What are some low cost ways to market a Shakespeare production?

Question

I'm volunteering for a Shakespeare Festival run by a nonprofit group and need to figure out ways to better market the festival.

Answer 1

Since your group is non-profit, why not go talk to advertising agencies in your area to see if one of them would help? Won't cost anything to ask and you may strike gold!

Answer 2

homemade flyers! Or canvas businesses for adds to put in your program. My Catholic high school to that to great effect (I still shop mostly in the places that either bought an ad, were very nice about refusing, or always let us hang posters)

As for producing cheap -- Shakespear can be amazing done in minimalist modern dress and set. Or if you need the clothes, the stage settings in his time were pretty much a couple of boxes and a door or two, so minimal set still works. It's all about words with the Bard!

Answer 3

Call local radio stations and tv stations. Generally, they have blocks of time just for non-profit advertising. Also, in many cable markets they have a local station that just advertises local events and non-profits.

You can also make fliers and posters for relatively little cost. You can print things on home computers; black and white copies (or black ink on colored copy paper) is relatively inexpensive to have copies made. Your cast can make posters or have the children of the cast make posters.

I hope this helps. Good luck with the festival.