Of late we have been performing regularly at non-formal performance venues. There are a handful of theatre groups that are trying to counter the overburdening of regular venues in Maximum City. Our shows have been well attended but the capacity is small (about 70 people). However, it is still very difficult to bring people to the venue.

Many didn’t know where it was, or when it was, etc. This problem, I found, is not limited to off-beat venues alone. Groups are constantly innovating and trying to find ways to inform an audience that their shows are happening.
As I write this, Marine Drive reminds me a little of the escalators at London tube stations, which feature posters of West End shows on either side. This is because there are almost half a dozen outdoor hoardings that feature plays: Ace Productions’ Broken Images and Death of a Salesman, AGP’s Blame it on Yashraj and Rage Productions’ Pune Highway. This is a positive sign. However these are big productions with sponsors, and can afford the largesse of outdoor hoardings (although at subsidised “theatre” rates).
In fact Ace’s Grease, placed newspaper advertisements every day for seven weeks before they opened. The result, HOUSEFULL shows of their limited opening run.
Clearly advertising works. But how do the non-commercial, underfunded shows function? For them, placing a press advert, often means compromising the set or costume budget.
The Internet has been a boon to these kinds of theatre companies.
Direct e-mailers (or spam), have been a very effective way of reaching potential audiences. Mumbai, particularly, has a very active online theatre journalistic community, and each portal sends out an e-mailer featuring what’s coming up in the next week/month. Mumbaitheatreguide.com has a vast database, and for a nominal fee, you can inform their subscribers of your upcoming production. Bookmyshow consistently sends out a weekly “theatre mailer” of shows performing at Prithvi. The NCPA send out a fortnightly mailer on activities at their venue. The Script sends out a monthly listing of all that’s happening in the city.
The more recent innovation is Facebook advertising. The ads are targeted at people with a specific interest, and more importantly within a specific geographic area. An added benefit, is the fact that you can control your own budget, and set a per day limit. Considering TV and radio is prohibitive, and newspaper inserts/flyers aren’t really effective, online targeting has been very successful. Probably because under 30s, who make up the new audience, don’t spend too much time reading a physical newspaper. Their “news” is received from online versions. Even film listings are checked via websites and phone applications. Therefore if theatre companies want to reach out to these audiences then they must find them online.
However, no matter where you go in the world, the most effective advertising tool remains “word of mouth”.
If you can impact the people who have come to the performance, they automatically become ”network marketers” and spread the word to others. Often this is ignored by most troupes.
Groups are happy that they have filled a house. However that full house is the key to many more full houses.
Best of all — this advertising is free.
Theatre has often been described as the shared experience between actors and audience. But it is also the shared experience between audience and audience.
In today’s virtual world where everything is about “sharing”, recommending an experience that made an impact on you has an even greater power.