We’ve had a fair amount of interest from theaters around the country and arts marketers about our recent experiment where we invited our Twitter followers to come and live tweet a performance of Apollo. I’ve been meaning to post our overall analysis of how the experiment went, but got wrapped up in opening the next show (and the next and the next).

But recently I was interviewed by the smArts and Culture blog about the process, and it occurred to me that her article does a pretty good job of articulating what worked, what didn’t, and what we might do again.

Here’s an excerpt:

Portland Center Stage held an experiment with twitter last month.

They invited “30 or so of [their] closest twitter friends” plus anyone else who cared to join them, to live-tweet the world premiere performance of the play Apollo. You can read the resulting twitter stream on their blog, or use #apollo on Twitter Search.

According to Trisha Pancio, PR and publications manager for PCS, the goals were two-fold: one goal was to embrace the use of social media, rather than fight it – people were already tweeting and texting in the theater. “…we wanted to see what it was like to release that restriction, and let them have a real conversation with each other (and the world) during the performance.”

Publicity was the second goal. It was almost by definition an experiment in publicity – twitter is about sharing your thoughts with the world at large. “We wanted the experience, not to replicate the experience of seeing the show, but tease the experience… leave people wanting more,” said Trisha in an email to me.

For half the stretch of the production, #apollo was in the top five for twitter traffic on a specific topic, and the story was picked up by national arts blogs, as well as local media.

” … we ended up being astonished at the sheer volume of twitter correspondence each participant produced,” said Trisha. “We expected the occasional ‘wow,’ or ‘how’d they do that?’ or ‘I’m bored,’ but what we got was a near minute-by-minute, multi-perspective breakdown of the show, complete with people googling and explaining references that were unclear to fellow tweeters, and connecting the work on stage to current events in all kinds of interesting ways.”

Read the rest of the article.

Da Vinci: The Genius is now open at OMSI.

Bring your Apollo or How to Disappear ticket stub to OMSI’s Ticket Desk and receive $3 off admission to the event.

Da Vinci: The Genius brings to life da Vinci’s amazing contributions to the worlds of art and science. See on display oversized reproductions of his most famous art and full-scale displays of his machine inventions including a glider, parachute, helicopter, tank, and more. Discover 25 startling revelations about the Mona Lisa in the Secrets of Mona Lisa gallery. Visit www.omsi.edu for more info.

On Wednesday February 4 only, Ten01 and Portland Center Stage are partnering up to give you a special evening out.

Using the code word “moon,” tickets for that evening’s performance of Apollo are only $10, online or by phone. And treat yourself to a cocktail first at Ten01, use the code word “moon” again, and they’ll throw in their delicious award-winning truffle fries for FREE!

Don’t miss out; code word “moon,” Wednesday, at Ten01 and PCS. Order your tickets to the 2/4  play anytime; enjoy your cocktail and FREE truffle fries at Ten01 before the show that night! Named Best Restaurant of 2008 by Portland Food and Drink.

Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Portland Center Stage, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, the Oregon Symphony and White Bird invite you to make the rounds of culture in February! We know times are tough so we, collectively, want to help you see more performances for less money. Use your February ticket stub from one company to buy tickets for any February (or later) performance at any of the other companies listed below. Repeat this process as often as you like and keep recycling your stubs.

continue reading "Stub Savings!"

{photo by Owen Carey. The Apollo Cast goes bowling for Sputnik.}

Loooooots of email responses to Apollo coming in.  And they are all over the map.  One woman wrote:

‘Still absorbing it all.  I did talk about it to my manicurist today and my husband and I discussed it at length.  I likely will recommend it to people who have the stamina to sit through a long play.  I’m trying to get my mind around the interweaving of the goods and evils of this project.  I had no idea and I feel more informed than I did before.  We marvelled at the 3000 boxes on the stage and wondered where you store them before and after.”

Matt wrote:

‘I saw Apollo last evening with my partner, Michael.  We probably talked and debated for two full hours after it was over.  And that is the sign of a successful theater experience.”

{photo by Owen Carey. The Apollo ensemble reach for the stars.}

From Leonard:  “What a day, the inauguration of President Obama, to see this ‘tour de force.’  As one who lived through the civil rights movement (I am 66), it was an amazing presentation of the coincidences of place.  As a Jew, I was also pleased to see the Nazi connection of the rocket leadership of NASA.  These are historic events that need to be told, particularly when our education system is so weak in their  teaching of history.  It is a shame that so few people attend live theater, yet it needs to be out there.

The acting was superb.  In the end, because of what has transpired this past year, I know that we really have come a long way as a nation.  Apollo magnifies just how far we have come and it makes the time line so clear.”

And from Leslie:

“Wow!  This play is fabulous and timely and provocative and the message came through all the senses.  Great work.  I hope you are really proud of this world premiere.”

{photo: African American NASA scientist David McCadden watches Kennedy give his landmark speech about race relations just before he becomes the first African-American to be admitted to the University of Alabama at Huntsville.}

More Posts about Apollo || Get the Details about the Show || Buy Tickets