Help, someone just gave me flyers to give out!

Spend any time doing community theatre and someone will almost always give you a stack of flyers or posters to “give out” to help promote the show.

Make no mistake, this is a hugely important way of getting the word out – friends, family and your community networks are one of the best ways to generate ticket sales.

Here are some ideas around what you can do with them. If you are leaving a pile somewhere, generally a stack of 10 is a good number.

  • Take them to work and put them out in the break room, noticeboard or around your desk. If a noticeboard is your only option then put up two – the front of one and the back of the other. If your desk is the only option everyone who interrupts you should get a flyer as punishment.
  • You might get away with giving them to customers at work too – but its best to get permission from your boss first.
  • Ask your favourite local cafe if you can leave some out – they usually have a space for flyers or you might get away with leaving them on the tables. Ideally you want them somewhere they won’t get tided up . This goes for any regular shop you visit – could be a bar or bakery too.
  • Your local library, visitor centre or information centre will probably take a small pile to put around the noticeboards. Most libraries will find space for a poster too. The trick is to tell them you are in the show and that its a community show, not a for-profit production.
  • Give some to your partner to take to their work. Alternatives include your mum, dad, siblings or your friends. It’s not really all that awkward to say “hey, can you put some flyers for my show out at your work” once you get used to it.
  • Mums (and Dads) are pretty good at this sort of thing too. They have no shame at promoting their actor-children to anyone who will listen. If you give your Mum (or Dad) some flyers they’ll be gone before you know it.
  • Most schools and universities have noticeboards or similar where you can leave notices of flyers.
  • If you are involved in other plays, other hobbies, the gym etc this is also a good option.
  • If you are totally out of ideas, go for a walk and deliver them into your neighbours. Out of the thirty households that get a flyer someone will be interested (and if you know the neighbours, attach a little handwritten note – “Hey, its Bob at 32. I’m doing a play! Hope you can make it”

The Right Way to Play a Scene

So many actors worry about the ‘right’ way to play a character or a scene.

They rush to a movie version or something they’ve seen on YouTube and copy it. But then you aren’t acting, you are doing the acting equivalent of karaoke.

In the short clip below Dave Grohl talks about how it learned to play drums and guitar not with lessons, but by figuring it out for himself.

Next time you are worried about how to play a scene, be like Dave Grohl. Do it your way.