#47 - Shape-Shifting Stages: Inside the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts

<p>What does it take to run a venue that can literally change shape?</p><p>In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Jeff Thielke, Executive Director of the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, a one-of-a-kind Southern California venue with multiple configurations, a million pounds of moving infrastructure, and a history that includes everyone from Frank Sinatra to John Legend.</p><p><br></p><p>Episode Time Stamps:</p><p><strong>(04:02) Inside Cerritos’ Shape-Shifting, Multi-Configuration Venue</strong>History of the building, how long it takes to reconfigure, what it costs in labor, and how that impacts booking patterns and Broadway tours.</p><p><strong>(09:47) Is the Design a Blessing or a Headache? Proms, Flexibility &amp; Economics</strong>Jeff weighs the operational costs against the flexibility for proms, special events, and different types of shows across the campus.</p><p><strong>(15:20) From Sinatra to Today: Legacy, Location &amp; Audience Experience</strong>Stories about Frank Sinatra opening the venue, other major artists, the intimate feel, and the perks of free parking and nearby amenities.</p><p><strong>(23:17) Programming Strategy: Concert-Heavy Mix, Partners &amp; Co-Pros</strong>Breakdown of annual show volumes, music vs. Broadway, how co-promotion works, and why Cerritos shifted toward more collaboration with promoters.</p><p><strong>(32:03) Finding Prism: Fixing Calendars, Financials &amp; a Complex Building</strong>How Jeff moved from Google Calendar and spreadsheets to Prism, modeled each configuration as its own “stage,” and tightened up financial tracking.</p><p><strong>(40:11) What Insights Is &amp; How It Changes Deal Making</strong>Matt explains Prism Insights, and Jeff shares how real-time box office and streaming data help with ticket scaling, demand prediction, and negotiating offers.</p><p><strong>(46:01) City-Owned Venue Math: Taxpayers, Revenue Pillars &amp; Events Like Mango Fest</strong>Jeff walks through Cerritos’ three main revenue streams, the economic development mission, and examples of events that drive people (and spending) into the city.</p><p><strong>(52:35) Industry Health, Data Sharing &amp; Closing Reflections</strong>They talk about artist fees, venue closures, using Insights to build sustainable deals and develop artists, and close with thoughts on Prism’s evolution and the venue–software relationship.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:</p><p>Subscribe <a href="www.prism.fm/podcast/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>More on<a href="www.prism.fm">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Follow us on Instagram (<a href="www.instagram.com/prismfm">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>)</p><p>Follow us on LinkedIn (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/prism-fm/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>)</p><p>Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mford3">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0jD6mIhjUdWPDaXKPoKHDK?si=8e080025105f44fd">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> (Prism engineer!)</p>