Kathy Missel, ITA Board Member At Large

If you’ve spent any time following community theatres on social media, you’ve probably seen countless posts like these:

“Our cast is working so hard to bring this show to life.”

“Our volunteers have been putting in countless hours to make this production the best it can be.”

“The cast and crew are working tirelessly and can’t wait to see you in the audience.”

Now, every one of those statements are no doubt absolutely true. Community theatre is built on extraordinary dedication. Volunteers give up their free time – -nights, weekends, family time and countless hours – because they love creating art that is meaningful for their communities.

But here’s a question worth asking:

Is that what convinces someone to buy a ticket?

Probably not.

As theatre makers, we naturally focus on the journey. We know the rehearsals, the set construction, the costume fittings and the technical rehearsals are at the heart of where themagic is created. We celebrate that process because we’ve lived it, time and time again. Our audience hasn’t.

When someone scrolls through social media, they’re not asking “How hard did these volunteers work?” They’ve not looking to see which area production has the hardest working cast. They’re asking a much simpler question: “Why should I spend my time and my money seeing this show?”

The answer isn’t in the effort. It’s found in the experience. People don’t’ buy theatre tickets because a cast worked hard. They buy them because they expect to laugh until their sides hurt. To be moved by a story. To be challenged by an idea. To share a memorable evening with friends. To leave the theatre feeling something that they didn’t feel when they walked in. That’s what we’re really selling.

This doesn’t mean that we stop recognizing our volunteers. We need to continue celebrating their dedication and thank them for making community theatre possible. We just need to discern between appreciation and marketing. Appreciation is the message to those already involved in the production. Marketing speaks to those who aren’t.

Instead of “Our cast has been working so hard…” imagine saying:

“Meet the unforgettable characters who will have you laughing uncontrollably”

“Step into a world unlike any you’ve seen on our stage before”

Instead of “Opening night is almost here and everyone is working hard” consider:

“Your next unforgettable night out is almost here”

Do you see the difference? The focus shifts from our experience making the show to the audience’s experience seeing it. That’s the invitation to buy tickets that the audience is looking for.

Community theatre has never been about the hours we spend memorizing lines or painting scenery. Those are just the means to an end. What we create is connection. We create laughter shared by strangers. We create conversations that continue after the curtain falls. We create memories that will stay with people for years. Those are the things we are selling because in the end, audiences aren’t buying our efforts. They’re buying the feeling they’ll have when the lights go down, the curtain rises and for two hours they are transported somewhere they couldn’t have gone without us. That’s the experience that live theatre can offer, and that’s a story worth telling.

So, please, stop selling the effort and start selling the experience.