THEATER: Stage One LV Birth Pains

  On April 1, a new theater magazine debuted in Vegas, and already its future is in doubt. The premiere issue, titled Stage One LV, was 32 glossy pages devoted to local theater productions. Most of the copy was written by the local troupes. After a single printed issue, though, the enterprise is now on the Web (StageOneLV.com). What happened?
  According to publisher Bill Schafer, "We had great hopes of making the magazine a financial success. Our supporters and cheerleaders were all enthusiastic about finally having a magazine in Southern Nevada dedicated to community theater, and we felt that when we finally had a hard copy in our hands, advertisers would be receptive to the idea. Unfortunately, the economy is just limping along, gasoline is expensive, retailers are sweating the rent, and very few people are buying advertising."
  The first issue seemed to be well-received, with several playhouses distributing copies of them along with their own program notes. But overall, it wasn't the local theaters who were buying ads. It was local businesses, and only a few were biting. Schafer says he's optimistic the mag will soon be back in print. In the meantime, he'll be updating the Internet version, which will include links to theaters' Web sites and audition information.