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Independent music venues remain among the most vital and vulnerable institutions in American live music. These spaces are where artists develop, communities form and local culture takes root. JamBase’s interview series with National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) member venues looks for insights into the history, challenges and rewards of running independent rooms across the country. This installment features a Q&A with Sellersville Theater’s Daniel Faga.
Sellersville Theater is a 325-seat room in Sellersville, Pennsylvania that books national and international acts across music and comedy. Its calendar has more than 50 shows between now and the end of December.
The independent venue’s website reads, “All seats are good seats here!” The theater offers memberships, allowing first access to tickets for the stage-side Cabaret area and the first four rows of seats. To limit third-party resales, ticket buyers outside a 750-mile radius must use the will call option and present a photo ID.
The building dates to 1894, when it was built as a stable for horses belonging to patrons of The Washington House. It became a movie theater in 1950, was gutted by fire in 1970 and reopened as Cinema 1894 in 1972. Owners William Quigley and Elayne Brick, who acquired The Washington House in 1985, converted the old stable into a live venue in 2002. The lobby and performer’s lounge were renovated in 2008, and the adjacent Washington House hotel and restaurant opened in 2016.
Among the upcoming shows at Sellersville Theater include Asleep at the Wheel on October 20 and Cowboy Junkies on November 5. Steve Earle plays November 6, The War and Treaty performs December 2 and Josh Ritter follows on December 8.
Daniel Faga has worked at Sellersville Theater for more than 20 years, logging 18 as Technical Director and now filling the role of the venue’s Booking Director. JamBase spoke with Faga about talent buying, what makes the theater special, supporting developing artists and more.
What drew you to working at an independent venue?
Sellersville Theater is the closest live concert venue to where I grew up. I performed in plays there as a high schooler, and later interned with the Technical Director while I was home on summer break from college. It was the first place I applied after graduating with a degree in music technology, and I found a happy home where I could learn and grow. I certainly didn’t know then that I would still be here more than 20 years later, or that I would eventually be booking the room.
Did you have a mentor or a formal background in the business, or did you figure it out as you went?
Before stepping into the Talent Buyer role, I was Sellersville Theater’s Technical Director for 18 years. During that time I watched our Talent Buyer work and developed an interest in the booking side of the business. When he retired, I applied to take his place, and we had about a three-month transition where I had direct access to his methods, experience and playbook. I’m two years into the job now, and I still learn something new every day. I expect I always will. Every artist, agent, audience and deal teaches me something.
What do you wish you knew when you started that you know now?
No risk, no reward. Sometimes you have to take a chance, see what happens and learn from it. If we only do what we already know will work, we’ll never discover anything new.
What are three things you wish concertgoers understood about what it takes to run an independent venue?
First, hospitality is a huge part of who we are. Our mission statement is to provide true hospitality to our artists and patrons. We believe the two go hand in hand. When artists feel comfortable, relaxed and well cared for, they’re able to give their best performance. Our entire staff works to create that environment, because taking great care of the artist helps us give our patrons the best possible show.
Second, part of our purpose as an independent venue is supporting new art and giving artists a place to develop, take chances and find an audience. We don’t expect every show to sell out. Sometimes 50 people discovering an artist is the beginning of something much bigger.
Third, buying tickets directly from our box office or website really matters. Third-party sites can look official while reselling our tickets at higher prices and fees, without supporting the venue or artist. Buying directly guarantees a legitimate ticket at the intended price, and your money goes to the actual people putting on the show.
What’s your favorite thing about Sellersville Theater?
The sound. The room is flat and dry, which means our engineers aren’t fighting the natural acoustics of the space. Combine that with great equipment and a staff of skilled, sensitive engineers, and we have something special.
I spent 18 years as the Technical Director, so I’m probably biased, but I’ve mixed shows in venues of all shapes and sizes around the country. Lots of rooms can make a loud show sound good. It’s much harder to make a quiet, intimate performance sound great. Sellersville Theater sounds good at any volume.
Is there a show or a moment at Sellersville Theater that you’ll never forget?
We lost power in the middle of a bluegrass concert one night, and the concert simply continued in the dark as if nothing had happened. The music literally never stopped. The band didn’t even acknowledge the darkness between songs – they just kept playing with no dip in energy. For those few songs there was no sound system, no lighting, nothing between the musicians and the audience. It was magical.
How do you approach booking? What qualities do you look for when you’re curating your calendar?
We’re always chasing diversity and balance. We need established favorites our audience already trusts, but we also need developing artists, different genres and new sounds that give people a reason to discover something. Profitability and artist development aren’t opposing ideas. Our most successful shows give us the ability to take chances on the next one.
What live music industry trends are you watching closely over the next couple of years?
We’re watching what happens to developing artists and rooms our size. There needs to be a path between playing bars and clubs and playing arenas. A room like ours can be where an artist learns to be a headliner, and where an audience gets to build a relationship with them before everybody else does. We want to make sure there’s still a healthy middle.
What’s your advice for someone who wants to open an independent venue today?
Do it, and do it right. Take care of your artists, patrons and community. More art is more better.
