Verdigris Theatre Summer Season
Programming Project | Arts Leadership
For this programming project, I was tasked with picking an organization, defining its basic mission, programming five events, and providing my reasoning while considering how marketing, outreach, and education efforts would impact it. I chose to have my programming take into account the current climate of COVID-19. For my website portfolio, I have used the name of a fake theater, though it is modeled after a real organization. This project was completed as part of my Master’s in Arts Leadership and Management. Images used for this page are stock images.
Verdigris Theatre Summer Season
Verdigris Theatre Mission Statement: The mission of Verdigris Theatre is to present a wide selection of theatrical experiences and to promote the arts in the Verdigris community.
Background on Verdigris Theatre: Verdigris Theatre is a professional theatre organization in a rural town of approx. 7,500 people that focuses on a summer season. During a typical season, Verdigris Theatre hosts a company of visiting artists and produces five mainstage productions, a series of cabarets, and a staged reading of a new work. The mainstage shows typically include at least one children’s production, a contemporary play, a Shakespeare, and a musical. The community values the arts and tourism and boasts a surprisingly robust arts scene.
Event #1: The Outdoor Family-Friendly Show
Due to the pandemic, we are unable to share indoor performances together. However, we will endeavor to do an outdoor performance, making several changes to our operations to help keep our audiences and artists safe.
In a typical season, our outdoor performance is traditionally a Shakespeare in the park. However, because we will only be able to do one in-person performance this season, we have elected to do a family-friendly show that is appealing to the widest audience possible.
Some of the changes in operations:
Audiences will be asked to wear masks while in the “theatre space.” As seen in various parks around the country, we will paint socially distanced circles for family units. All audiences will be safely distanced from the stage. In the spirit of our Shakespeare in the Park tradition, attendance will be free – but we will ask that audiences reserve free tickets in advance as space is limited.
The show will be of a shorter length, performed with no intermission. It will feature a small cast. We will employ our wealth of local actors and artists to avoid bringing in artists from out-of-state.
Shows will be performed during daylight (to eliminate lighting costs.) We will use paired down scenic and costume designs to maximize our budget for sound design. Extra attention will be given to our sound system and micing actors so our socially distanced audience can hear clearly and avoid crowding the stage.
All rehearsals and performances will happen outdoors. We will use a hybrid of virtual rehearsals and a shortened in-person rehearsal schedule. The run of the show will also be shortened compared to a typical season. Potentially, we will have our acting company “quarantine” together for the in-person rehearsal time/performance run.
Reasoning:
I chose an outdoor family-friendly show because, while our in-person performance possibilities are drastically limited, an outdoor show is one of the few safe possibilities, if done right. I chose a family-friendly show instead of the traditional Shakespeare show because it will feel more accessible to a wider audience. A typical season includes multiple family-friendly shows, and this choice strives to fill that need. I expect the outdoor show to be well-received and attract many families. The biggest challenge will be safety precautions.
Event #2: Virtual Cabaret Series
Our typical seasons include a series of cabarets – we will continue this tradition! Our 2020 cabarets will take place virtually via live-streaming.
Because Zoom allows us to connect with artists across the nation, cabarets this season will feature both new artists and many of your favorite alumni from past seasons.
Each cabaret will have a theme, such as Broadway Through the Ages, and will feature classic showtunes, songs by new composers, and some of the most iconic moments from past Verdigris Theatre seasons.
Each cabaret will be performed live. The cabarets will be ticketed events, but at a reduced price compared to past in-person events. Audiences must preregister as space is limited.
Reasoning:
I chose to do a virtual cabaret series because it is an evolution of Verdigris Theatre’s traditional programming and meets some of the goals outlined in the mission. The cabaret special events attract a wide audience in a normal season, and if we can guide our audiences in adapting to the new viewing platform, I expect they will actively look forward to and “attend” these cabarets. By featuring past alumni, we make the most of the power of “celebrity,” and we will bring back audiences who were invested in our artists in past seasons.
Event #3: Zoom Theatre – King Lear
Although we will not have an outdoor Shakespeare this season, we are bringing the bard to your living room! Shakespeare wrote some of his most famous works while theaters were closed due to the plague. In honor of our shared experience with the bard, we will remount one of his greatest pandemic plays – King Lear.
Helmed by one of our renowned directors, our creative team and actors have reimagined King Lear to be performed over the virtual platform Zoom, allowing us to explore what this classic tale looks like in a virtual world.
Each performance will be live on Zoom. This is a ticketed event, and audiences will need to preregister as space is limited. Ticket prices are reduced compared to past in-person productions.
Reasoning:
I chose to do a virtual zoom theatre production of King Lear because it aligns with the mission of Verdigris Theatre and keeps with the tradition of programming Shakespeare. However, from the beginning of the process, the production will be conceived to be performed via Zoom to make the most of the medium. I expect that the production will “retain” much of our usual audience, but hopefully the new medium will attract new audience members who are curious what the reimagined production looks like.
Event #4: Virtual Premiere of a New Work
In keeping with our tradition of fostering new theatrical work, Verdigris Theatre will be premiering a reading of a never-before-seen play this season.
Since Verdigris Theatre was founded, many playwrights have spent time in our community. This season, we will be commissioning a new play from one of these alumni.
The play will tell a modern story of 2020, written to make the most of this new virtual medium, and will feature a cast of artists from across the country.
The event will be free, but audiences will need to preregister as space is limited.
Reasoning:
I chose to do a virtual premiere of a new work because it is a continuation of Verdigris Theatre’s new works programming. However, by commissioning the new work from an alumnus, we are able to make the most of current situation/technology and build a lasting relationship with that artist. I would use the “celebrity” of the alumni to attract as many people from our existing audience base as possible. Because the new work will touch on current issues, it may be the “edgiest” part of our programming, but we will work to educate our audiences on the importance of new work and build an appreciation for it.
Event #5: New Community Mural
Verdigris Theatre is committed to a thriving arts community. Although the pandemic has limited our ability to share live performance, there are still many ways for us to share the arts together. To this end, Verdigris Theatre, in partnership with other area arts organizations, is commissioning a new mural in the downtown.
Created by a local artis, the new mural will promote the wealth of arts in our town and represent our pride for our community.
Reasoning:
I chose to commission a new community mural because, although it is not specifically theatre, it fits with our broader mission to promote the arts. The project will build our relationship with other organizations and the community. It will also build awareness for Verdigris Theatre – institutional marketing – and demonstrate a commitment to the arts and the community. Also, I think it is important for the organization to look to other artistic forms to make the most of this pandemic time, since traditional theatre is not an option. I think the community will be receptive to a new mural because it has demonstrated its commitment and love the for the arts many times, including through other murals in town.