Audience Development

A Question Of Face Masks And Liability

In an earlier entry, I had written about meeting the legal duty of care and planning to re-open your venue as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed. It is good to be aware of legal duty of care as a general concept because it exists entirely independent of diseases concerns and is applicable to every aspect of an organization’s operations and decision making. As plans evolve, there are myriad questions that arise about the types of rules and restrictions you create for attendance. This can be an issue regarding the use of face masks, … Read more

It Isn’t Only About “Young” People

Tue, Jan 7, 20Tue, Jan 7, 20 by Ceci Dadisman

A recent article in The Economist predicts that 2020 will begin the decade of the “young old” (or “yold”). This refers to a Japanese term used to classify people aged between 65 and 75. We tend to think of “young” audiences as people below the age of 40 but many of us have audiences where the average age is above 70. We can’t forget about the people in between. The yold are more numerous, healthier and wealthier than previous generations of seniors. There will be 134m 65- to 74-year-olds in rich countries … Read more

Panels And Post Show Discussions

Mon, Aug 26, 19Wed, Aug 28, 19 by Joe Patti

Conversations around performances and events really can enhance the experience for people, but making it an effective and enjoyable experience can take some preparation and discipline. One of my favorite pieces on the practice was written for HowlRound by Brant Russell reflecting on his experience leading the discussions at Steppenwolf Theatre. He presented 11-ish rules that were basically aimed at having the moderator employ the lightest touch while also keeping the discussion away from questions like “how did you memorize all those lines?” He counsels directors to stay away because they are … Read more