Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Benefits of being a member?

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tonyboling
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Topic: Benefits of being a member?
Posted: 7/19/08 at 5:40pm

In your community theatre group....what is the benefit of becoming a member? Not like a board member, but just a member of the community theatre.

Our CT has like 38 members but that's just like "paid memberships". Plenty of people act and work on shows but rarely are they "members".

So other than voting rights....what else do you offer paying "members"?

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JoeMc
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Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:57am

Actually Tony in most of the groups here, you get Sweet Fanny Adams. besides a Newsletter every now & then. Although these days that doesn't happen, unless you have a MacHines & get via email.

With my mob I have introduced giving one complimentary per production season, to each member. Some groups give a reduced ticket price, but not much more.

They do tend to wheel out the old Furfy of "your not covered by Insurance, unless your a member". Which is a load of rubbish, but it tends to get the unknowing to shell out the fee. Also some groups have a modified member ship fee, that is charged & covers only the time of the production they are in. Of course in a lot of cases males get membership for free anyway!

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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spikesgirl
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Posted: 7/28/08 at 4:54pm

Our theater has become very successful in the past few years and we have a large annual membership. We hold opening night parties, invite groups of a certain level of sustaining memberships to dress rehearsal, free passes, etc..

In addition, if you renew early, you are given a VIP pass which is good for two additional tickets to any show you choose. We have in the past given out book marks, hats, tee shirts and so forth, but we've found that our members prefer us to keep our ticket prices low and offer great theater as opposed to freebies.

Charlie

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vickifrank
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Posted: 7/28/08 at 5:25pm

In one group that I worked with the 'membership' included 2 tickets to the dinner theater style opening night. They always sold out and had a huge waiting list for this membership. Here's the deal, it was a "dry" county (you could not sell liquor) but you could serve it

as long as people didn't pay for it. So they had wine and crackers served "free" for their members. The membership was their major fundraising source.

It was truely brilliant, because the libated customers always LOVED

the opening night of the show even when they couldn't remember many of the details and would talk the show up to friends. Sold out first show was good for publicity too. So they really ended up with a sold out house almost every night (It was a very small house--about 100 people) and they had many performances, which was tiring for the performers but made them feel wonderful.

I loved the business strategy.

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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pdavis69
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Posted: 7/29/08 at 8:50am

Our "membership" has a few perks. First and foremost is the ability to call yourself a member (oh the feeling of belonging and camaraderie). Then there is the newsletter which goes out somewhere between once and ten times a year. The biggest perk is a free drink at our annual awards banquet. All this for the amazingly low price of $5.00. It's such a good deal, why not join twice?

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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MartyW
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Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:55pm

Well the first part of your statement is true Pat (acutally its all true) but it is the ability to call yourself a member. Yes that is the main privilage, accompanied by the responsibility to help with all the thankless chores that keep a theater running... Can't wait to sign up again next year... lol

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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ClintonHammond
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Posted: 8/03/08 at 10:24am

You can't be on our stage, backstage, or in the booth involved in a production unless you're a member...

You get a discount on tickets
You get a discount at our concession stand

You get to usher for shows you're not involved in (And ushers get to see the show for free)

You receive our newsletter a few times a year.

You have the privilege of attending Board Meetings, and voting on issues at our AGM...

All for 20 measly bucks a year.

Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills.
Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.

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MartyW
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Posted: 8/04/08 at 5:32pm

Wow... You even get the privilage of paying $20!!! Cool, I was going through some old records the other day and I found that, not only do we only get to pay $5, it has been that way since AT LEAST 1965... (Jim will tell me if its longer) Now THATS entertainment!!! Again, face it folks, if you make it too hard, no one joins, if no one joins, the work gets done by only a few.. But, for me, getting to help do the work and occationally help guide the ship is why I WANT to be a member...

(don't mind me, nothing to do this afternoon, so I felt like chiming in again)

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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ClintonHammond
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Posted: 8/05/08 at 11:54am

"not only do we only get to pay $5"
Why even bother with memberships in that case?

"if you make it too hard, no one joins"
if 20 measly bucks a year is "too hard", then I don't want you to join... You probably have bigger fish to fry than community theatre

Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills.
Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.

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pdavis69
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Posted: 8/05/08 at 12:22pm

"if 20 measly bucks a year is "too hard", then I don't want you to join..."

Rather harsh it would appear. There are many people who may have trouble finding that extra 20 but would work a whole show without complaining. In our theatre we are trying to earn our money through putting on quality shows and brining in door and patron sales not by milking our workers.

Membership is for the workers/actors/crew/friends of the playhouse. Moneymaking and fundraising is a whole separate creature.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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Running Your Theater
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Running Your Theater

Topic: Benefits of being a member?( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
tonyboling Star Joined: 3/15/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 55	Topic: Benefits of being a member? Posted: 7/19/08 at 5:40pm
	In your community theatre group....what is the benefit of becoming a member? Not like a board member, but just a member of the community theatre. Our CT has like 38 members but that's just like "paid memberships". Plenty of people act and work on shows but rarely are they "members". So other than voting rights....what else do you offer paying "members"?

	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:57am
	Actually Tony in most of the groups here, you get Sweet Fanny Adams. besides a Newsletter every now & then. Although these days that doesn't happen, unless you have a MacHines & get via email. With my mob I have introduced giving one complimentary per production season, to each member. Some groups give a reduced ticket price, but not much more. They do tend to wheel out the old Furfy of "your not covered by Insurance, unless your a member". Which is a load of rubbish, but it tends to get the unknowing to shell out the fee. Also some groups have a modified member ship fee, that is charged & covers only the time of the production they are in. Of course in a lot of cases males get membership for free anyway!
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 7/28/08 at 4:54pm
	Our theater has become very successful in the past few years and we have a large annual membership. We hold opening night parties, invite groups of a certain level of sustaining memberships to dress rehearsal, free passes, etc.. In addition, if you renew early, you are given a VIP pass which is good for two additional tickets to any show you choose. We have in the past given out book marks, hats, tee shirts and so forth, but we've found that our members prefer us to keep our ticket prices low and offer great theater as opposed to freebies. Charlie
	IP Logged

vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 7/28/08 at 5:25pm
	In one group that I worked with the 'membership' included 2 tickets to the dinner theater style opening night. They always sold out and had a huge waiting list for this membership. Here's the deal, it was a "dry" county (you could not sell liquor) but you could serve it as long as people didn't pay for it. So they had wine and crackers served "free" for their members. The membership was their major fundraising source. It was truely brilliant, because the libated customers always LOVED the opening night of the show even when they couldn't remember many of the details and would talk the show up to friends. Sold out first show was good for publicity too. So they really ended up with a sold out house almost every night (It was a very small house--about 100 people) and they had many performances, which was tiring for the performers but made them feel wonderful. I loved the business strategy.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 7/29/08 at 8:50am
	Our "membership" has a few perks. First and foremost is the ability to call yourself a member (oh the feeling of belonging and camaraderie). Then there is the newsletter which goes out somewhere between once and ten times a year. The biggest perk is a free drink at our annual awards banquet. All this for the amazingly low price of $5.00. It's such a good deal, why not join twice?
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
	IP Logged

MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:55pm
	Well the first part of your statement is true Pat (acutally its all true) but it is the ability to call yourself a member. Yes that is the main privilage, accompanied by the responsibility to help with all the thankless chores that keep a theater running... Can't wait to sign up again next year... lol
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

ClintonHammond Player Joined: 7/28/08 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 28	Posted: 8/03/08 at 10:24am
	You can't be on our stage, backstage, or in the booth involved in a production unless you're a member... You get a discount on tickets You get a discount at our concession stand You get to usher for shows you're not involved in (And ushers get to see the show for free) You receive our newsletter a few times a year. You have the privilege of attending Board Meetings, and voting on issues at our AGM... All for 20 measly bucks a year.
	Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills. Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.
	IP Logged

MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 8/04/08 at 5:32pm
	Wow... You even get the privilage of paying $20!!! Cool, I was going through some old records the other day and I found that, not only do we only get to pay $5, it has been that way since AT LEAST 1965... (Jim will tell me if its longer) Now THATS entertainment!!! Again, face it folks, if you make it too hard, no one joins, if no one joins, the work gets done by only a few.. But, for me, getting to help do the work and occationally help guide the ship is why I WANT to be a member... (don't mind me, nothing to do this afternoon, so I felt like chiming in again)
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

ClintonHammond Player Joined: 7/28/08 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 28	Posted: 8/05/08 at 11:54am
	"not only do we only get to pay $5" Why even bother with memberships in that case? "if you make it too hard, no one joins" if 20 measly bucks a year is "too hard", then I don't want you to join... You probably have bigger fish to fry than community theatre
	Without actors, a techie is a person with a list of marketable skills. Without techies, an actor is just a goof, emoting alone in the dark.
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 8/05/08 at 12:22pm
	"if 20 measly bucks a year is "too hard", then I don't want you to join..." Rather harsh it would appear. There are many people who may have trouble finding that extra 20 but would work a whole show without complaining. In our theatre we are trying to earn our money through putting on quality shows and brining in door and patron sales not by milking our workers. Membership is for the workers/actors/crew/friends of the playhouse. Moneymaking and fundraising is a whole separate creature.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
	IP Logged