Oakmere Playhouse
An autumn season campaign for a 400-seat theatre that most people thought only did the panto (sample project).
The wall at 16:00
Twelve people from the theatre, three from the studio. 31 ideas went up; this is the part of the wall that decided the season (sample).
Oakmere Playhouse, autumn season
Kick-off workshop, Tuesday 14 October (sample)
What we heard
People think we only do the panto.
Box office
Most tickets sell in the last five days.
Sales report
Under-30s say they have never been inside.
Street survey
Ideas
Open rehearsals: come in before it is finished
7 dots
Posters written by the cast
3 dots
A season pass priced like a gym
2 dots
Rename the studio theatre
no dots
We're making
Open rehearsal nights for every show, free
Posters from rehearsal photos, in the cast’s handwriting
Six 30-second films for social
Pay what you can on each first night
What we heard An idea What we are making One vote The idea that won
Yellow notes come from you and your customers, pink notes are ideas, and everyone votes with red dots. The idea with the most dots is ringed and moves to the last lane, where it becomes the list of things we make.

What we made from it
Open rehearsal nights
9 shows
Posters from rehearsal photos
14 designs
Short films for social
6 x 30 s
Pay-what-you-can first nights
9 nights
First-time bookers went from 18% to 31% of the autumn audience, and the open rehearsals were full by the third show (sample).
Bring the problem. We bring the notes.
Tell us what is going on and when it has to be out. We reply within two working days with a date for a first call (sample).