At the end of January, I was lucky enough to be asked to participate in Ghost Light Theatricals Battle of the Bards VI. I think Ghost Light does the best job of explaining exactly what Battle of the Bards is so I'm just copying and pasting the description from their website:
"In BATTLE OF THE BARDS VI, three ensembles have 20 minutes each to perform scenes of adaptations of classic works. The audience votes which play should be produced in full in Ghost Light’s 2012-13 Season. Admission includes one vote - additional votes are only $1 each. All proceeds support the work of Ghost Light Theatricals."
In all honesty, this may be one of the best developmental and money-making schemes I have ever seen/heard about for the theatre. My friend from college, Emily Harvey, asked me to be in her directorial submission to Battle of the Bards: Paper Bullets (written by John E. Allis). Synopsis: "In Paper Bullets two media powerhouses tamper with the personal and professional affairs of four budding Hollywood icons. Scandalized sweethearts fumble with love and illusion in this modernization of Much Ado, a farce replete with sex, glitter and deception."
My part was very little commitment but, as always, I'm all too happy to oblige if I can be on stage at all. I definitely had fun but found I became much more committed to the success of the show because of the competition aspect. All twenty actors and band members seemed entirely dedicated and excited to see what would happen in this theatrical arena. We had two formidable foes so it became a game of how many people we could get to the show, how many others we could convince to support us even if they couldn't make it to the show, and finally, how much money we could contribute ourselves. For most of the voting period, we lagged behind. But in the end, WE WON. And I think it says a lot about our piece (our writer and our director) that we came from behind after our audiences had seen all three shows.
So now, Paper Bullets will be in the 2012-2013 Ghost Light Season which means Ghost Light has twenty actors now interested in participating in their theatre. Furthermore, Battle of the Bards sold-out two weeks before the show and raised $5000 for the theatre, over half of that on closing night of the shows.
My theory on why this formula raises so much money? People are much more willing to donate to the arts if they know there is going to be a tangible outcome. A show that will definitely be in the season next year, one that an audience can come and see and helped put on stage, is much more tangible than donating to an organization and not knowing exactly where your money is going.
I applaud you Ghost Light. Battle of the Bards is a very good idea.
