Bringing Dramatic Attention to the Theater

Wow! The school production was amazing! Everyone worked so hard to transpose the audience into the story. As an activities director, you are so proud of this group. The theater gives students a place to belong. It allows for different “groups” to work together and put on an amazing show. However, why did it not sell out? What is missing? Sports games are sellouts; why can’t the theater productions sell out? It is time to bring dramatic attention to the theater.

So many schools improve facilities for sports and next on the list is usually a theater. It is so important to show the worth of this, more than two plays a year. The theater should be used year-round. All concerts need to be in the theater. Even bringing in outside groups to perform is a way to promote activities that happen in this space.

The goal is to improve attendance for the plays and musicals. It truly is a massive confidence boost for any student, athlete, actor, singer, to have an audience on a big stage. That stage could be a court or field or an actual stage. The activities director needs to display equal time and effort for this activity and venue. To do this, conversations with the play director need to happen to discuss the goals. Talk about the vision of the drama department and what the activity director can do to support it. Never should the goal be to take over the promotional aspect and not get input from those who are working so hard on the performance.

There are so many ways to do this, although not everything works for all schools. Think outside the box. It will need effort, and it could be done with students. The activities director can head this up as to not put more on the play director’s plate. The director should focus on improving theater attendance similar to the efforts for a playoff football game.

Social media consistency
Does the drama department have an Instagram or Facebook account? Is there a consistent post that happens every day? Brainstorm with students for catchy posts, make a plan with the time for each post to be made. Make the posts attention-grabbers. Possibly link the school page to these posts to re-post.

Podcast
Each drama department has actors and backstage students, could there also be social media students? Promote the play through the school’s podcast and possibly record with video to post on the school’s YouTube site. This is more work but if organized by the activities director and if the play director is on board, it could be amazing.

Clip of Practice
Show clips of practice making sure you are following the copyright laws. This could be done with no sound and a voiceover, possibly no costumes. The play could be promoted much like promotion of a basketball game.

Storytelling
Head to the Senior Citizens Center, Assisted Living, library or a coffee house. Tell the story of the play. Use student actors, reading a portion of the script. Give details of upcoming performances. Create discounts for those in attendance.

Lunchroom Skits
It is possible that an increase in participation in the theater department is needed. Perform skits at lunch time, whether this is done by the drama class or teachers. The goal is to be over expressive, like the skits at summer camp. Display laughter and show that it is safe for all to partake.

Whose Line is it Anyway?
This would be a great promotion for the department in general. Have teachers partake and students watch. Taking the cue from the television show, people are given a topic and need to act out in a one-liner phrase. Make sure all acts are school-appropriate but funny. This puts a limelight on the drama department as being a place to belong and would also work with student actors and may draw other students to do it.

Games
Sell tickets at basketball games in theater costumes. Walk the bleachers handing out pamphlets about what is coming up in the drama department. The community will be talking about what is next. Put on a dramatic skit at halftime.

Restaurants/Stores
Ask a local restaurant if you could come in costume and perform a scene at one of their tables – much like a flashmob. At the restaurant, you could also provide a skit for those waiting to be seated. Another option would be to bag groceries in costume and perform in character with others as you are bagging.

Class
If your school has a drama class, create ways for these ideas to be done and incorporate those ideas into the expectations of the class. It could be done as assignments or extra credit. It also could be advertised as volunteer hours for students needing those.

Promotions
Social media is a hot topic, what about posters? Have a student group create posters, signs. Use catchy phrases. Put them up in stores, school and car windows in parking lots. The social media brainstorming of attention-grabbers could all use these phrases as stated above.

Another Director
So many times, we hire another coach for sports teams when numbers allow. What if there was a promotional director hired to do all of this – possibly paid on the scale of a lower-level coach, but still just as important?

The activities director needs to show this support. Starting small and doing one idea is a great beginning. Otherwise, jump in with both feet and promote like crazy for the next production. Reflect what worked and what needs improvement. Committing and showing the students the importance of their work will speak volumes to them, the school and community. Selling out the production should become the norm for any activities director.