Archive - MacAllen's Theater GUide

Community Theater Websites

This manual is concerned with the content of a website for a community theater rather than actually setting up a website. For more information on how to get your theater online, visit MacAllen's Guide to Becoming an Internet Rockstar and Dotcom Millionaire.

Building a website for your community theater can be a great resource for advertising upcoming shows, reaching out to new members, and managing your theater. In some cases, a website may generate revenue for your theater company as well (though it should not be considered fiscal crisis problem solver). Developing complex content for your theater site is also a useful way of attracting visitors through search engines, the primary way visitors will come to your site.

Contact
Contact information is the most obvious content for a website. Be sure to keep a current phone number and email address online for the theater group. Potential members and patrons will need to know how to contact your theater if they are to participate or attend a performance. In addition, if you have a permanent theater location, posting the address can also be helpful. Be sure contact information is prominently displayed.

If you are getting ready to cast a show, including audition calls online may increase the number of actors who turn out. This can be particularly helpful if auditions are planned well in advance or are held frequently through out the year. While the web is international, many people will search the web including local parameters-—if your audition call turns up in a web search, new talent is likely to come an audition for you.

Upcoming Performances
It may be very obvious, but including current production schedules on a website is one way patrons may find your theater. Including complete cast lists and biographical information about each cast member may increase the likelihood of getting new patrons. For instance, say your show stars Suzy Sample: if a friend of Suzy comes across the site, that friend is more likely to attend the show knowing Suzy Sample is in the performance.

History
The history of your community theater can be very important in establishing credibility with patrons and with potential members and actors. Even a relatively new theater can benefit by providing a short history. Including past programs or performance posters is one way of conveying this information. Also, if the director or the actors from a show provide a short statement about the performance or the production, this too can be interesting theater history.

Newspaper Excerpts
If your community theater has been featured in a local paper, or has had reviews about shows written, including excerpts from these articles or reviews can cast a positive light on your organization. A group with good reviews is more likely to attract additional talent.

Book, Music, and Play Recommendations
A successful community theater will have members that often read or see performances of plays and musicals. This knowledge can be shared over the internet. If for example Suzy Sample reads a great new one act play, she could recommend that play on the community theater’s website. In turn, people from a community theater on the other side of the country may stumble across your website, read Suzy’s recommendation and perform the show. Through programs like Amazon Associates Program, your community theater website can earn money by recommending books. The side benefit of course is you are helping out your fellow community theater enthusiast: don’t expect a huge monetary return.

Local Cultural Guide
Many times theater patrons are interested in more than just a show: maybe a show and dinner; maybe they want coffee afterwards; maybe your patrons want to make a day trip. Including information about other cultural attractions—restaurants, coffee shops, book stores, art galleries, or other amusements—might make the difference between a patron choosing your show or another theater. In addition, if your theater is particularly popular, giving some local businesses "preferred" listings on your site may be another way of generating revenue or a perk they receive by advertising in your program.

Personal Stories
Including personal stories about past productions at the theater can do two things. First, it provides a face to the people behind the scenes. Second, if the stories are well written and interesting, visitors may return to read further information.

How We Did It
There are literally thousands of community theaters across the United States. The chances are, somewhere, a theater is getting ready to do a performance you just put on. Including helpful information—a "we did that in this way"—can be beneficial to other community theaters. In return, this information, once indexed by a search engine, can help steer people to your site.

Photos
Photos of the theater and past productions can help potential theater members better understand the kind of performances your theater puts on. For instance, Suzy Sample is really into staged musicals with complex dance numbers; on the other hand, your theater tends to be very minimalist, to preserve the text of the show. Suzy may realize your theater is not for her by looking at pictures of your productions saving you both time and money.

Original Stage Material
If your theater company is committed to helping new writers stage their shows, including the original texts online may be one way of getting a wider audience for the shows. Always check with the writer(s) before going through with this.