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He seems to know his audience. Three of the four members of the Monkees, which topped the pop charts 55 years ago, are now dead. But the sole survivor, Micky Dolenz, sold out two local shows in November. “Fans can’t get enough of these performers,” Onesti said.
Experts point out that his formula is perfect for the suburbs. Arny Granat, co-founder of Jam Productions more than 50 years ago and still producing shows all over Chicago, believes most Onesti shows are limited to nostalgic tours. Take 1970s band America, who are scheduled to play at Arcada next month. “They’re a great band, but I wouldn’t book them downtown,” Granat said. “They’re not going to sell stuff there. Ron has found a nice spot where he can be a big fish in a small pond in the suburbs.”
Onesti, who has a degree in marketing from DePaul University, started supporting Italian festivals and ballroom dancing in the 80’s, then the 16-inch Chicago softball league. He gave an in-race concert at the old Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero. About 20 years ago, when his calls to Arcada management went unanswered, he conceived the idea of hosting a concert in Arcada by the local Beatles, American English. He drove to St. Charles to investigate.
“They were getting ready to convert this beautiful old theater into a medical office. The dumpsters were already in the street,” recalls Onesti. “This place has been neglected and falling apart, but I saw the potential in it for live entertainment. I signed the lease even though I didn’t know what I was doing. I was following my passion. Call it youthful ignorance —I thought I could solve any problem.”
It was a slow start with a small audience. But Onesti studied the market and worked hard, traveling to meet all the right talent agents and learning the economics: most shows charge between $25,000 and $75,000 per night, hotel accommodations for performers and their entourage and Meals are taken care of by Onesti. He found that the most important thing is to treat talents correctly. “I did everything I could to make them comfortable, and eventually I became their friend,” he said. “It turns out they want to come back here again and again.”
Still, the economics are challenging. His bars and restaurants generate significant revenue outside of ticket sales. Most other live theaters in the suburbs are usually not-for-profit, often in alliance with a university or municipality. Onesti is the rare producer to rely on a for-profit model, with a strategy of running shows in succession — Arcada lights up 300 nights a year.
His expansion may not be complete yet. Another vintage movie theater, the 1,000-seat Pickwick Cinema in Park Ridge (opened in 1928), is up for sale. Onesti said he was bidding on the place. “I like old places,” he said. “I love the stories found on the brick walls of these places.”
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