Luck may be a lady, but the economy certainly isn't. All of Columbia's local theaters are feeling the crunch but in different ways. As household incomes tighten, competition for local entertainment dollars becomes fierce. Strategy in choosing productions is one key to making sure the curtain goes up on opening night.

Town Theater exceeded box office projections last year with the two smash hits "The Buddy Holly Story" and "Steel Magnolias." As they close this season with the crowd- pleasing musical "Guys and Dolls," Town has steeled itself for a downturn with the unveiling of the new season.

"We were looking toward the future and felt like we wanted to buffer ourselves and offer a season that people would definitely want to go to," said executive director Sandra Willis. "Name recognition plays a huge part in people wanting to come see things. The theme for next season is 'You know 'em, you love 'em, come see 'em."

Town has loaded its '09- 10 season with three well- known musicals, "The King and I," "Always, Patsy Cline," and "Annie Get Your Gun." The upbeat trend continues with the two remaining shows being comedies "Moon Over Buffalo" and "The Odd Couple." Willis hopes the familiarity of these shows will help pack the theater and entice sponsorships.

Over on Bull Street, the creative minds at Workshop Theatre are counting on a combination of novelty and edge to bring back the faithful and entice new audience members - something that worked for them last season.

"We've seen around a 25 percent increase in ticket sales," said executive director Elfi Hacker. "As a theater person thinking the world of the theatre I work with, I really think it has to do with the economic situation and that people are staying home and seeking worthwhile venues to entertain themselves. Visiting a theater and what it offers is something that's inexpensive and delivers a very meaningful experience."

Workshop's upcoming season is an eclectic blend of big musicals like "The Producers" and "The Best Little Whore House in Texas" and smaller, issue-driven dramas like "Same Time, Next Year," which deals with infidelity.

Unlike the community theaters, Trustus Theatre, the city's professional theater, saw a decline in ticket sales last year on all shows with the exception of musicals. Co- founder and managing director Kay Thigpen attributes the slowdown to a tightening economy and more people holding on to discretionary funds. Of the three, Trustus' ticket prices on average are higher.

Aside from competition and the economy, local theaters are also facing deep cuts in funding from sources like the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Cultural Council of Richland/Lexington Counties. The organizations depend upon those grant funds to help cover operating expenses.

This year they saw grants shrink by up to 20.2 percent across the board, and the outlook for next year doesn't look much sunnier.

"We don't anticipate getting any additional money," the South Carolina Arts Commission's communications director Milly Hough said. "We know there are going to be cuts next year. We're waiting like everyone else to see how the budget is going to come out. Anything can happen at the State House."

To offset these losses, the theaters are turning to alternate means like holding more fundraisers, seeking out sponsorships in the community, and small things like turning the thermostat up in the summer. Trustus plans to rent out its facilities and add more acting classes for adults to help generate revenue.

They are all doing what they can to keep the stage lights on and provide affordable, local entertainment.

"Every day you get more bleak pictures," Willis said. "But I'm an optimistic person, and I think we are going to pull out of this."