The publicity manager is an often ignored but critical element of any theatrical production. After all, we want to have audience members, and cast and crew family and friends only fills a limited number of seats. While cast sales are important, the lifeblood of a financially successful show is tied to how many strangers we welcome to our theatres. That is where the publicity manager comes in. While most small theatres have limited if any budget for traditional advertising, and with rates out of rnge for the tcket revenues traditional advertising may produce, the theatre publicity manager has an important challenge. We will soon be providing a separate section entirely on theatre marketing. Until then, see some of the web articles we found most useful. Consider all avenues such as partnering with local restaurants, obtaining free spots on community bulletin boards, spending time in public places, doing previews in bookstores and senior centers, etc. The important thing is to get the word out to as many people as frequently and repeatedly as you can. The publicity manager is responsible for coordinating all of these efforts and working with the ticket manager to get tickets sold to as many individuals as possible.

Note that while much focus must go to publicizing each show, groups should also pay attention to integrating show publicity into their general group marketing as well. Patrons programs with discounted tickets for multiple shows can help to build the repeat audience base so that publicity for individual shows can focus more heavily on adding to that base with first time audience members.

The Ticket Manager is responsible for all aspects of ticket sales, including ticket design and printing, distribution, and remittance of ticket monies to the Treasurer or other financial officer of the group.

Generally, ticket sales will begin several weeks before the opening of the production. For this reason, it is important to print tickets early in the production process. Most groups have a standard format for tickets, either for reserved seating or open seating. In most cases, tickets are sold for designated performances printed on te tickets. However, some groups that generally to not fill the theatre space do sell general seating tickets that are good at any performance. The ticket manager must determine all of the particulars well in advance and obtain the needed tickets.

In some instances, tickets are sold online via the web either with or without online seat selection capabilities. Care must be taken when selling reserved seating through the web as well as through individuals to ensure that the same seats cannot be booked by multiple individuals.

Whether tickets are distributed to cast and crew members to sell, or reservations are taken via the web, phone, or at rehearsals, the ticket manager should periodically attend rehearsals for a short period to push sales and distribute tickets that have been requested. If tickets are distributed to cast members to be sold, specific record of the tickets distributed to each person should be maintained with a clear understanding that unsold tickets must be returned or paid for by a specific date. While it may occasionally seem harsh to require someone to pay for unsold tickets that are not returned, it is important to establish a clear policy to avoid abuse and to ensure that walk-in sales are not turned away due to tickets not being returned.