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Most schools will find very little
promotion is needed to produce the play. Usually,
the student body will assemble in the school
auditorium or theater, filling all the seats. All
that is needed are a few posters and a theater
program to distribute to the audience. All of these
materials are available for immediate use on our
downloads Page (if you've not registered,
please do that
before trying to download.)
In-School Promotion:
Walden Poster, 11x17” (download by registering your performance)
This is the largest of the posters. You might find
downloading the PDF and bringing it to a local
printer, such as a Kinko’s or Staples, is the
easiest way to make copies. Once you have printed a
dozen or so, write in the day, time, venue and names
of the starring actors. Distribute where appropriate
around the school.
Walden Poster, 8.5x14” (download by registering your performance)
Most common printers can easily print this size
sheet of paper. Download the PDF, open the file and
then make copies. If your printer is only black and
white, that’s fine if you choose. Once you have
printed the quantity you need, write in the day,
time, venue and names of the starring actors.
Distribute where appropriate around the school.
Walden Poster, 8.5x11” (download by registering your performance)
This is the most common paper size. Download the
PDF, open the file and then make copies. Once you
have printed your supply, write in the day, time,
venue and names of the starring actors. Distribute
where appropriate around the school.
Walden Handbill, 8.5x11” (download by registering your performance)
There are two handbills per sheet of paper. Download
the PDF, open the file and then make ONE CLEAN COPY.
Write in the day, time, venue and names of the
starring actors. Make copies of the finished master
sheet. Cut all the copies in half. We suggest using
the smaller handbill to distribute to all students
in the school a week prior to the play.
When several schools/colleges merge into a larger
theater:
Some school districts might find it easier to
organize a single group of actors (one production)
and present that production to several schools.
Often there is a wonderful theater or performing
arts center in the community that can seat from
1,000-3,000 people. Or perhaps a local college
offers to produce the play and invite the high
schools to attend their production on campus. In
this case, the Walden play would be considered an
educational field trip. Coordinating teachers should
work together so that all schools use the same
posters and handbills. Make sure they all say the
same thing. Be sure to hang the larger posters in
the theater the weeks prior to the event.
When the public is invited:
If the play is to be considered a fund raiser for
the school as well as an educational event, the
public might be invited to participate and purchase
tickets. Using the posters above, BE SURE TO INCLUDE
THE TICKET PRICE on the posters. Concentrate on book
stores, coffee shops, libraries, music stores,
health food stores, grocery stores and other public
areas.
Call your local newspapers: Be
polite, be clear, be brief and be excited when
speaking to the media. They will write a story about
the production and help publicize it. Most
newspapers will bend over backwards to support their
schools, especially if several schools participate
at the same time and the public is being invited to
attend.
Call your local cable company or TV station: Most
cable companies have a community bulletin board type
channel and the will give you free advertising. It
is not unusual for a cable company or a local TV
affiliate (like the NBC, ABC, CBS or Fox channel) to
want to “sponsor” the community event. This means
they will make commercials and run them on the air.
In this case you will want to get a copy of their
station logo and place it on ALL posters, handbills
and the theater program.
Call your local PUBLIC RADIO station: Public and
community stations are very hometown oriented.
Usually, they are run by volunteers who have a deep
appreciation for their communities. Public radio is
also ideally suited to the arts, theater, Thoreau
and issues like the environment. They can support
the performances by talking about the play on the
air, interviewing the director and actors, etc. In
this case you will want to get a copy of their
station logo and place it on ALL posters, handbills
and the theater program.
NOTE: Be fair to your media sponsors. Only deal with
ONE radio station and ONE television station. The
media appreciates exclusivity when donating their
resources to you.
Using the Walden Theater Program:
This is an important educational tool during the
event of the play to put in the hands of the
audience. It also is a show of respect and
appreciation for the sponsors who arranged for
schools to receive the play free of charge.
The Theater program is a standard sized program on
8.5x11” paper that you will print, collate and fold.
Stapling is not necessary as the program is only 8
pages (four sheets, then folded)
First: Print out a set of master copies. Most
of the Program is already laid out and written for
you. It includes a short bio of Thoreau, Emerson and
the other characters. There is information about
Earth Day and educational resources. YOU WILL NOTICE
BLANK SPACES IN THE PROGRAM.
Second: Print the names of the Director and
Actors is the section provided. You can type it out
on a word processor and PASTE the content into the
provided area on the master copy of the program.
Third: Use the BLANK SPACES in the program
master copy to
a) thank others who have helped the project, like
your media sponsors or
b) SELL ADS to local stores. This will help make the
program distribution cost-free to the school.
Fourth: Once your extra ads and copy have
been pasted into the master program sheets, make
your copies on a normal copy machine. Remember, you
will be copying on BOTH SIDES of each sheet. If you
expect 500 to attend, print at least 250 programs.
Invite students to help in the printing, folding and
collating process.
Downloads Page (if you've not registered,
please do that
first.)
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