Raconteur Theatre Company

Raconteur’s After the Afterglow Makes it Easy to See a Show!

Columbus’s new Raconteur Theatre Company theorizes that one reason people don’t go out to see local theatre is because of its total inflexibility! That’s why they are premiering with After the Afterglow, a show in a flexible format.

After the Afterglow allows patrons to choose from viewing one of two one-acts or enjoying both for a discounted price. Board member Jill C. Hartley explains, “In an increasingly hectic world, this gives our patrons options. If they’re booked until 8 o’clock, no biggie- they can catch the second piece. We want people to see theatre as a real option for their weekend.”

After the Afterglow consists of Roulette by Douglas Hill and Aster, Holger Gunn by Columbus’s own Justin Toomey. Roulette follows Janine (Jill Ceneskie) and Matt (JT Walker) as they decide to divorce after four years of a painful marriage. But when the couple embarks on a final road trip to drop off Matt in Las Vegas, they start to question their decision as strange, inexplicable things start happening. In Aster, Holger Gunn, Holger (Andrew Cronacher) is unable to let go of his love for Aster (Molly St. Cyr), and turns to writing a dialogue between the two of them in the hopes of working through his attachment to an obviously dead relationship. Despite having complete control over every move Aster makes and every word she says, Holger cannot change the ultimate destiny of their relationship.

After the Afterglow runs May 29-June 14 at Kafe Karouac (2250 N. High St., Columbus). Shows are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 & 9:15pm and Sundays at 2 & 3:15pm. Roulette will start at 8pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays. Aster, Holger Gunn is at 9:15pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 3:15pm Sundays. Tickets are $5 for a single one-act or $8 for both. Local singer songwriter Andy Ceneskie will provide music before each one act and Kafe Kerouac will sell beverages and snacks from their menu.

For additional information visit www.raconteurtheatre.com/currentshow.html.

The following blog is by Ken Davenport, that off-Broadway producer in the iPhone commercial.  He’s talking about why the Broadway model for selling tickets is flawed.  More relevant to us, he’s arguing that face to face sales by someone who is passionate about the “product” is the key to making a sale and to breaking into an “alternative demographic.”  Makes me think of the impassioned speeches Andrew has made about working our butts off to make sure people come to see the play that we’ve worked so hard to produce.

Scott Walters of Theatre Ideas responds to Ken’s blog, emphasizing the importance of  an artist interacting with “someone they don’t even know. Showing a little bit of the product, and talking about it from a standpoint of commitment to it.”  http://theatreideas.blogspot.com/2008/03/selling.html

Hit the street to find out how to sell.

http://kendavenport.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/hit-the-street.html

Guess what is happening in the photo to the right.

Give up?  I’ll tell you.

That’s Janine and her daughter Ellen.  They’re from Ohio and they came in to New York last weekend.  They’re staying at the Milford Plaza and plan on seeing a musical and going to The Empire State Building.

That’s Duane in the red sweatshirt.  He’s from the Bronx.  He’s an underground rapper who records his own music and then sells it on the street in midtown.

And that’s Ellen, digging into her purse to buy this unknown artist’s CD for $10, even though she’s never heard of him before, and even though she “doesn’t really like rap.”

So what happened here?  How the heck did Duane get a tourist to fork over cash in the middle of midtown, and how did he penetrate an alternative demographic?

There is nothing more powerful than the live pitch. It’s why telemarketing, Tupperware parties and door-to-door sales still work.  It’s not as fast as the internet, but if you’ve got an unknown product and are trying to break through to a resistant demo, do you really think a banner ad is going to do it? 

Duane believes in his product.  And Janine and Ellen could feel that.  And they aren’t just buying a CD.  They are buying Duane.  Great sales people know how to make themselves a part of their product.  That’s not only how to convert one sale, but it’s how to get a customer for life.

This is why who works at your box office and who is answering your phone line is so important.  This is also why Broadway is at a significant disadvantage in its current model.

Box office ticket sellers are hired by the theater.  Not by the Producer. 

Imagine if you were the owner of a GAP. You rent a storefront on 5th avenue.  You stock it with your product, you advertise, etc.  And then your landlord sends in your sales team.  Huh?

You don’t get to screen them.  You don’t get to train them.  They don’t have to wear your product.  You can’t fire them.  You don’t even sign their checks, yet you have to reimburse the landlord for every penny of their salary and benefits.

You wouldn’t stand for that, right?  You’d find another storefront.

That’s the way it works on Broadway.  And because of the limited availability of “storefronts”, we take it.

Same thing for the phones.  As a producer, you have no control over Ticketmaster or Telecharge.  And, as a producer, you also have no choice but to use them.  They come packaged with your theater agreement.  And yes, the theater owners get a kickback from the ticketing companies, and the Producer gets no financial benefit.  In fact, Telecharge is owned by the Shubert Organization.

With the amount of money producers are risking on shows, we deserve to be able to choose the best sales team for us.  Maybe we’d use Telecharge and maybe we’d hire a lot of the great Local 751 members out there.  But we deserve that choice.  Having a choice means competition.  And competition is what makes businesses and industries stronger. 

If I were choosing my sales team today, the first person I’d interview would be Duane.

The scripts and location have been selected!  Our grand opening show will be the first of our “Flex Series.”  Our Flex Series is an evening of two one-act plays allowing our patrons to choose to attend just one of the two or for a discounted ticket price, to attend both.  Here’s the line-up:

Roulette by Douglas Hill

Aster Holger Gunn by Justin Toomey

The show will be at Kafe Kerouac on the following dates:

May 29-June 1, June 5-8, and June 12-14

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday shows at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm

Audition announcements will be posted soon as will information for purchasing tickets.

Excited to share our stories,

Jill