First ingredient sinews of war the rooms

The "Lion King" at the Théâtre Mogador It is him. The "Zorro" orchestrated by the Gipsy Kings to the Folies Bergère He is also. "Tropicana", the next Holiday on Ice Still he... Difficult to side: these days, the producer of Stage Entertainment music shows appears everywhere. Still unknown, the company was founded by Joop van den Ende, a passionate Dutch of the genus. The business man is none other than the "Ende" "endemol", including the "success story" audiovisual production company enabled, through the sale of its shares in 1998 to start a new challenge: import Broadway in Europe. An offensive launched from his arty HQ, located in the heart of the cultural quarter of Amsterdam, and which is based on a recipe developed with care.

First ingredient, sinews of war, the rooms. The five scenes head leased in the "off" of Broadway, which constitute its Observatory of trends, Joop van den Ende has also put hand over 30 theatres in Europe (Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, France, Russia). Some belong to him in her own, others are leased long-term. His productions can settle in the long term. Hamburg, "The Lion King" is the poster for eight years and 6.3 million sold tickets! In the port city, a hotel on six room is reserved by a viewer of Stage Entertainment, which manages five theatres.

Rooms renovated at great expense

Each time, selected rooms are gems, and important work are engaged. In France, this is the case with Mogador, bought 5.5 million euros, or with the Folies Bergère, leased to "zorro" and "Cabaret", a show remained eighteen months to the poster, which attracted no less than 350,000 spectators. At Mogador, the basement was dug and the equivalent of two Olympic swimming pools of rubble evacuated to make room for the pit orchestra, les loges, technique and air conditioning, previously non-existent. The overall Bill reached EUR 60 million. The Teatro Nazionale in Milan, for twenty-two years, has received, to a "lifting" to 23 million euros. The average gauge chosen by Stage Entertainment is of 1,500 seats. Below, it is not cost-effective. Above, the emotion is not the same. "We do not want the French usual model of musicals that invest a few months of very large rooms; "it is easier but it is not our philosophy", says the Executive Director of the French subsidiary, Sandrine Mouras.

A "very calculated risk."

Second ingredient, the quality of the performances, whether it's creations as "Ciske de Rat", whose performances come to finish the Hague, and "Sister Act", in London, or times adapted to the local public, such version flamenco "Zorro" in Paris, very different from the one mounted in London by Stage Entertainment. Not only Joop van den Ende collaborates with the world's top producers such as Disney Theatrical ("Tarzan", "The Lion King", "Aida"...), Littlestar ("Mamma Mia!"), Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Really Useful Group ("Cats", "The Phantom of the Opera", "Jesus Christ Superstar"), etc., but in addition, it moved aggressively on the means. "He did withdraw"joe"show a decor of 45.000 euros aircraft because it was not persuasive to the", commented Maarten van Nispen, spokesman for the company. A "Joop van den Ende Academy", rich in 14 studios, was created in Hamburg to compensate for the lack of schools specialized in musicals. This requirement has earned the group shows many awards. "The Lion King" won three molières in 2008. Across the Atlantic, "42ndStreet" won 13 "awards".

If the cost of production of "Zorro", "beauty and the beast" or "Cabaret" is valued at EUR 5 million, those of "Tarzan", seen by a Dutch ten show, reached EUR 16 million. An equivalent expenditure was incurred when the show was presented in Germany in a reworked version. "Spiderman", Stage Entertainment will be in New York in July, displays rumor a record $ 40 million addition: the highest in the history of Broadway! The success of attendance generally provide a return on investment in one year. For very ambitious shows like "The Lion King" or "Tarzan", the time may be longer. "The very calculated risk is depreciated because we play permanently a 30 shows draining 14 million visitors per year", says Henk Kivits, CEO.

Third ingredient, a sharp marketing, under the leadership of Joop van den Ende, "blows" man come to reality TV. For "Mary poppins" or "Evita", he thus organized the "casting shows" in the course of which the public decided who would have the primary role. Not less than 10 of the cost of production are devoted to marketing and promotion. France television program a sequence of four minutes on "zorro" for Eve 40 singers and dancers escorted technicians move in the studio of la Plaine-Saint-Denis to be the best possible recording. Is it to satisfy the most demanding press of the quality of the "Lion King" at its launch A 300 page book dedicated to the Director, Julie Taylor, is carried out to promote this artist, appreciated by Jessie Norman Anthony Hopkins, sought for operas, ballets, feature films. "And say that it is in musical theatre, not in amusement park show", insists Arnaud Cazet, marketing manager. When "Cabaret" needs to more visibility, a partnership is mounted with showcases spring lingerie or Lancel stores...

Peoples and red carpet

Each show is under a communication a year before the launch, then birthdays reminder. Short programs are designed to YouTube or Facebook; specialized bloggers are invited to the "media day" organized for each first, followed the aftermath of an evening with red carpet, peoples, photographers...

Side box office, "we work with all of the circuits and a pool of consumption within a radius of 300 kilometres," says Sandrine Mouras. Also See Tickets International, platform for direct reservation among the global leaders, with Stage Entertainment has close links, collaborations were mounted with Venteprivée, works councils, specialized distribution, hypermarkets, kiosks, activation... The "yield management" is erected in dogma. In 2008 and 2009, "The Lion King" guaranteed a 90 average filling rate. Alone, to award 12 of the entries in the Parisian theatres.

Growth ambitions

Finally, the miracle of Stage Entertainment recipe is a strong corporate culture, instilled by a charismatic leader. A family Catholic, large and small, Joop van den Ende, initiated in the theatre by a social worker, was able to keep a proximity with its staff. "It is a human enterprise, to help, sharing expertise", observes Caspar Gerwe, Member of the management in the Netherlands. Amsterdam, during the "management meetings" international organized every six weeks, the musical shows from around the world are dissected. Sole shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Joop van den Ende has free rein to its projects. He hopes to climb "The neverending story", based on the successful film, and have at end of three or four theatres in every European metropolis. Stage Entertainment turnover increased by 10 in 2009, despite the crisis, reaching EUR 660 million. The objective is to carry 1 billion within three or four years. As the numbers, they would be more 4,000 employees currently (including 65 of artists) to 5,000.

In her Office overlooking the Rijksmuseum, the businessman who would have wanted to be an artist impatiently expects the premiere of "mamma Mia!" in the fall to Mogador, as the musical is a difficult to develop in the French capital. Then its Parisian success, in his theatre in the English where its shows American background, the Dutch enjoyed...

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