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Putting a Face on Theatre
Desperate Self-Promotion
I recently started a Facebook group for all of the playwrights living in the DC metropolitan area. (Long overdue, believe me.) Before too long -- sooner than I expected, really -- there was a good conversation among the members of the group about whether or not we should use it to publicize our own productions. A few folks thought it made sense, but others -- myself included -- thought it was just plain wrong.
When we advertise our work to each other as theater practitioners, what are we doing? We seem to be trying to pluck low-hanging fruit: marketing to people who are already inclined to like what we're up to. But aren't we also all tired of seeing so much theatrical marketing? Personally, I've tuned almost all of it out.
When I feel the need to see a show, I go find one. I make it a point, in fact, to review as many season announcements as possible and note which productions look interesting to me. I regularly scan for shows I might have missed, too. All I really want or need is one simple list of what's playing and where and when. The rest is noise.
We should really be marketing our work not to each other, but to the audiences of non-theater practitioners we are (presumably) trying to engage with. I know that's hard -- it's really, really hard -- but why else are we telling stories? For each other? That would make theater rather insular, wouldn't it? Except, wait... that's exactly what it's become.
Similar conversations have occasionally popped up on the #2amt stream on Twitter... but there, the occasional person doing marketing tends to get shut down immediately by one or two veterans asking politely to keep the stream ad-free. By contrast, the #dctheatre Twitter stream is full of people promoting their shows... to other theater practitioners. It just strikes me as desperate, and it makes me a little bit uncomfortable.
Here's the number one question we should all be asking ourselves before we promote our work to each other: are we doing it for ourselves, to show off a bit and self-promote, or are we doing it because we genuinely think we have something unique to offer? I think most of us think the latter is the case; more often than not, when we're marketing to each other, it comes across as the former.
Views: 22
Tags: self-promotion, theater
Comment
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Comment by Gwydion Suilebhan on August 8, 2011 at 6:51pm -
Oh, you are SO right: audience development SHOULD be a component of standard theatrical curricula! That's a terrific idea.
And yes: theater's not dead yet!
- Comment by John Patrick Bray on August 8, 2011 at 6:49pm
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Hi, Gwydion,
Thank you for the response! Yes, I'm afraid we have to agree to disagree, though I promise you, I haven't seen the phrase "tickets are on sale now - act fast!" appearing anywhere on the list (of course, now that I've said it, watch it happen fifty times...).
I do agree that we need to engage new audience members. I think there are a number of avenues that can help create new theatre audiences. I believe (and folks may certainly disagree) that should be one of the prime purposes of intro to theatre or theatre appreciation courses at college: audience building (in some cases, students have even switched majors to theatre arts).
There are still communities around the U.S. in which theatre, and particularly new works, are part of the local culture (but I think I'm in danger of digressing completely).
In any event, you have hit a very rich topic, which I'm sure will continue to engage passions.
Best,
JpB
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Comment by Gwydion Suilebhan on August 8, 2011 at 6:14pm
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Thanks, John, for the invitation.
While I'm sure playwrightsbinge is terrific, however... well, let's say that I'm already heavily subscribed to a wide variety of playwright-support channels. (Aren't we all?) And if you're telling me that playwrights are trying to sell tickets there, you're making it fairly clear that I'm not (I'm sorry to say this) interested.
In the DC-Area Playwrights group on Facebook, we have a rule: the main "stream" of wall posts is for sharing opportunities, asking questions, and supporting one another. Announcements about productions, however, we keep in an ongoing document, rather than in the main stream.
It's not that we're not happy for our fellow playwrights. We are, of course. Our goal is to maintain a space that's advertising/marketing-free.
Note that I don't mean we don't share news about productions we've landed: "Just found out that my play is being produced by such-and-such theater." That's a very different thing than "Tickets are now on sale for my new show -- act fast," which puts people off immediately. In other words, we're focused on community, too... we just create community differently than you create it.
What I'm troubled by more than anything is the sense I get that some playwrights, struggling to market their own work, turn to the easiest channels in which to share their messages: their playwright and theater support groups. (Email lists, Facebook groups, Ning communities, etc.) The thing is... most of us are already AWARE of our friends' shows. We know when they're running, we know where to get tickets, and we're trying (in our busy schedules) to make it. We don't need reminders.
Instead we should all be focusing on introducing our work to NEW audiences, expanding awareness of our work -- looking outward instead of inward. It's much harder, but it's better for all of us, in the long run.
But hey, if it works for your community, great! Seriously: no tongue in cheek. I realize that there are differing opinions on this subject, and that's fine. I'm glad there are places like yours for people who want the sort of information you're offering.
- Comment by John Patrick Bray on August 8, 2011 at 5:53pm
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Hi, Gwyndion,
I think I might have to respectfully disagree. I belong to playwrightsbinge (yahoo group), and we share submission opportunities, concerns, anxieties, rejections and triumphs. We support each others' work(s) as much as possible, either by attending, or spreading the word, or just by saying "congratulations!". I think what playwrights really need, more than anything is community (...okay, productions and community - though I don't mean to open up the debate vis-a-vis "just because a play is written, does it mean it should be produced?"), and sharing with one another is a key element to building that community. It does not have to read as bragging or desperation. Being recognized deserves a pat on the back, especially from peers.
In terms of marketing: absolutely, I agree that when we write a play, we should imagine an audience - some audience - for the work (unlike, say, screenwriting, which more often than not - and I'm sure I'm stepping into it - involves test audiences, and mass appeal), and if the only audience we imagine is fellow playwrights, we're digging a hole.
But I do think sharing the joys of landing a reading or production doesn't need to read "desperate." Sincerely, if you're not a part of playwrightsbinge, join it. It might surprise you.
All the best,
JpB
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