think the theatre industry will face the same challenges that movie theaters are facing now – a decline in audiences?
The film industry is a little different because you can subscribe to Netflix and watch a film from the comfort of your own home. You can even replicate the movie theater experience by buying a big screen and adding surround sound and the like. But watching a Broadway show on a screen is not the same. It’s the live experience that appeals to people. If you can bring people to see a live performance, it changes their lives.
For many years you’ve consistently given back to RIC. You established the Alan Chille Leadership Award for RIC students and you are co-secretary of the RIC Alumni & Foundation. What has RIC given you?
RIC gave me the ability to be where I am and to accomplish what I have. My time at Rhode Island College was both involvement in academics and in student activities. I was a member of the RIC Programming Staff, I was Student Union attendant, I was building manager, then manager of the Rathskellar and eventually assistant director of Student Activities in the year I graduated. RIC has been invaluable in preparing me for this role.
Learn more about RIC’s B.S. in management program.