Pirates of Penzance (2018)
Pasadena Playhouse
The Hypocrites are a small 99-seat theatre company based out of Chicago that revives classics with new verve. In The Pirates of Penzance, they turned Gilbert & Sullivan's operatic masterpiece into a full-on beach party (beach balls & on-set bar included).
Challenges
The Playhouse, like many theatres, holds a very traditional audience. So when an "immersive" show needs to be marketed, these audiences' expectations need to be managed – especially when it comes to theatre subscribers who pay hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars to sit in a seat.
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Videos that showcased
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The immersive nature of the show and what to expect
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The fun, irreverent nature of this version of a Gilbert & Sullivan classic
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The importance of beach balls to the production (because hey, you might just get hit with one!)
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A letter from the pirates and a seat map that displayed the new seat layout
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Site activations
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Transforming the historic Playhouse courtyard into a pirate takeover
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Tiki Tuesdays and an opportunity for folx to enjoy cocktails after the show
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Implementation
The Hypocrites extended their 4-week run of the show and continued on that extension with sold out performances. Taking the extra effort to overcommunicate with our audiences and our loyal members resulted in less surprises and simply more delights throughout the run.
Results