As the architect of audiences for the performing arts, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside countless musical theater organizations, helping them cultivate and engage diverse communities. Over the years, I’ve learned that effective audience development is not just about filling seats – it’s about forging deep, meaningful connections that transcend cultural boundaries and inspire a lifelong love for the art form.
Understand Your Audience
The first step in any successful audience development strategy is to truly understand your target audience. This means diving deep into the demographics and psychographics of your community – exploring factors like race, ethnicity, geography, lifestyle, age, religious and political beliefs. By gaining a nuanced understanding of your audience’s unique characteristics and preferences, you can tailor your marketing and engagement efforts to resonate on a deeper level.
For example, in my work with a community-based musical theater center in a diverse urban setting, we recognized that our audience was a tapestry of cultures, each with its own values, traditions, and expectations. To effectively reach and engage these varied groups, we conducted extensive research, held focus groups, and even commissioned a comprehensive audience survey. The insights we gained were invaluable, allowing us to craft targeted messaging, curate programming that spoke to diverse interests, and forge partnerships with local organizations that were deeply embedded in the community.
Embrace Diversity and Inclusion
One of the most powerful strategies for building a thriving musical theater audience is to actively embrace diversity and inclusion. This means not only ensuring that your programming, marketing, and staffing reflect the rich tapestry of your community, but also actively working to remove barriers and create a welcoming, inclusive environment for all.
I’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact of this approach. When a renowned regional theater company in the Midwest decided to prioritize diversity and inclusion, they didn’t just pay lip service to the idea – they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They diversified their artistic leadership, engaged in extensive cultural competency training, and made a concerted effort to reach out to underserved communities through strategic partnerships and targeted outreach.
The results were nothing short of remarkable. Not only did the theater’s audience become more representative of the surrounding community, but attendance from traditionally marginalized groups skyrocketed. Audience members from diverse backgrounds reported feeling seen, heard, and valued, and many became ardent supporters of the theater, attending regularly and even becoming donors and volunteers.
Cultivate Meaningful Connections
At the heart of any successful audience development strategy is the ability to cultivate meaningful connections between the audience and the art form. This means going beyond the traditional transactional relationship of ticket sales and program distribution, and instead, creating opportunities for genuine engagement and immersion.
One of the most effective ways to do this is through interactive experiences that allow audience members to engage with the creative process. For example, a musical theater center I worked with hosted a series of “backstage tours” that gave patrons a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a production. Attendees had the chance to meet the director, chat with the cast, and even participate in a hands-on costume design workshop. The response was overwhelming, with many attendees reporting a newfound appreciation for the artistry and collaborative nature of musical theater.
Another powerful strategy is to leverage the power of storytelling to forge emotional connections. By highlighting the personal narratives and lived experiences of the artists, creative teams, and even audience members, you can create a sense of shared humanity that transcends the stage. I’ve seen this approach work wonders, with audience members leaving a performance not just entertained, but deeply moved and inspired.
Embrace the Digital Landscape
In today’s digital age, audience development strategies must also incorporate a strong online presence and engagement. This means leveraging social media, email marketing, and other digital platforms to reach and connect with your audience in innovative ways.
For example, a musical theater center I worked with launched a successful “virtual backstage” series, where they offered behind-the-scenes content and live Q&A sessions with the cast and creative team. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with many audience members reporting that they felt more connected to the production than ever before.
But the digital landscape isn’t just about reaching your audience – it’s also about empowering them to become active ambassadors for your organization. By creating interactive online communities, sharing user-generated content, and encouraging audience participation, you can foster a sense of ownership and investment that can translate to increased ticket sales, donations, and word-of-mouth referrals.
Cultivate Strategic Partnerships
No successful audience development strategy exists in a vacuum. By forging strategic partnerships with other community organizations, educational institutions, and arts-adjacent businesses, you can exponentially expand your reach and create new opportunities for engagement.
For instance, I worked with a musical theater center that partnered with a local high school’s drama program to offer master classes, mentorship opportunities, and even co-productions. Not only did this help to cultivate the next generation of theater enthusiasts, but it also fostered a sense of community and shared investment that extended far beyond the walls of the theater.
Another example is a musical theater center that collaborated with a local art gallery to host a series of “art-meets-theater” events. By combining visual art, live performance, and interactive experiences, they were able to attract a diverse audience that might not have otherwise engaged with their programming.
Measure and Iterate
Finally, no audience development strategy is complete without a robust system for measuring success and continuously iterating based on feedback and data. This means tracking key metrics like ticket sales, donor retention, social media engagement, and audience demographics, and using those insights to refine and improve your approach over time.
For instance, a musical theater center I worked with noticed that their ticket sales for certain productions were lagging, despite strong critical reviews. By digging deeper into their audience data, they discovered that their marketing efforts were not effectively reaching younger, more diverse segments of the community. Armed with this knowledge, they revamped their digital strategy, forged new community partnerships, and even adjusted their programming to better align with the interests and preferences of their target audience. The results were immediate and impressive, with a significant uptick in ticket sales and a more diverse and engaged audience.
The key to effective audience development is to never stop learning, adapting, and innovating. By embracing a data-driven, community-centric approach, and continually striving to forge deeper, more meaningful connections with your audience, you can create a thriving, sustainable musical theater ecosystem that enriches the lives of all who engage with it.
And as you embark on this journey, remember that the Musical Theater Center is here to support you every step of the way. Our team of audience development experts are passionate about empowering organizations like yours to reach new heights and inspire the next generation of musical theater enthusiasts.
