by John Pixley

I wanted to go to Ophelia’s Jump’s Midsummer Shakespeare Festival at the Sontag Greek Theatre on Pomona College’s campus last month. I really did, and I meant to. I have long been a fan of this theater company, which originated in Claremont, and thought it was cool that it staged this outdoor event in this nice, classy setting.

But, then, various things came up, and, before I knew it, it came and went. Among the reasons for this, I suspect one, perhaps subconsciously, was the price.

Tickets were $45. That’s $45 a pop.

Yikes!

Really. I thought of when I was doing some work at the Mark Taper Forum years ago and attended a meeting in one of its rehearsal rooms. It featured some movers and shakers in the Los Angeles theater world, including the Taper’s founding director and then Executive Director Gordon Davidson. A topic that was discussed was why many people weren’t attending live theater. It was agreed that a big reason was the price of tickets, that many people couldn’t afford to see plays. At the time, tickets at small theaters, not including the Taper, ranged from about $18 to $30.

I know that the folks at Ophelia’s Jump are very aware of this. Beatrice Casagrán, the company’s producing artistic director, is always pointing out that, while it wants its tickets to be affordable, it costs a lot, a whole lot, to put on a play, especially at its highly professional level. (Like I say, going to Ophelia’s Jump is like attending a play in Los Angeles without the traffic.) I really appreciate its pay what you can evenings when I can pay $20 or $25, something like what I can afford, and enjoy some world class theater a few minutes away.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option at the Midsummer Shakespeare Festival. It’s a reminder of how lucky, how spoiled I am — and we are — in Claremont, and not only with Ophelia’s Jump and its pay what you can evenings.

It’s so easy to take the colleges and their free musical offerings by student ensembles, faculty members, and esteemed guest artists for granted. A few years ago I was shocked when I went to see a friend sing in the choir at Chaffey College, and it cost $10 for a ticket. Maybe I was naive, but I had no idea that this is typical at other colleges. It just goes to show what we have here in Claremont. There’s also the live music on Friday evenings in the Village, the Monday evening concerts in Memorial Park during the summer and a number of free musical performances around town.

As Ms. Casagrán of Ophelia’s Jump always argues, it is important not to take all this for granted, not to take live theater, and all the other arts around us here, for granted. It is important to understand that the arts — dramatic, musical, visual arts, all the arts — have to be paid for, have to be supported. Yes, we can pay, pay more and more, for tickets, but it’s even better when the arts are supported and paid for with donations and our taxes so that more, including those who can’t afford to, can enjoy them.

God knows we all need the arts. They are called “the lively arts” for a reason: they put life into our lives. They make life all the more worth living. They open our eyes, open doors, open us to the world beyond what we know. They help us understand each other and others — so vital in this time of polarization and estrangement. This is all the more critical for those who are least able to plunk down $50-plus for a ticket.

Plus is right. Earlier this year, I was thrilled to see that Judy Collins was appearing nearby at The Canyon in Montclair. But when I called for a ticket for a wheelchair space — not a seat — I was told it was $72 plus fees and taxes. Even if I could afford it, paying this for a concert didn’t feel right, and I wouldn’t enjoy it.

There’s also the Laemmle Claremont 5 theater, hanging by a thread, begging for our support. I do my share, but it’s tough when the bargain matinee is $13.