Last night I met with a guy who has a real passion for Our Town, his name is Artie Isaac and he runs America's Favorite Ad Agency, Young Isaac. He also has a blog that's a great read - check it out.
Well, it was Thorton Wilder who brought us together, but we spent about half of our time talking about marketing theatre. I'm hoping to pick his brain for more, but for the moment, let's focus on two key questions. (Somebody warm-up the comment-o-tron, please.)
The first is the longer. Someone very smart wrote that if you can fulfill one of three needs, people will do anything for you.
- Aid their health.
- Make them richer.
- Do something for their kids.
So, how does theatre address one of those needs? And, as a caveat, can you answer the question without referring to spiritual health or something silly like that?
Second question. What is the promise that theatre makes?
Your thoughts?
Comments (2)
Jeez, why doesn't anybody leave comments for us anymore?
Anyway, theatre companies frequently use education as one of their justifications for non-profit status. So they use their resources to teach theatre classes to kids and proudly write that into their grant applications. Kind of shrewd, but in this way theatre does something for people's kids.
I don't know if theatre can promise anything. Different theatre companies make a variety of different promises to their patrons and their respective communities. But theatre as a whole, as an entity itself is too broad and varied to promise anything specific.
Posted by Brant | November 29, 2007 12:15 AM
Posted on November 29, 2007 00:15
Health:
People who are engaged in their communities and have strong social bonds are physically and mentally healthier. Theater, unlike watching TV or surfing the web, provides human interaction. It goes beyond film, which is also experienced as a group, by the live contact we have with actors. It’s an art form that was created to elicit discussion and create a dialogue with those around us. By asking us to question and define our societal values, Theater, by its very nature, is exists to strengthen community. A stronger community means a healthier community.
A recent story on the health benefits of strong communities:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-rock-positano/the-mystery-of-the-roseta_b_73260.html
Wealth:
Theater isn’t co-opted by commercials. When you watch a play, you aren't interrupted every thirteen minutes by announcements of new medications for completely made-up conditions. No pop-ups, product placements, or coming attractions. Isn’t it great to sit in your seat and get exactly what you paid for? For 90 minutes or so, you can be completely engaged in a work of the imagination. Does this make you wealthier? Maybe not, but at least you don’t walk out wanting more crap you didn’t need in the first place.
Posted by Ruben Carbajal | November 29, 2007 9:44 AM
Posted on November 29, 2007 09:44