OZ Arts Cuts Prices, Adds Artists And Performances For New Season

OZ Arts Nashville has announced its new season lineup. It features more artists and performances — and lower ticket prices.

New artistic director Mark Murphy, who stepped into the role this spring, says that’s one of a few ways the contemporary performing arts center is looking to build bigger audiences.

In the past, most shows at OZ Arts have played a maximum of two nights. Starting this fall, Murphy says “there are three or four performances by most of the visiting artists, including the international artists from Japan, and Chile and Brazil.”

That’s more costly for OZ, but it hopefully means more tickets sold. And, Murphy says, it creates more opportunities for word-of-mouth promotion. That’s a staple for the kind of edgy work OZ puts on.

Murphy also programmed a high-profile performance with internationally renowned ballerina Wendy Whelan, in OZ’s first partnership with the Nashville Ballet and TPAC.

If it played at Oz, Murphy says, they’d “charge a higher-than-normal price for tickets [and] 250 people could have a very rich and rewarding experience.” By bringing the show to TPAC, Murphy says up to 1,000 people can see it — at significantly lower prices.

The new season also features more local artists, who will receive new box office incentives meant to boost OZ’s commitment to local arts.

For the full list of performers of the 2019-2020 season, visit the OZ website.