If you missed our Green Meeting....

Notes from our Green Meeting 4/12/2010

Our philosophy: Greening your production starts from the inception of the piece all the way until you strike your set. You don’t need to take things away, just start thinking differently and more sustainable from the onset. Are you taking things out of your show because you want to be green? Want to save money? Or does it service the piece?

Off Off Broadway has been sustainable for years, because we have to. We face many challenges not owning our own spaces, and not having the funds, but make it work for you. Further your story by using sustainability. No one wants to see cheap theatre,but sustainable theatre…. That has a different ring to it. Rebrand your marketing.

Make sure in your marketing you mention the sustainability aspect. Sustainability is the “sexy” word right now! Involve your patrons so that they will support your theatre and become inspired. Think of something new and innovative that they want to experience. Hopefully you can inspire your audience to start using sustainable practices in their daily lives. Even the little things count.

Use different forms of media and creative ideas to promote your shows. What is the best way to share your story using the different forms of social medias? Facebook? Have one of your characters twitter to fans or perhaps a blog, upload a video on youtube. A webisode? Maybe use some guerrilla marketing tactics. A great example of guerrilla marketing Think how can I do this differently?

During the rehearsal period encourage the use of electronic communications, public transportation, and double sided scripts. See our Planet Connections Manual on page 5 for more tips and suggestions.

Perhaps you don’t need a headshot board or paper program. Maybe you can send the audience to your website and they can view it all there. Maybe you want to be really creative and use scraps of materials (costumes, props, headshots, set pieces) that were left over from the show to create an art piece representing the show. Maybe you want your audience to participate by riding a bike to power the lights for the entire show. ( very ambitious but perhaps worth looking into)

Once your pieces are struck, find a way to reuse them, re-purpose them or donate them to other theaters. Use our blog as a resource for prop, set, and costume sharing within planet connections. It will be a great, eco friendly way to make more connections with your fellow artists. Build it Green, Film Biz recycling, and Mo'olelo Theatre in California, have some great ideas and resources.( Also see our list of favorite websites for ideas and resources)

You don’t have to hit your audience over the head with the green message, but make is subtle. Great examples are 70 Million Tons at the looking Glass Theatre that a few Planet connections staffers are involved in, +30NYC with the Red Fern Theatre Company has shows about sustainability( see previous blogs about both of these events) sustainability doesn’t have to live and die at the end of your show. Keep up these practices throughout your theatre career, keep it going!

Over all, please remember the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!