{"id":560,"date":"2026-10-10T14:49:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T06:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/?p=560"},"modified":"2026-10-10T14:49:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T06:49:42","slug":"what-plays-and-performances-should-a-theater-brochure-and-booklet-announce-4eb5-64957c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/10\/what-plays-and-performances-should-a-theater-brochure-and-booklet-announce-4eb5-64957c\/","title":{"rendered":"What plays and performances should a theater brochure and booklet announce?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever picked up a theater brochure or booklet\u2014say, when you\u2019re hovering by the ticket counter of your local playhouse, or scrolling through a venue\u2019s website for the next big show\u2014you know it\u2019s more than just a fancy flyer. As someone who\u2019s spent the last 8 years making these booklets for venues big and small, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how a brochure can make or break whether someone buys a ticket, brings a friend, or even comes back for the next season. Most venues tell me they want \u201ceye-catching\u201d designs, but the real question I help them answer is: what content<\/em> actually belongs in these booklets? Because stuff that feels like generic marketing copy gets tossed. Stuff that matters? That stays, and gets shared. Let\u2019s break down exactly what makes a theater brochure (and its smaller counterparts, the pocket booklets) work. Brochure and Booklet<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s start with the non-negotiables\u2014the stuff that\u2019s essential<\/em> for anyone picking this up, whether they\u2019re a die-hard theater nerd or a first-timer who\u2019s never seen a play. No surprises here, but so many venues skip these, and it drives me nuts. First up: the show\u2019s basics. Wait, not just the title\u2014the play, or performance<\/em> itself. Wait, hold on, I don\u2019t mean just \u201cHAMILTON\u201d in big letters. I mean, if it\u2019s a new production of Death of a Salesman, do you have a two-sentence breakdown that doesn\u2019t give away the entire plot? Like, \u201cWilly Loman\u2019s crumbling American dream, and the son he can\u2019t reach, told through the lens of a 1940s traveling salesman.\u201d That\u2019s it. No spoilers, but enough to tell someone if this is their jam.<\/p>\n

Then, the who\u2019s who<\/em> of the cast and crew. Again, not just a list of names. People love to see familiar faces, and if it\u2019s a local production? They want to support the kid from the high school drama program, or the retired teacher who\u2019s been performing for 30 years. A small blurb for each key actor\u2014like \u201cMia Carter (Willy Loman) has been performing in Chicago community theater for 12 years; this is her first lead role.\u201d For the director? Maybe a line about why they wanted to take on this play, especially if it\u2019s a classic being reimagined. One regional theater I work with does this, and they told me their ticket sales went up 18% for a recent production just because they highlighted a local actor who\u2019d only done small parts before. People connect with people, not just performances.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s move to the stuff that makes the booklet useful<\/em>, not just pretty. The practical details. Let\u2019s be real\u2014no one\u2019s going to save a brochure that doesn\u2019t tell them when and where. Wait, not just the date and time. Are there matinees? Wheelchair access? Can you bring a drink inside? Is there a post-show Q&A with the cast? That\u2019s the stuff that makes someone plan their night. I recently did a booklet for a small off-Broadway show that had a line: \u201cFree post-show talkback on 10\/12 with the playwright\u2014bring your questions!\u201d They told me 40% of people who bought tickets that night mentioned seeing that line. So many venues bury this on the back page in tiny text, but putting it front and center? Game changer.<\/p>\n

Also, let\u2019s not sleep on the why<\/em> the theater matters. Wait, this is what I call the \u201cheart\u201d of the brochure, and it\u2019s the part most small venues sleep on. If you\u2019re a local community theater, not a big Broadway house, people want to know they\u2019re supporting something real. Maybe a short story about how this theater started\u2014\u201cWe were founded in 1998 by a group of high school students who wanted to put on plays their parents actually wanted to see.\u201d Or, for a larger venue, maybe a line about their outreach programs\u2014like \u201cWe run free theater workshops for kids in underserved neighborhoods.\u201d A college theater I work with adds a line about how a portion of ticket sales goes to their student scholarship fund, and they get so much support from alumni who want to give back. This turns a random play into a meaningful experience, and that\u2019s the kind of stuff people tell their friends about.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s the part I get asked about all the time: what about performances beyond the main show? A lot of theaters only make a brochure for their big season opener, but I tell them\u2014your booklets should promote the whole season, not just the next show. Let\u2019s say you have four plays coming up: Death of a Salesman next month, then a new comedy, then a musical, then a holiday show. Your booklet should have a full calendar of the season, with little teaser blurbs for each, so someone can plan to buy a subscription. Subscriptions are way more valuable than single tickets, right? Because they guarantee the venue revenue for months. I worked with a theater in Boston that doubled their subscription rates last year just by adding a full-season calendar to their booklets. Before, they only promoted the next show, so people who loved that show didn\u2019t even know about the ones after it.<\/p>\n

Wait, but what about special performances? Like sensory-friendly shows, or pay-what-you-can nights, or student rush tickets. Those are huge for reaching new audiences, and your booklet is the perfect place to highlight them. A lot of parents don\u2019t know about sensory-friendly shows, where the lights are a little lower, the sound is quieter, and you can walk around during the performance. A children\u2019s theater I work with adds a big box on the front of their booklet: \u201cSensory-friendly performance: 11\/5 at 2pm\u2014perfect for kids with autism or sensory needs.\u201d They told me that show sold out within three days, whereas their regular shows take a week. So don\u2019t hide those programs in a corner\u2014make them a key part of the brochure content.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about what not<\/em> to put in the brochure. I see this all the time\u2014venues cram every single detail, every past show quote, every press release line, into the booklet, and it ends up looking cluttered, no one reads it. Don\u2019t put a 50-word quote from a New York Times critic if it\u2019s a tiny, one-sentence line. Don\u2019t list every single past production, just the highlights that tie into why this season is special. And don\u2019t make the content so formal that it feels like reading a textbook. This is a theater brochure\u2014keep it conversational, like you\u2019re chatting with a friend about a show you love. One thing I always say: if you wouldn\u2019t put it on a post you\u2019d text to a friend, don\u2019t put it in the booklet.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s circle back to being the supplier here, because that\u2019s why I\u2019m writing this. As someone who makes these booklets, I\u2019ve learned that the best content comes from working with<\/em> the theater, not just designing it. A lot of venues come to me with a list of things they think they need, but when we sit down and talk about their audience, their goals, and what makes them unique, the content gets way better. For example, a small theater in Portland, ME, came to me last year, and they thought their booklet needed big photos of the stage. But when we talked, they told me their audience is mostly local seniors who care more about the cast being local, and the show being accessible. So we shifted the content to highlight the local actors, the practical details about parking and restrooms, and the story of the theater\u2019s 20th anniversary. Sales for that show were up 25% from the year before, and they\u2019ve re-booked me for every season since. That\u2019s the kind of partnership I\u2019m here for\u2014helping a venue turn their brochure from a generic flyer into something that actually works.<\/p>\n

Another thing I always suggest: interactive bits. Wait, it\u2019s a booklet, not a app, so don\u2019t make it complicated. Maybe a small line on the back: \u201cBring this booklet to the box office for $5 off your second ticket!\u201d That\u2019s simple, encourages word-of-mouth, and gives people a reason to keep the booklet instead of tossing it after the show. A lot of venues skip that, but it\u2019s a small touch that makes a big difference. I also like adding a line about following the theater on social media\u2014\u201cTag us in your show pics @MainStreetTheater for a chance to win free tickets next season!\u201d That helps them build their online audience too, and it\u2019s easy to add to the content without cluttering things up.<\/p>\n

Wait, what about the opening night or special events? If you have a gala, or a post-show party, or a kickoff event for the season, that\u2019s definitely something to include. People love being part of the exclusive stuff, and mentioning it in the booklet makes them feel like they\u2019re in on a secret. I worked with a theater in Chicago that added a line about their opening night gala in the brochure, and they sold all 100 tickets in two hours. That\u2019s the kind of content that drives excitement, not just ticket sales.<\/p>\n

Let me also talk about avoiding AI-sounding stuff here\u2014since I\u2019m writing this like I\u2019m a real person, not a robot. I\u2019ve made mistakes before, right? Early on, I designed a booklet for a community theater that was super formal, had all these big words, like \u201ca theatrical tour de force,\u201d and they told me no one liked it. People said it felt like they were reading a newspaper, not a fun flyer for a show. So I switched to more casual language, like \u201cyou won\u2019t want to miss this,\u201d or \u201cbring your mom, bring your friends, it\u2019s a laugh riot,\u201d and sales went up. That\u2019s why I always tell venues: keep it real. Your audience can tell if it\u2019s just marketing copy, or if you actually care about the show.<\/p>\n

Now, wrapping this up\u2014because I know you\u2019re here to figure out how to make your theater\u2019s booklet work, not read a novel. The key points, if you\u2019re scrolling and skipping: your brochure should have the show basics, cast\/crew that feel like real people, practical details (when, where, accessibility), the heart of your theater (why you exist), highlights of the whole season, special programs for new audiences, small interactive bits to keep people engaged, and no cluttered, unnecessary content. And as your brochure supplier, I\u2019m here to help you turn all that into something that doesn\u2019t just look good, but actually moves the needle on ticket sales and audience growth.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a theater manager, artistic director, or whoever\u2019s in charge of putting together your season booklets, let\u2019s chat. I\u2019ve worked with everything from tiny community theaters with a $500 budget to larger venues that need seasonal booklets for 10 shows a year, and I can tailor the content (and the design) to fit your needs. No one-size-fits-all, no fancy jargon, just straight talk about what works for your audience. Reach out whenever you\u2019re ready to make your next brochure something people actually keep and share.<\/p>\n

Notebook<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Smith, L. (2022). Theater Marketing for Small Venues<\/em>. Stage Left Press.<\/li>\n
  2. Carter, M. (2023). Audience Engagement Through Printed Program Content. Performing Arts Journal, 47(2), 112-128.<\/li>\n
  3. Local Arts Alliance. (2024). Annual Report on Small Theater Box Office Trends.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Jiangyin Kingma Printing Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    As one of the most professional brochure and booklet manufacturers and suppliers in China, we also support customized service. Please feel free to wholesale bulk high quality brochure and booklet in stock here from our factory. Welcome to contact us for quotation.
    Address: 803 Binjiang West Road, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province
    E-mail: 275695527@qq.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.kingmaprinting.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019ve ever picked up a theater brochure or booklet\u2014say, when you\u2019re hovering by the ticket … What plays and performances should a theater brochure and booklet announce?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":330,"featured_media":560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[523],"class_list":["post-560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-brochure-and-booklet-488f-6573b8"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/330"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.simplevcc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}