Unemployment--just in my home state of North Carolina, 500,000 people are without jobs. That must be horrible news for theaters. Right? Not necessarily. In every financial shift, there are winners and there are losers. The trick is to put your money on the winners. So, where are the winners in this horrible theater environment? Parks.
Attendance at city and state parks is through the roof. Why? Public parks are usually free. How is that good for theaters? There are tons of people hanging out in the park looking for something to do. Why not give them a show?
Take a show you are already running and see if you can schedule some free or fee performances at the park. I'm not sure it makes sense to create an entire show for a low-pay no-pay job in the park, but tagging on a weekend matinee or daytime performance for school children ads little expense and can generate not only publicity for the paid performances, but also more public awareness and more full price ticket sales. If the show is good, wives will drag their husbands in, kids will drag their parents in, boyfriends will bring their girls friends and the mushroom begins to grow. Pretty soon, you've got mushroom soup and everybody is making more money. At least that's the theory.
PS
Click the following link to tell Rodney Robbins he is is full of crap.
Of click the following link to tell Rodney Robbins he's onto something good.
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