Goin' Meta on Ya

Yesterday, I participated in a teleconference sponsored by the Theatre Communications Group on the topic of using Twitter to build audiences. The coordinator reported that 150 lines were registered, representing an estimated 350 listeners for the hour-long presentation. Interest in using social media to move tickets certainly abounds.

To test my savvy, I tweeted while listening to the teleconference (as did many of my colleagues). I also kept tabs on my Twitter feed the whole time. One of the tweeps I follow tweeted a link to an article about how to use teleconferences effectively. So, while participating in a teleconference about Twitter, I read an article about teleconferencing (discovered via Twitter), while tweeting about doing so. How meta is that? I blew my own mind.

Following the conference call, I read an article about how arts organizations are using every means possible to promote their work and build audiences. The article also mentioned that “offbeat and non-traditional programs are becoming more frequent.”

One example: In London, the Mammoth Music Theater presented 'Flatpack: An IKEA Opera' in a local IKEA store. The cast dressed in IKEA colors, and musicians used furniture and IKEA products such as glasses, saucepans and cheese grater as sets and props.

This show was particularly hard to assemble,” said the director. “We cast a few extra parts which we never figured out how to use."

Critic Bjorg Flergssen wrote, "The production looked absolutely fabulous, but the whole thing collapsed shortly after the intermission." Following its premiere run, the production will be appearing on a sidewalk near you. Check Craig's List for show times.

NOTE: I made that last part up. It was an IKEA joke.

Also circulating around the interwebs is a link to an interesting article from Vancouver (the interesting Vancouver) titled, “How to Expand Our Arts Communities.” If you’re interested in that kind of thing, it’s a nice synopsis of ideas. If you're not interested, move along.

4 comments:

culturejock said...

Tell me more about this fascinating "teleconference" technology! I understand that you can actually hear what other people are saying from the other side of the country in real time... is it true?

MightyToyCannon said...

It was a bit odd that a discussion of social media was held using the old-fashioned communication tool called the telephone. The oldsters may remember something called "party lines," which weren't the same as "chat lines" -- just shared phone lines. I wasn't the only one tweeting through the whole thing, as evidenced by the number of tweets with the #tcgcall hashtag. A transcript of the call (even more old-fashioned) is available here: http://bit.ly/1awtL3.

Unknown said...

the best part: in order to participate, you needed to fax in your registration!

I sent mine by carrier pigeon, but evidently it never got there....

MightyToyCannon said...

Cyn, you're absolutely right. I'd forgotten about that odd bit of retro-technology. They should have offered a Western Union option to register via telegraph.

Wish to register for teleconference STOP Please confirm via pony express STOP