At the #LAthtr meetup, someone brought up that we should collectively publicize theatre in la. Not one company, but just the concept of theatre in LA.
Someone else added afterwards that certain celebrities Jack Black, etc. who market the shows their in saying that they are part of LA theatre.
Instantly in my mind I saw the marketing campaign. Billboards, signs on buses, benches, buildings. The Words “I Am LA Theatre” with a picture of Jack Black on one sign. THe one aroudn the corner has John Lithgow, next block over with Laurence Fishbourne, another with Me, another with you. Celebrities, other public personalities who do and support LA theatre, as well as faces of producers, actors, designers, who won’t be as publicly recognizable. We can be on the smaller signs, that’s fine. The point is illustrating the LA theatre community as a diverse group of people… and they happen to include celebrities.
Where else in the country can you see these movie and TV people LIVE ONSTAGE? Where else has such a huge talent pool creating work that unfolds right there in front of you?
I think we can sell that.
The goal is that the community at large sees these and realize that there’s theatre, and it might actually be cool. So next time someone says “let’s go out tonight,” they respond with “how about some theatre?”
That’d be the day.