Week 8
Five weeks to go before we open – and we’ve already sold the equivalent of one full house!
All down, of course, to the publicity. Which means a great deal more than simply designing a poster and putting it up around the city.
It all started back in October or November, when the Playhouse spring brochure went to print. Then came the photography for the poster and the copy for the back of the flier, plus letters to schools and colleges and language schools and just about anyone whose address we have who could be interested in the show.
This week we’ve had a further photocall for three of the principals – Felicity, Clare and Ross – so that we can send out suitable photographs with press releases to every newspaper and journal in the Playhouse’s catchment area. And, at the same time, rehearsal photographs for the programme – the design and printing of which is an entirely separate exercise, and every bit as intensive.
Felicity P, who’s co-ordinating the publicity activities, enlisted the aid of the entire cast early in the week. When they weren’t on stage (we were rehearsing the ballroom scene, which involves everybody), they were frantically stuffing envelopes. Thousands of them. And, don’t forget, someone has to stick stamps on all those envelopes...
Already, an army of volunteers has been putting up posters and stocking leaflet dispensers, and that will continue until we open (it’s amazing how many posters get pulled down or covered up).
In fact, there are probably two or three times as many people involved in the background as there are on stage. As well as publicity, there’s the set design – and building it! – wardrobe, props, lighting, sound. Plus three people I simply couldn’t do without: my safety net Stage Manager, Gareth, and the ever-present Ray and Michelle, the Production Managers who co-ordinate everybody else and solve any problems that I encounter (or cause...).
In fact, the word ‘company’ in the phrase Theatre Company is every bit as important as the word ‘theatre’. And having this well-oiled machine underpinning its productions is one of the main reasons the Guild is so successful.
Five weeks to go before we open – and we’ve already sold the equivalent of one full house!
All down, of course, to the publicity. Which means a great deal more than simply designing a poster and putting it up around the city.
It all started back in October or November, when the Playhouse spring brochure went to print. Then came the photography for the poster and the copy for the back of the flier, plus letters to schools and colleges and language schools and just about anyone whose address we have who could be interested in the show.
This week we’ve had a further photocall for three of the principals – Felicity, Clare and Ross – so that we can send out suitable photographs with press releases to every newspaper and journal in the Playhouse’s catchment area. And, at the same time, rehearsal photographs for the programme – the design and printing of which is an entirely separate exercise, and every bit as intensive.
Felicity P, who’s co-ordinating the publicity activities, enlisted the aid of the entire cast early in the week. When they weren’t on stage (we were rehearsing the ballroom scene, which involves everybody), they were frantically stuffing envelopes. Thousands of them. And, don’t forget, someone has to stick stamps on all those envelopes...
Already, an army of volunteers has been putting up posters and stocking leaflet dispensers, and that will continue until we open (it’s amazing how many posters get pulled down or covered up).
In fact, there are probably two or three times as many people involved in the background as there are on stage. As well as publicity, there’s the set design – and building it! – wardrobe, props, lighting, sound. Plus three people I simply couldn’t do without: my safety net Stage Manager, Gareth, and the ever-present Ray and Michelle, the Production Managers who co-ordinate everybody else and solve any problems that I encounter (or cause...).
In fact, the word ‘company’ in the phrase Theatre Company is every bit as important as the word ‘theatre’. And having this well-oiled machine underpinning its productions is one of the main reasons the Guild is so successful.
posted by oxford theatre guild at 6:30 AM
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