Publicity for first show?
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Other Topics
Forum Discription: For everything else
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2651
Printed Date: 11/27/24 at 9:54am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Publicity for first show?
Posted By: aquitainealair
Subject: Publicity for first show?
Date Posted: 9/10/07 at 11:05am
|
Hi all-
I'm mounting my own production of a two person play and I anticipate advertising to be a challange, as I am an unknown in a small city community. Any advice on best ways to advertise? Most effective? Preferably inexpensive? I just don't want to put together a great show and have no one show up. Thanks! |
Replies:
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 9/10/07 at 1:02pm
|
Since you're a brand new theater offering a brand new show, you have a huge advantage over the "established" theaters as anything new or different is considered by many local papers as "newsworthy."
Write up a press release announcing your new venture (making it sound as fresh and exciting as possible) and email it to the "events" editors of your city paper, your community paper(s), and any other local or neighborhood papers. Be sure to include your phone number with the offer of setting up an interview or photo op. If you have photos already, email 1 or 2 of them -- no more! -- (one horizontal, one vertical) with the release. If you don't have that capability, then hand-deliver or snail mail them in attached to the release you've printed out. With enough advance notice, typically 2 weeks or more -- and with any luck -- one or more of them might do a feature article. At the very least one or more may simply run one of the photos you sent with a short blurb (edited from your press release) "new theater opening next week" or whatever. It's free publicity and it has a huge iimpact. Good luck! ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: drose
Date Posted: 9/10/07 at 11:57pm
| We deliver (in person, in costume) a small "box" (bag, chest, basket...whatever fits the show) to our local entertainment editors. For Cinderella we found small blue chests at the dollar store and filled them with a press release (show dates, plot summary, principal bios, contact info... tied up like a royal scroll), a "wedding invitation" from our theatre to attend the wedding of Prince Christopher and Cinderella (again with show dates), two publicity photos, a bar of chocolate, a plastic glass slipper (dollar store), and a single serving bottle of champagne. Then a stepsister delivered them, in costume and character to the different entertainment editors around us (4 total) with a spiel and a short song...essentially a singing telegram. It gets us noticed and we follow up with the standard press release email. It got us results. |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/11/07 at 11:15am
|
"Actor bites dog!'' comes to mind? Think outside of the box by using the title or part of the production that is out of the ordinary - create a juicy scandal! Or something to get the media knocking on your door, is the easiest way  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 9/13/07 at 9:45pm
|
Send out a press release and photos and follow up with a comp ticket. You can also send comp tickets to any/all radio/tv stations to give away as prizes for answering questions pertaining to your show or caller number whatever.
We get a lot of publicity from our local paper, but have never received any from nearby towns until just now. The newspaper from the next town over is sending the editor next week for interviews and photos ... and they have a big theatre in their own town. ------------- In a world of margarine, be butter! |