Our theater uses Benefactor ($300), Angel ($200) and Patron ($100) - not very original, I guess.  A Benefactor gets 6 tickets to each play, an Angel gets 4, and a Paton gets 2.

Yes, someone would.  Someone would give $5000.00.  The important thing is to remember your audience.  An extra hundred dollars spent on the publication can make for a very dynamic presentation, and will get much more attention.

As for your names, it is very important to keep them very simple, the more clever the less money.  Money donations need to be kept serious.  No one wants me a "Magnolia" donor.

We used the following

Foundation Grant $10,000.00+ ... included 10 opening night tickets and a cover on a first come basis.  We acquired three, front inside, back and back inside.

Corporate  Donor $5,000.00+ ...included 10 opening night tickets and a full page add.  We acquired sixteen.

Patron of the Arts $1000.00+ ...included 8 opening night tickets and a half page add.  We acquired nine.

Guardians  $500.00+ ...included 4 second night tickets and a quarter page add.  We acquired twenty-two.

Angels - $100.00 (this was the price of a single season at individual prices)

We had two brochures.  A small individual color brochure that was mailed to all season ticket holders.  It announced our season, and outlined subscription information as well as our Sponsorship Opportunities.  The second brochure was a booklet.  It included history, statistics and information concerning our non-profit.  This booklet was in color and included show information, repertory committee notes for each and proposed advertising artwork.  Each booklet cost about $2.50 and we printed 100 copies.  We mailed them to every major company in town, and every realestate developer. We think it worked better than most had even imagined.  Even though it was a struggle to get the funding approved and full cooperation of the board fronted the $250.00 printing cost ourselves.  It was worth it.  The theater now produces twleve shows a year in two theater spaces, instead of six productions.  It has increased attendance since corporate and foundation grant generally give their tickets to their employees, and brought new subscribers at a discount. Most of all, the programs look like professional productions, and there is funding for rainy days, since foundation grants go into a separate fund and only interest can be spent.

Remember economics, spend money to make money.  No one wants to throw money at a sinkhole.  If you look like money, money wantsto be associated with you, and most of all...Save that money for a rainy day.

Poppie, I did not mean to offend by that comment.  I am aware that people are happy to contribute at various levels, and even with interesting names that incorporate your theater.  I was just pointing out that when looking for big sponsors, it is easier to obtain with straight-forward names.  I can't imagine a manure company wanting to be a ROSE SPONSOR unless someone really had a good sense of humor...or even a Lumber Company being an OAK DONOR.

In small campaigns, catchy names are a nice marketing tool, but a general rule is the more professional the attempt, the more consistant the response.

Ours are called

Bennefactor - They get four tickets, the right to buy four more before general public, ink in the program (and dont forget those coveted astricts beside their name for every five year increment).

Angels - 2 tickets, option of 2 more, and ink

Patron - 2 tickets and ink

and a new catagory, Single Patron, for those who have no one to share the tickets with..

I don't have the money breakdown right in front of me, but its usually the first leve, Patron, at about 20 above ticket costs...  After that it goes up by about 100 for each step.. some folks give up to $700 or more...