Victoria is joined by Quincy Brown, a Social Media Associate at RPM, a full-service advertising agency for several Broadway musicals, to discuss marketing for theater and arts organizations. Conversations touched on how to usher the audience back to the arts post-covid, the viability of live streaming for the arts, the best social media platforms to grow engagement, and how to foster a sense of community through digital marketing.

Quincy Brown 0:00

I think the golden ticket with social in general. So we can talk specifically about a show. But I think in general, social media is not about pushing your product, your brand, your show, whatever. It's about building a world around the thing that you're trying to push.

Victoria Sprowls 0:14

Welcome to an interview episode brought to you by The Arts, Management, and Technology Lab. I'm Victoria Sprowls, the Podcast Producer. Joining us today to talk about theater, marketing, and all things social engagement is Quincy Brown. Quincy has worked as the Social Media Manager for the popular email newsletter, Morning Brew, was a Marketing Coordinator at Broadway.com as well as its subsidiary, BroadwayBox.com, and is currently a Social Media Associate at RPM, a full-service advertising agency for several Broadway musicals. Quincy, thank you for being here today.

Quincy Brown 0:45

Thank you for having me. I'm so honored to be here right now.

Victoria Sprowls 0:48

Yeah, so exciting. I'm so happy that theater is back and to talk to you about theater.

Quincy Brown 0:53

Me too.

Victoria Sprowls 0:53

So, in that vein, what has been the most difficult part of ushering the audience - get it, ushering - back into the physical theater and getting people to buy tickets again?

Quincy Brown 1:05

Yeah, I would say the most tricky thing has been convincing people that it is actually safe to come back to Broadway and back into the theater. Something that a lot of the shows are working on right now to kind of combat this issue, because that's kind of the major complaint is people still aren't comfortable gathering in a large group indoors. Which - to each, their own because I think there's valid arguments on both sides. Yeah. So a lot of shows have been working to like create advertising and social content, describing the process - because that's another thing, too, where like the process of seeing a show in the age of COVID, I think is still confusing to Billy in Idaho, you know? So just like making sure...

Victoria Sprowls 1:47

Right. Or me, here in Pittsburgh, even. I mean I haven't been back to New York in ages. So yeah, I wouldn't know what to do either.

Quincy Brown 1:54

Yeah. And it really is so simple, where it's like, you have your proof of vaccination, you show it with your ID before you go in, they check your bags, and you go through security, just like in the before times, and then you wear a mask the whole time. That's like pretty much all that has changed about the theater-going experience. But the general public seems to think that it's a lot more complicated. So finding ways to educate people, and let them know that, hey, it's really not that hard or difficult to get in, like houses are opening earlier to allow more time to get into the theater spaces. All of that kind of stuff.

Victoria Sprowls 2:27

Yeah. It's interesting because I mean, I take the bus every day, twice a day, with people that I don't know. So how different is it to - and, you know, and even it might be better - to go into a theater where people have to be vaccinated.

Quincy Brown 2:38

Yeah. Especially since a lot of in New York, like you have to show proof of vaccination to get everywhere, but all the indoor venues, your maskless, for the most part, you know, like restaurants and bars and that kind of stuff. At least in a theater, you know, everyone's vaccinated and everyone's wearing a mask.

Victoria Sprowls 2:51

That's true. Yeah. So kind of like making that a part of the marketability of going to theater. Yeah, I like that. So kind of from the pandemic, you know, I saw some shows on Zoom, which was certainly an interesting experience. But I think something that we saw during the pandemic, you know, Hamilton came out. Not necessarily in live streaming, but you know, like a streamed version of the performance. Do you see live streaming in theater as as something that can be marketable? And if so, like, do you do have you seen it being done, how how has it worked?

Quincy Brown 3:29

Yeah, I'm, this is a tricky issue. Well, I think differentiating between a live stream and like a recorded performance like Hamilton was or like Diana is on Netflix.

Victoria Sprowls 3:41

Yeah, actually, yeah, you're right because I think I just saw like some Instagram ads for a version of Macbeth that was live and you it was like with Saoirse Ronan and you had to buy tickets for a specific day.

Quincy Brown 3:53

Yeah.

Victoria Sprowls 3:53

It wasn't gonna be there like any other time, right. So there is a difference, yeah.

Quincy Brown 3:57

That style that like genuinely live stream of an actual show, as a money-making thing, I am a little skeptical on just because I don't think the return on investment ends up working out and like - live-streaming actual theatrical productions, I think is going to be hard to get users to change their behavior because so much of the theater, and the reason why people like the theater, is the process of like going to the theater and being there in person seeing it live. What I saw come out of the pandemic that I do think was successful, are the live-streamed theater-adjacent benefits. Like Broadway.com did a Rosie O'Donnell Show, MCC did a miscast over Zoom, which is where they have Broadway performers sing roles that they would traditionally not be cast in. Those kinds of things I think is a really beautiful way for theater and live streaming to come together and kind of serves this like ancillary opportunity. I'm a little more skeptical about live stream actual performances. However, we were just talking about Hamilton and Diana, I think that is kind of a brilliant business model and like, I hope to see more of that in the future.

Victoria Sprowls 5:05

Okay, so kind of live streaming as more of a supplement to like an actual show. And, and more like, video to streaming for, like actual performances. You think that's kind of the way it seems to be going.

Quincy Brown 5:22

Yeah, they call them ProShots. Those like professionally recorded versions of shows that they release to the public. I think releasing ProShots of Broadway musicals - which is why I'm interested to see how Diana ultimately does because I think there's an argument to be made where Diana premiered on Netflix before it had the opportunity to open on Broadway.

Victoria Sprowls 5:40

Right? Yeah, I didn't even know it was really a thing until it came onto Netflix. Yeah.

Quincy Brown 5:44

Yeah so say, Diana, premiered on Netflix and garners this huge fan base before it's even able to open on Broadway. Then the fan base is like clamoring to see it live because they're already obsessed with it, because they had the opportunity to see this filmed version. Then when it opens on Broadway, does it become a hit this that, and the other? There are a lot of like variables is the show actually good, that kind of stuff that goes into it, but I think that could be an interesting business model to explore in the future, and one that I hope shows do - you know?

Victoria Sprowls 6:11

It's kind of like the next evolution of, like, hearing the cast recording and then being excited to see the show. Now it's like you can see the ProShot and then be excited to go see it in the actual theater because you're right, it's a completely different experience.

Quincy Brown 6:25

Exactly. And like I'm a firm believer that - because I think the argument against even bootlegs, Broadway bootlegs is that, if you have the opportunity to watch on your laptop, you're not gonna buy a ticket to see it live. And I just truly don't believe that, at the end of the day, that's true. One of my all-time favorite musicals is Wicked, and I collect, collected bootlegs of Wicked my entire childhood. And that has not stopped me from seeing it 12 times, you know?

Victoria Sprowls 6:49

Right. Yeah. So pivoting a little more towards social media. Yes. What are the main social media platforms do you think small theater organizations should be putting their resources into and why?

Quincy Brown 7:02

Yeah, I hate to sound like a cliche, broken record, for right now. But I genuinely believe that, especially for smaller organizations who don't necessarily have the money to do social ads and that kind of stuff and use money to market themselves. TikTok and Instagram Reels is really where it's at. Just because TikTok, and its rapid rise to popularity, has really shifted social media in general. And I think you see that with Instagram announcing that they're going to be a video platform, now. Even though their whole thing was about being a photo platform. It's kind of like social media, in general, is very video-based - very raw. It's not as like "you need to make things look so pretty." A lot of the content that we do for our shows at RPM is like a montage of clips that I took on my iPhone from an event, you know, and sure there's like editing magic that goes into it, and you kind of have to present it in a clean way. But it's a lot less manicured than I think social media was as early as like two years ago, you know?

Victoria Sprowls 8:02

And relatively low cost compared to some.

Quincy Brown 8:05

So low cost and TikTok, and now Instagram Reels because Instagram is like pushing it in the algorithm, has such good reach and exposure ability. Whereas like - it is kind of what Instagram used to be where it's like, do you remember when Instagram first started? And like hashtags really were a big deal because hashtags helped you actually get onto strangers' explore page and like, you can genuinely find...

Victoria Sprowls 8:30

Yes, right. Some people, yeah, some people that like started there.

Quincy Brown 8:31

And now hashtags are kinda obsolete.

Victoria Sprowls 8:34

Yeah, hashtags. Now, it's kind of like, if you see them, they're after the - they're after the all those dots that people make so that nobody really sees them.

Quincy Brown 8:41

Yeah. And like when Instagram first started, if you put a lot of effort into growing your Instagram, you could grow relatively quickly and easily. Now, it's very difficult to grow an Instagram, if you don't have a TikTok page that's feeding that's driving people to your Instagram page. Because the algorithm on TikTok right now allows for such exposure and awareness in a way that the other social media apps just don't. I think, because they've just been around for too long and the algorithms change over time over time and TikTok...

Victoria Sprowls 9:07

Right, it's easier to kind of get in on the ground floor with something that's newer.

Quincy Brown 9:11

Definitely, because TikTok already is changing and it's already harder to grow a TikTok, but it's still easier than everything else.

Victoria Sprowls 9:17

Which is so crazy, because it's not even that old.

Quincy Brown 9:19

I know, yeah.

Victoria Sprowls 9:20

So it seems that brands that succeed on TikTok realize it's not a platform for ads, necessarily, but it's this in-between space of, you know, between marketing, and a new art form like in and of itself, so it's a way for companies to get their brand out there, by participating in the actual community. For example, Duolingo kind of got like a little famous. Yeah, they're not on Tik Tok running ads, but you know, they create videos with the Duolingo bird participating in different trends.

Quincy Brown 9:51

Well, and that's the thing like TikTok, at the end of the day, is always going to be an awareness play for your brand. I don't you don't see a lot of conversion for from TikTok like you don't see. Oh, I saw, I like The Phantom of the Opera on TikTok, so I'm gonna buy a ticket because I follow their TikTok. It's more of like you just want your brand out there and people knowing that your brand exists and is relevant.

Victoria Sprowls 10:10

Yeah. Which is I feel like so that's so valuable for people, especially if they have like a smaller, you know, arts organization. How do you as a marketer identify different communities or trends within TikTok that you know, you should participate in, and that will yield a lot of engagement? I mean, we were talking about hashtags. I mean, is that all, all it really is on TikTok?

Quincy Brown 10:32

Um... it's not all it really is. And it's also knowing which hashtags to use, right? Because you don't just want to use - I see a lot of people just using like the trending hashtags at the time, that's like trending nation-wide.

Victoria Sprowls 10:41

Yeah, or like, if you have a broad - you know, if not if you have a Broadway show. But if you have like a show, and you just put out there like hashtag theater, it's not really going to be seen.

Quincy Brown 10:48

Yeah. But also, my philosophy on social media is I don't think you can be good at social media marketing, especially, without being so invested in that community that you're trying to market to, and like knowing them inside and out, just because social media - you have to be authentic. And I think it's really easy to spot when the Social Media Manager, or whoever, doesn't necessarily know what they're talking about. Speaking from experience, I did a stint at a business media company. Like it was very difficult for me. And that is kind of like what taught me this lesson where it's like - I thought I was so good at social media because my only experience prior to that had been in the theater world. And then doing it for this business media company. I was like, wait, this is, one, very draining and, two, I know I'm not doing as good of a job as I could be, you know? But back to your question, I think getting in - like really taking the time to learn about what the people in your community are posting, and what they find funny, and the types of memes that they respond to, and the types of memes that they're making. You really have to commit a lot of time and kind of turn it into your own personal obsession in order, I think, to really have your finger on the pulse of like, even the copy that you use, like how you should be talking to these people, you know?

Victoria Sprowls 12:00

Yeah, so kind of reacting based off of your area, your community, like what the people that you are trying to get to come into the, into the theater.

Quincy Brown 12:09

Yeah. And listening to them. TikTok especially. I, one of our one of the shows that I run the TikTok account for is, which I'm not going to say because I'm playing with them right now and they like, are dying to know the identity of like, the social media person, and I'm not gonna tell. But like, that's the thing - where it's like, their comments, they comment, "Oh, I want more content from such and such." And then I'll literally respond to that comment with a video of that character that they want. Or like, they'll comment, hey, I want to know about this. And then I do that, and like that, I think I've been able to build this kind of cool relationship with the followers on this shows TikTok, specifically, just because I'm so reactive to exactly what they want. And that's like, literally my only content plan is I open up the comments and read through I'm like, “Oh, that's a good idea. Let me take that from them,” you know?

Victoria Sprowls 12:53

That's awesome. Yeah. So kind of like, yeah, even taking ideas from, from your audience.

Quincy Brown 12:57

That's like the best way, I think, to do social.

Victoria Sprowls 13:00

So keeping that in mind, how do you balance a sense of professionalism with the, you know, somewhat like more fun not exactly professional aspects of TikTok, Instagram, and like the trends on different social media platforms? Because I know sometimes people can hire like a Social Media Manager who has all these great ideas and good intentions, and how can - how can one like foster that sense of like fun and play without being like, unprofessional?

Quincy Brown 13:31

Yeah, and that's like an interesting question. Especially you just you brought up Duolingo earlier it's like I think it's genius, but I also think that some things that Duolingo posts go like a little too far for a brand account, you know? And I think they're purely getting the clout because of the shock factor that a brand is doing this and I don't know if that's necessarily like...

Victoria Sprowls 13:52

A good thing.

Quincy Brown 13:52

Like a worthy, long…

Victoria Sprowls 13:54

Like long-lasting.

Quincy Brown 13:55

Yeah, and I think it like varies from brand to brand. Where it's like some shows like the show I was like alluding to earlier, you can have more fun with. I don't want to say it's a vibe thing, but it is like - if the show if we're talking about theater in general, the shows that are more fun, light-hearted - I've found I'm able to be more fun and like quippy with and the shows that are more premium say you're like Les Mis's of the world - I don't work on Les Mis, but that kind of a show, you kind of want to maintain a brand voice to help maintain that brand image. Every show has a brand and you have a sense of like what that brand is. And social media should always just be an extension of the brand.

Victoria Sprowls 14:40

So the so the content that I should be putting out if if you know say we have a repertoire, and we're doing Guys and Dolls, that content can vary wildly from like the next show that we do if the next show that we're doing is Next to Normal or Death of a Salesman.

Quincy Brown 14:53

Yeah, exactly. Or like what are like drastic, like Phantom of the Opera content is going to be very - and voice, The Phantom of the Opera's social voice - is going to be very different than if you're doing it for Rock of Ages. Rock of Ages, I think you could have a little more fun and poke jabs at your audience and make puns and that kind of stuff. Phantom, you would think you would want it to be very, like, thank you for attending the show, magnificent blah, blah, blah. And there are ways to be relevant and fun within that voice. It's just tailoring everything to the specific brand that you're working on.

Victoria Sprowls 15:24

That's great advice.

Quincy Brown 15:25

Yeah and it's why like, Waitress is a show that I work on that I have a really fun time working on. Because that audience of kind of, I think like millennial women, I have a very easy time talking to. So it's like, it doesn't take a lot of work to like figure out how to communicate with them and what they find funny and that kind of stuff.

Victoria Sprowls 15:43

Right, Some will take like more work than, than others and just build that into the plan for like social media.

Quincy Brown 15:48

Definitely. But once you fall into a routine of - once you fall into like, Oh, I know this is the voice, it gets pretty easy to live within the confines of that voice and find ways to be fun and fresh and relevant.

Victoria Sprowls 16:08

So say I was putting on a production for a community theater, what would you suggest my steps be in order to engage the community and drive people to the performance? I know, we already talked a little about, you know, tailoring kind of the social media to the show. But do you have any specific steps?

Quincy Brown 16:23

Yeah I mean, even beyond that, I think - I think the golden ticket was social in general. So we can talk specifically about a show, but I think, in general, social media is not about pushing your product, your brand, your show, whatever, it's about building a world around the thing that you're trying to push. It's kind of like you're disguising the advertising. So especially for a show, you're not trying to sell tickets to your show, that shouldn't be your goal for social media. Your goal for social media for a show, especially it should be to build a world around that production. So that's like behind-the-scenes stuff, you introduce your cast members, you find stories, like in your cast, in your crew, that kind of stuff. Build extensions of your production, and then zero in on the stories that aren't production-specific, but in the world of your production. That, to me, is the interesting thing. And then it gives people a reason to want to follow you. Because if you follow a show account, and they're just posting videos from the show, or like ticket reminders, that kind of stuff. There's no added value to following that account. You get added value by learning about the actor who's playing your lead by learning about the dog, she has her morning routine. This is very basic ideas, but like, you know what I'm saying?

Victoria Sprowls 17:30

Yeah. Do you - Do you have any kind of like posts that you see getting the most engagement? Like, is it backstage content clips from the actual show, getting to know the actors, something else? Or does it vary show to show like, it just depends?

Quincy Brown 17:43

It definitely varies show to show and it matters, like how much access you have just like some shows, we have more access to the cast, we can film more content with them. Other shows we don't. So you have to get creative and create edits based on like, what the fans are saying about the cast and that kind of stuff. One of our shows, we have our team is posting on the TikTok account, but we also have a cast member who is, like, able to log into the account to make TikToks. And that's been a really interesting strategy because you get the more manicured advertising team putting out content, creating edits, that kind of stuff. But then you get a really raw, unfiltered look from the actress who's backstage with the cast members talking to them and that kind of stuff. And it's just like, you see totally, two totally different perspectives. And I think it's been really interesting to kind of build out that world.

Victoria Sprowls 18:27

And it's not necessarily like she comes on and she says, Hey, I'm doing a takeover. It's just like she comes on and like just puts this content on.

Quincy Brown 18:34

Yeah, she comes on and like she edits her own TikToks she like creates, so then you get a different style of TikTok as well, because everyone is going to be different in how they produce their content, right. But I think it brings, one, a fresh perspective, because now it's not the same person just creating content on this account, you have different people. But it gives you a perspective because as a social media person for a show like, you can get as buddy buddy as you want with the production and with the actors and stuff, but there's still a level of separation, I think. But when you have someone in the cast, willing to make content and I think the specific actress, like before she was on Broadway, thought about doing a career in social media, so it worked out. But I think it's great to have those two perspectives. And that's like, that's what I mean by like, building out a world that isn't, "Hey, we have tickets available for a discounted price - buy them. Thanks. Here's a production photo." You know?

Victoria Sprowls 19:25

Yeah. No, that's that's really good advice. And I like that because I think it's true that there is just the sense of camaraderie in a cast that like, even though you know, doing being the social media, even at a smaller company, it might be just like one layer removed, and if you could get someone inside. Yeah, I think that's good advice.

Quincy Brown 19:42

Definitely. And just like random advice that came into my head when you were saying that it's like something I've learned with working with talent - especially to create social content is like for the most part, talent is down to do whatever you want them to do for social. They just don't have context or understanding of like, how it all comes together. So like, if you're seeing comments, making a joke about, about a specific actor or something, and you go to the actor and say, "Hey" - give them all the context they need. You say, "Hey, this is what people are saying online, I think it would be funny if we did a video of you doing this, this and this," and like literally scripting it out for them, they'll do it. And that is a great strategy I found to help you get like really great, cool, unfiltered content. It's just literally telling them exactly what they need to say, do, and then like, putting a camera in their face.

Victoria Sprowls 20:34

And their performers so they will perform.

Quincy Brown 20:37

Exactly, that's the thing. Like realizing they're actors. So it's like, okay, I will give you your lines. I will like, block it out for you, here's the dance you have to do or whatever. Let's do it.

Victoria Sprowls 20:45

Nice. What do you think the best marketing event you've attended was and what made it so successful in your eyes?

Quincy Brown 20:51

This feels like a leading question because I feel like you know my answer to this question.

Victoria Sprowls 20:55

Yes. Is it going to be The Phantom of the Opera?

Quincy Brown 20:57

Yeah. So The Phantom the Opera just reopened on Broadway, like a month ago at this point. Feels like it was just yesterday. And they wanted it to be an event which - rightfully so, its longest-running Broadway musical, it's coming back to Broadway, it should be an event. So like where to begin with this.

Victoria Sprowls 21:17

But I think this will be helpful because I feel like a lot of theaters are coming back so like yeah, you know, even if it's not as grand of a scale.

Quincy Brown 21:24

Yeah, because this was definitely, I think, expensive. So pre-show I'll just walk through like the evening. Pre-show, they had a giant speaker set up in Times Square that blasted the Phantom orchestrations. And like, when I say blasted, it was set up on like 42nd. You could hear it from 50th Street like it was just so loud, but also so joyous like I didn't - in all the meetings leading up to it I was like what is this gonna sound like and then in the moment when you're out there and the music is playing I like, tears started to well up and I was like, oh my god.

Victoria Sprowls 21:57

Yeah, I have like chills and the biggest smile and I don't even really... You know, it's not my favorite show.

Quincy Brown 22:03

So the music blasted through Time Square and they also had a giant Phantom mask set up in the middle of Times Square for people to take photos walking by. So that was that. And then, there was a red carpet prior to the show which is pretty which is pretty standard for all their like shows better reopening - you invite celebrities, invite influencers, all of that. But at 7 - say the show started at 8 - at 7:30 they took over the ball drop billboard in Times Square. So where the ball normally drops on New Year's Eve in Times Square - Phantom took over that entire billboard and did a chandelier drop. So it like started at the top, and they did a count down until showtime, and then the chandelier fell. Because if anyone hasn't seen Phantom, one, you probably should and, two...

Victoria Sprowls 22:52

That's a, that's a key plot point.

Quincy Brown 22:52

...the chandelier falls in Phantom. Which I thought was insane like it was just such a clever - to play on the ball drop, put it in the iconic location, that's like a huge ad buy too because like you're getting so many eyes on that. I thought that was crazy. So that happened. The show happens. Andrew Lloyd Weber and Cameron Mackintosh, the two producers, did a pre-show speech, which was really special. There was a rose, a mask, a Phantom tote, a Phantom mask. So when I said mask, the first time, I meant a Phantom mask, and then...

Victoria Sprowls 23:21

Okay, he's covering his eye like the Phantom's actual mask.

Quincy Brown 23:26

A Phantom mask was on everyone's seat in the theater. But then they also provided a Phantom branded COVID-mask for everyone to wear. So all you have showing is like your eye after that - your one eye because you have so many masks on your face. So every audience member got like a custom Phantom swag bag. And then after the show, which was really the moment for me. There was a they shut down the street. I think it was 45th street. They shut down the street.

Victoria Sprowls 23:54

That the theater is on, yeah.

Quincy Brown 23:54

That the theater is on and set up a giant DJ booth and were blasting music. And Andrew Lloyd Webber, the show's composer, went up in the DJ booth with giant DJ headphones on and started playing music for the crowds on the street. And then he debuted a Phantom of the Opera, title track, Club, EDM remix.

Victoria Sprowls 24:21

It's just something that's like out of like, I don't know... a story.

Quincy Brown 24:26

A gay fantasia.

Victoria Sprowls 24:26

Yeah.

Quincy Brown 24:28

And it was like, the thing is like, listening to it now it probably sounds so unhinged, and it definitely was. But it was so successful like it sparked so many viral, truly viral, videos from the block party of people just posting like Andrew Lloyd Weber is DJing, Oh my god, this club remix of Phantom of the Opera. It was all in one was talking about on the internet that weekend. It was getting picked up by all these press outlets, by news publications, by like non-Broadway publications. It really was like - it also helped that there are a lot of Real Housewives of New York there. So that helped the event get picked up by non-theater stuff.

Victoria Sprowls 25:09

Well, the Real Housewives are in like, every big city. So if you have a theater in your big city try to get them there.

Quincy Brown 25:14

Invite the Housewives. Yeah, I have a friend who works at a summer stock theater in Colorado. And they invited Kyle Richards.

Victoria Sprowls 25:19

And they went?

Quincy Brown 25:20

Yeah. And she came.

Victoria Sprowls 25:21

Oh, that's so exciting.

Quincy Brown 25:22

Yeah. But yeah, it was just like, it sounds so crazy on paper, the after stuff, all the billboard stuff, in the beginning, makes a lot of sense. And I think was really brilliant. But the after stuff of the DJ Block Party sounds so crazy on paper, but it was so crazy that it got viral attention, like it went viral.

Victoria Sprowls 25:39

You're like, it's so crazy, it just might work. And then it did!

Quincy Brown 25:42

Very that. And it did, yeah. And another thing we did was we put up a video, as soon as it happened of the chandelier - the chandelier rises right in the beginning of The Phantom of the Opera. And we had a crew in the theater to record that. And then as soon as that happened, we booked it out of the theater and went back to the office, cut a video, put it up on social to - because we had a feeling it would do really well. And I think it has like 4 million views on Tik Tok right now. Just like knowing the moments that you think fans who aren't going to be able to be there would want to see, because that's what I think social media is you're getting paid to be a fan, you're given all this access, you're getting paid to just be a professional fan and service the content that you know, other fans around the world are dying for.

Victoria Sprowls 26:24

Right. And yeah, and even if you're in a smaller, you know, community, I think something that I heard, you know, the experience kind of was for more than just the people that were going into the theater that night. Like if you can find some way to build excitement in your community. You said, you know, just having like, a mask you said, the Phantom mask?

Quincy Brown 26:46

It was a giant stand-up mask, yeah.

Victoria Sprowls 26:50

People love a photo op.

Quincy Brown 26:51

Yeah and then that only helps your production because people are gonna tag you in photos, post your reopening, you know?

Victoria Sprowls 26:58

Exactly. Well, thank you for sharing that. That's so fun.

Quincy Brown 27:02

It was very fun. One of the top ten moments of my life. Honestly.

Victoria Sprowls 27:06

Wow. Okay. And then I just have one last fun question for you. So what gets you to go to the theater? What is it that during the pandemic-induced pause you missed about the experience that you think someone trying to market a show to their community should specifically tug at those kinds of heartstrings, that feeling in order to bring the audience back to the theater? What's your favorite part?

Quincy Brown 27:29

That is a really, really great question. I think - well, during the pandemic, I really shut down every theater thought in my brain. Like I didn't allow myself to watch any content I didn't - I really leaned into pop music, I was doing everything I could to not think about theater because it was so depressing to not have it. But what came to mind was I went to the reopening night of Wicked on Broadway. And there was something about being in that audience surrounded by people who were just as enthusiastic to be there as well. And like having that communal experience that was so so special. And like another moment that I won't forget, had so many of those in these past couple months. But, and I don't know if this is a cliche answer, but I do think it's that feeling of being together and you're all going through - you're all witnessing this one unique experience. Because you're seeing the same show, but like, the show is different every single night because it's live. And so you're all experiencing this one thing together that no one else is going to experience. And there's something really special and beautiful and bonding about that, that I think even all the virtual stuff isn't really able to capture, which I guess ultimately goes back to my argument as to why I don't think live streaming productions would ever be a mainstream thing. Just because I do think the only reason that live theater has been able to stay an art form, all throughout history, because it's not ultimately profitable, right? Like, especially on Broadway, most producers don't make back their investment. But I think it's like the people who love live theater, love live theater and love the experience of live theater. And that's not something that is ever going to go away. There's something so like, uniquely human about it. Did I just give you the most cliche answer of all time?

Victoria Sprowls 29:16

No, no, I mean, I think it's true. I mean, you know, you, you can't really liken it to any to anything else. Like even if you think about other forms of entertainment. You know, when when those lights go down - I mean, sure the lights go down in the movie theater too - but it's different because you know, it's that special one, one singular performance. Yeah.

Quincy Brown 29:35

And you even hear from the actors, like the actors who do stage and screen. It's like, they're like, "Yeah, screen acting pays more, but it's not the same experience because you're shooting a scene and then pausing for twenty minutes and then shooting a different scene that came twenty minutes before in the character's story. It's not like on stage where you're portraying a singular arc."

Victoria Sprowls 29:53

It's linear, yeah.

Quincy Brown 29:54

Yeah, and so I think like on both ends of the like, wall - on both sides of the wall of live theater, there's something special that both actors and audience members see in live theater and aren't willing to give up.

Victoria Sprowls 30:08

Yeah, market the magic, the magic of theater.

Quincy Brown 30:11

Market the magic. What a tagline.

Victoria Sprowls 30:14

Well, thank you. Thank you so much for being here today. This was great. I loved your answers, and I thought they were very insightful.

Quincy Brown 30:20

Thanks, I had so much fun. Thank you for having me.

Victoria Sprowls 30:23

Thanks for listening to this interview episode brought to you by the Arts, Management, and Technology Lab. And don't forget to subscribe - wherever podcasts are found. Let us know what you thought by visiting our website, AMT-lab.org. That's AMT-lab.org. Or, you can email us at amtlabcmu@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @techinthearts or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn at Arts Management and Technology Lab. We'll see you next time. Thanks again for listening. If you found this episode, informative, educational, or inspirational, then send this to another arts aficionado in your life.