In our town, free things never attract that many people. I think people equate free to lousy and just never come out in the droves that we wish they did.  Charge 5 bucks, make them beleive that they are actually paying for something. USE YOUR COMMUNITY, ask for donations from local business with a promise that they will get an ad in your program. Use every available resource that you can to gain free stuff, especially if this is your first year. Write to your banks, your grocery stores, your dry cleaners, your local fabric stores, department stores, see what you can get just by using the people in your community. Many times when starting you people don't think about all the contributions that local businesses are willing to make!!! Take all your media sources and FLOOD them with information on your show, newspapers, cable access telivision, the internet, word of mouth, soliciting in front of the grocery store, you gotta build up a BIG WORD about this new theater group in town!! Give yourselves a name too, groups with a more formal sound will attract more people into believing that it's something legit! Actually hold auditions for you show, put them in your local newspaper, see how many people come out to audition, if you don't get enough for your show, then turn to a list of people that you can use! Make sure you involve everyone in the show, from the lighting, costumes, set, consessions, ticket sales, and parent involvement. The more people you can get the word out to, the better!

We do a melodrama every summer and we charge admission, but give the popcorn for free.  This seems to work very well for us and people seem to appreciate that they get the throwing materials for free.

Originally posted by bbpchick We do a melodrama every summer and we charge admission, but give the popcorn for free.  This seems to work very well for us and people seem to appreciate that they get the throwing materials for free. What ever you do though, stick with popcorn!  We did peanuts one year and it was just bad juju.  Even with warnings not to aim for the head, they did anyway.  Popcorn is MUCH safer.

Originally posted by magic612 Perhaps if I turned the idea around - offer the POPCORN for free, and charge admission?

Hi magic,

I think this would be your best bet.

Here's why: If you offer the show for free, as neilfortin mentioned, people can equate free with lousy. You obviously don't want your shows thought of in this light. By charging for the show you're also putting expectations on it.

The expectations of your audience will be higher since they've paid for the show. They'll also be more present at the performance since they've actually put money down.

Giving the popcorn for free is an added bonus for the audience. This will help 'butter' them help. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) It also avoids that 'you've got me trapped, now I have to pay high prices' for the popcorn and drinks. If you charge for the popcorn people are going to be expecting some damn good popcorn, instead of being happy about getting it for free.

So by charging for the show and giving the popcorn for free, the whole dynamic of the interaction is changed to your benefit. People expecting a good show and being pleased by the free popcorn. Not to mention you'll be putting people in a fun and playful mood since they get to throw it.

Hope this helps.

D.

Ah, yes, the joy of vacuuming up popcorn after the melodrama.  Our dearly defunct CT did "Wash Your Troubles Away or Dirty Deeds Come Clean" and "On the Bridge at Midnight" among others.  I think the first was a Tim Kelly script, although I don't know if it was from Pioneer or some other outfit.  It does come in a musical and non-musical (straight) version.  They did a lot of melodramas, but eventually died out, due to (I think) the regular actors and director getting old, and losing their performance space.