branching out to grow membership
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5072
Printed Date: 4/27/24 at 6:00am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: branching out to grow membership
Posted By: SamD
Subject: branching out to grow membership
Date Posted: 5/15/11 at 9:14pm
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After spending years as a Board member of our CT, I decided to take a break and have taken on the head of our membership committee instead. The last membership chair was nice, but a bit ineffectual and our memberships have dropped to pretty dismal levels. I have been going through the process of updated our (out of date) database and have begun to send out membership renewal letters to long lapsed members. I have to admit, there hasn't been much return. So, I'm attempting to figure out what we've been doing wrong. What have our members gotten in return for their membership? We don't give out free tickets to opening nights like some. Nope. They get a newsletter emailed to them every month and the satisfaction that they've supported their community theatre for a year. Well, that just doesn't seem like enough to me. There are some people who would love to do theatre, but can't because their lives are way too busy. It's these people I think we've lost and these people I'd like to concentrate on. For the past 6 months I've been trying to stretch our wings a bit. We've had a karaoke/membership drive party that turned out pretty well. We charged members $5, lapsed members got it free if they re-upped — (* I learned a lot that night and am looking forward to the improvements when we do it again this year). We celebrated National Poetry Month by hosting a night of poetry (ditto the *). — And now I'm kicking around the idea of hosting a Radio Theatre Night. All of these things are fun and for the most part, free activities that don't require a lot of time but still allow some of our busier members the opportunity to perform. I'm hoping for the best. If any of you have any ideas, please respond. It takes a theatre community to raise a community theatre and I need all the help I can get! |
Replies:
Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 5/16/11 at 1:19pm
| First ya gotta tell me about "Radio Theatre Night" |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 5/16/11 at 9:49pm
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Well, there are tons of old radio programs that are public domain. (Go to www.genericradio.com) Everything from Abbot and Costello to The Shadow. I was thinking it would fun to put on an old radio show, announcer, commercials and all. We could use a lot of different members or not. The best thing about it is everyone would be able to hold scripts and one or two men would be able to do several male roles if needed. I was also considering putting the sound person stage left and playing around with using the wrong sounds on purpose, etc. Still just kicking it around... I know there's an award winning theatre in New York that does original stuff, strangely enough called Radio Theatre. |
Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 5/20/11 at 8:26pm
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The radio theater night sounds really fun to me... the trick is this: how to make it interesting enough to sit and look at people "making radio". Some nice cyc color/changes, nice looking podiums/stools, a couple plants? More relaxed (sofas?)? There's a great free sound program called Soundplant that would be great for a live sound effects person (use mp3/wav sounds to augment physical sound effects.) You can map a sound file to every key on the keyboard, and play like 6 at once if desired. ------------- Geoff Ehrendreich Waterloo Community Playhouse Waterloo IA |
Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 5/20/11 at 8:29pm
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I think you have some really good ideas and would love our theater to do something of that nature. Some incentive beyond the early bird ticket price for being a member.
------------- Geoff Ehrendreich Waterloo Community Playhouse Waterloo IA |
Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 5/20/11 at 8:30pm
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It occurs to me that you could have a segment or two in the radio show where you pulled audience members to stage and handed them the script. A funny moment for a gender swap gag perhaps?
------------- Geoff Ehrendreich Waterloo Community Playhouse Waterloo IA |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 5/22/11 at 8:04pm
| Thanks for taking the time to read and reply. My dad used to talk about the old radio programs, now I listen to them on satellite. I'm really looking forward to trying this. I guess I'd better start finalizing things and writing out a proposal. I'll let you know how it goes if I get a date. Till then, check out this website http://www.radiotheatrenyc.com/reviews.html. This guy does all original stuff. Of course we're not about to write our own scores .... but I'd love to catch this if I'm ever in NYC! |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 8/19/11 at 9:59pm
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The "radio show" is next Sunday at 2pm. One show only and free admission. We decided on two half hour productions with an intermission of home-baked goods in between. We will have donation baskets out, but more importantly, lots of membership forms! We were able to hand out a lot of fliers at our last production and have gotten some great feed-back, so we're hoping for the best. We've even had a few retirement homes asking if we could perform for their residents! Best of all, the 3 men and 3 women in the cast are having a blast playing a total of 28 roles. Our sound guy is getting pretty creative with the foley table, too. We costuming 40's style to get everyone in the right frame of mind. Now, the proof will be in the puddin' as they say. |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 8/20/11 at 3:00pm
| How much do you charge for membership? |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 8/20/11 at 10:35pm
| It depends. $15.00 for a single, $25.00 for family, then we start Patrons out with $50.00 on up. |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 8/30/11 at 1:31pm
| Our Radio Theatre was a resounding success! The actors had so much fun and the audience was really into it. They are already asking when we're going to do it again! Yipee! |
Posted By: museav
Date Posted: 9/12/11 at 8:55am
Glad it went well! Those can be real fun, when my wife was teaching computer classes at a local Seniors Center they decided they wanted to do a 1940's radio show and she volunteered me to do effects and Foley. It turned out to be a blast, the two shows at the Senior Center went over so well that they had us do a third show at the County Auditorium. Over the years I have attempted to get involved with numerous local community theater groups but have yet to have a single one follow through on their initial interest with anything other than solicitations for financial donations. In one case even a letter of recommendation from one of the board members submitted with a written offer to volunteer garnered no response. In fact, after your post I got on a web site for a local theater group that was supposedly looking for volunteers and filled out their form, indicating that I'd be happy to help in any way possible. I have yet to receive any response, which unfortunately matches all my prior experiences. So it's great to have the initial contact but please don't be one of those groups that says they want people to get involved only to then not follow up on that. ------------- Brad W. |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 9/13/11 at 6:16pm
Try going to an audition and talking to the director and/or producer in person. |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 9/14/11 at 10:06pm
| That is a shame. But you DO need to be seen, to be seen — if you get my drift. The usual com theatre BODs are tired and burned out, not to mention forgetful. Becoming a member, going to shows, showing up at meetings, going to auditions will get you noticed. Sometimes it takes more than one audition, but if you love theatre, you'll do it! |
Posted By: museav
Date Posted: 9/15/11 at 2:15pm
Perhaps some misunderstanding. I am not discussing acting roles or directing, but rather volunteering for sound design, tech operation, set construction, ushering, etc. I keep encountering community theater groups that ask for volunteers for such roles but then do not follow up. The one theater group I recently contacted has a dedicated page on their web site, separate from the auditions page, for volunteers that states "Are you interested in getting more involved? We are always looking for volunteers to help with front of house, set construction, backstage crew or lights and sound. Please enter your details below and we will let you know what opportunities exist with upcoming shows." Twice now, and several years apart, I submitted information and offered to help in any way, however I have yet to receive any response. Another community theater group in the area says on their web site "We are always looking for volunteers to assist us with tasks such as: Set Construction, Lighting, Sound/Audio, Costume Design Backstage Hand and Backstage Management" and if you have an interest to call or e-mail them, however they provide no phone number or e-mail address. When one local theater was undergoing renovation and asking for community support I tried contacting both the developer and the non-profit organizing group on several occasions indicating an interest in donating professional design services, the same services I have been paid to provide on similar theater renovations, only to receive no response of any kind. My point was really that if your group actively seeks volunteers and support from the community then when people respond at least acknowledge it, even if just to say that you have no current need. Quite bluntly, it is difficult to want to support a group that asks for help but then doesn't even respond if you offer to help. ------------- Brad W. |
Posted By: SamD
Date Posted: 9/16/11 at 7:40pm
I totally understand your frustration because I share it. There have been several production heads that tend to use the same people over and over for tickets, house, tech, etc. They don't want to go out of their way and set up a new contact for whatever reason, even if that person has volunteered. I can't understand it, myself. If you were anywhere by me, I'd grab you with both hands!!
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Posted By: museav
Date Posted: 10/24/11 at 8:25pm
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Just to update my previous comments, the one community theatre group did finally respond. They apparently went through some management changes and once the lines of communication were opened things went quite well. I ushered for two performances over the weekend and got to bend the ear of their Production Manager who seemed real interested in future involvement. We'll see how it goes from here! ------------- Brad W. |