sound « Theatrical Musings

I just got back from a day at  The Special Event convention at the San Diego Convention Center.  Event Planners are an interesting bunch of people to watch in their own element.  They are creative, passionate, and have a great sense of humor about what they do.  They pride themselves on telling a “story” through their events  and do their best to get different technical elements (lights, sound, entertainers) to help them tell that story.  They are great with the show part of their job and sometimes not so good with the business part of their job…..remind you of anyone.

It dawned on me that most of us theater folk sort of fall into the same category.  If that’s the case, then isn’t really any show you do a “Special Event”, albeit one that goes for mulitple weeks.  This is a huge shift in thinking for what we do.

From my experience, people tend to view a play like they would a movie down at their local 20plex.  When is it? What time is it playing?  They go like they are going to sit for two hours and watch a “live” motion picture.  But if a play isn’t a movie, but a Special Event, just think of what that does to they way you approach it.

People are excited to go to events.  They like to feel like they are one of the few who got to experience that particular set of circumstances. It give thema feeling of importance and people like to feel important.  Your audience members should feel like they are a part of this event and as such, will be more apt to come again.

This new mind set also works wonders for your actors.  No matter what any Event Planner says to the contrary, people are excited to be working for events.  Yes, they are hard.  Yes, they can be a bear to get through.  Ultimately, however, there is a feeling of comeraderie from the staff because they worked as a team to get the event off without a hitch.  What is more “theatre” that that?  If your actors are no longer just “doing” a play, then the energy that they put into the show would increase 10-fold.

And it’s not just each show that’s a special event, but each performance within that show.  Each night, there is a new crowd, coming for a new event.  And we get to put on that event and tell a story using performers, sets, costumes, sound, and lighting.  Our two industries are closer than we think.

Now if we can only get Event Planners to get that Special Events are Theatre….one thing at a time.