Theatre and Social Media

Yes, another social media post. But I can't help it. I'm drawn to it. It's combining two things I'm interested in. Since I was in charge of monitoring the social media for a professional theatre and currently monitor the Facebook and Twitter sites for my university's theatre, I'm always interested in new ideas; Things I would like to implement if I could focus all my time on it.

The LA Times ran an article about how The La Jolla Playhouse is implementing social media as one form of marketing. They started a contest, "Your Life, Our Stage," in which people could submit stories about their lives through videos/photos/writings/etc. through Brickfish. The winner would have their story written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright, Doug Wright.

This is a great idea for two reasons:

1. It helps build a relationship with the consumer. The audience feels connected to the theatre because they were able to share a part of their life with them. They also get the comforting feeling that the theatre truly cares about their audience's lives, so this helps to build equity. For the winner, he or she will always have a connection to the theatre, and will pass on his or her story to friends, thus building a larger loyal audience.

2. The La Jolla Playhouse was able to combine marketing through social media with traditional marketing. By having their public make these submissions, the theatre is able to collect demographic data to get a better sense who their public is. This is a more creative way to collect this data than the typical questionnaire or audience survey.

Social Media is Taking Over

The Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship (GCCE) recently released an article about how theatres can effectively utilize social media. (article: http://culturalentrepreneur.org/blog/?p=398) Their ideas are interesting...

1. Live Blogging and Live Tweeting - This idea I'm not so keen on. I know it is a pet peeve of many actors when people are on their cell phones, texting, during performances. I guess I'm still old fashioned, but I like to go to a performance and get lost in the story. I think that live tweeting/blogging during a performance would distract the performers and distract the audience from what they are viewing...

2. Niche Social Networks - I think this is a great idea to gain word-of-mouth marketing. It draws patrons in by sparking interest before they head to the performance. Once they're there, they already feel like they are a part of the backstory. It's a great way to increase consumer equity with the show.

3. Podcasts and Video - I think this is another great way to engage your patrons. Many people love seeing performances, but they don't know what goes on behind the scenes. By releasing videos and podcasts, patrons will feel like they are a part of the preparation. Great marketing idea :)

4. Collective Content Creation - Another great way to engage your audience. Also, it's always a good idea to get ideas from outside of the company. You want your patrons to be happy, so taking their ideas into consideration is crucial.

5. iPhone Applications - Broadway In Chicago has an iPhone App that allows patrons to purchase tickets, check performance times, view promotional photos, among other things. With smart phones becoming mainstream, it's great to have applications that make things easier for patrons. Easier and more accessible = more people willing to go to the show!

He's Baaacckk....

Bill Theisen has been reinstated as the Artistic Director of the Skylight Opera through June 30, 2011, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is planned to direct four shows this season and up to two shows in the '10-'11 season.

It seems that the Skylight Opera is finally starting to turn around and bounce back from the turmoil this summer. They still have a $475,000 deficit to overcome, but hiring Theisen back is a leap in the right direction. I know that many people did not renew their subscriptions this season in protest because of all the negative press. They boycotted the administration by refusing to support the company.

With Theisen's return comes the return of all the actors/directors/designers/artists who refused to fulfill their contracts and the patrons who are Theisen supporters. The rehire of Theisen signals the turn around of the Skylight Opera. It will be a long journey, but Skylight is finally on its way back up.

New Leaders, New Visions: Raising the Stakes

Peter DuBois is one busy man. Not only is he the artistic director of Boston's Huntington Theatre Company, but he has helped the Perseverance Theatre (in ALASKA) gain financial and artistic stability, is a resident director and associate producer at the Public Theatre in New York, and is being heralded as one of the "hottest new-play directors" today.

Although his accomplishments are vast (and all spelled out in TCG's article here: http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/oct09/dubois.cfm), his approach to the Huntington Theatre Company has caught my eye.

As the new artistic director (he only took the job about a year ago), DuBois is just beginning to put his plans into action. One aspect of this plan is to utilize new technology...

DuBois assumed his post at the advent of the economic crisis, which has magnified the challenges facing many flagship regional theatres—challenges like reduced corporate funding, an aging core audience, the decline of traditional subscription-based ticket models, and shifting modes of communicating with audiences (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).

DuBois would like to utilize the video screens in the Calderwood lobby to give audiences information about a show or, perhaps, to post text-messaged reactions about a performance. "Boston is a real intellectual town," he says. "People want to talk about ideas.

I think his decision to embrace social media and technology is a smart decision. Theatres can go one of two ways. They can avoid technology and "preserve" the essence of the theatre, or they can embrace it. Many theatres view cell phone (and now smart phones) as being disruptive to and having no place in the theatre.

However, today that technology is one of our main forms of communication. By embracing Twitter and Facebook as marketing and promotional means and text messaging and Twitter to gauge reactions, theatres can reach a new/broader/younger audience and form more personal relationships with their public.

Being a big advocate of businesses using social media, I'm very excited to see what DuBois is able to do with the Huntington Theatre Company.

Skylight Finally Does Something Right

The Skylight Opera has had its share of turmoil this past summer, but it looks like its finally starting to pick itself up again. They have appointed Amy S. Jensen as the new managing director.

Article: http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/60738327.html

Two points immediately pop out at me as to why Jensen is a great choice for the Skylight.

1. She is familiar with the theatre. "She and her mother, Carol, have cooked and baked for the casts of many Skylight productions." It is clear that Jensen has been a part of the Skylight family for a long time and understands the Milwaukee theatre community. She understands the problems that she will be facing, but truly wants to see the Skylight succeed. Her heart is in the right place and she is ready to work hard for this company.

2. She said, "strong communication with the board, staff, artists, patrons and donors will be an immediate priority." Skylight fell apart this summer due primarily to poor communication. The problems that arose could have been lessened if management had only communicated internally and with its patrons, donors and the rest of the community. Because of this statement, it is clear that Jensen knows how to run this theatre company honestly and successfully.

The Skylight Opera has a long road ahead of them. They have a debt of about $475,000 to deal with and still no artistic director. However, they have taken a step in the right direction, and it seems they will continue to pull the company back together.

Do we REALLY need to pull the race card again?

So, David Mamet wrote another play. This one is entitled "Race."
Then, Mamet wrote an article about his own play.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/theater/13mame.html?_r=1&ref=theater

It raises the question of "of ALL the topics you could write a play about, why RACE?"

We have a black president...doesn't that mean we've made significant progress? Is the topic of race still relevant? What can you possibly say that hasn't already been said over and over?

Mamet says, "My current play, “Race,” is intended to be an addition to that dialogue."

I will admit that I am curious. I feel that the conversation of race has reached a point of stagnation, and unless Mamet's new play is going to bring an entirely new perspective to the topic, the conversation will remain stagnant. However, Mamet claims that his play DOES address a related topic that is often kept quiet.

Says Mament, "...my current play does have a theme, and that theme is race and the lies we tell each other on the subject."

I've always thought that as long as we are still discussing race, it will be an issue. It is not until we can honestly look at another person without first seeing their ethnicity, that we have truly overcome it. However, people are so afraid to be judged as being "racist" that they lie to themselves and each other about the issue. (For more proof of this, read this article. It's somewhat lengthy, but all-in-all a good, and important, read. http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2009/A-Mugging-on-Lake-Street/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc)

Theatre is a great way to comment on society and taboo topics, such as race. However, it has to be done right, and it has to be done well. I'm curious to see what Mamet has in store for his audience.

Milwaukee on the Big Screen

This past summer, Milwaukee "Bronzed the Fonz," and immortalized Fonzie, the infamously cool character from Happy Days. When I first heard about the plan to put a bronze statue of Fonzie in Milwaukee, I was confused. Why Milwaukee?

I soon learned that Happy Days was actually filmed IN Milwaukee. That got me thinking...if I wasn't aware that Happy Days was filmed in Milwaukee, and I watched Happy Days all the time, what other TV shows and movies were filmed in Milwaukee that I didn't know?

1. Laverne & Shirley - A spin-off of Happy Days that followed two women who lived in Milwaukee and worked in a Brewery. Milwaukee's famous clock tower is shown in the opening credits.

2. Mr. 3000 - A movie about a fictitious Milwaukee Brewers baseball player who comes out of retirement to hit his last three home runs. The movie was filmed in locations such as Miller Park and Marquette University High School.

3. The Blues Brothers - Believe it or not, this notoriously "Chicago" movie actually spent some time filming in Milwaukee.

4. Public Enemies - This Johnny Depp movie, set to release July 1 of this year, was filmed all over Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, this past year.


There are, of course, numerous others. Hopefully after all the hype Public Enemies gets, more movies will see Milwaukee as a premier filming location! I know I love seeing my city on the Silver Screen.