Week 2 of 52

Here we are already in the 2nd week of the year – at Broadway In Chicago we are in full swing, so many things have been addressed in the past ten days…. I thought I would share just a few:

· MARKETING BRAIN-STORM SESSION – Every year the marketing department gets together to look at the year ahead and try to see what we can do to better take care of our audiences. This is how we came up with creating the first iPhone app for theatre. It’s also where the idea for a show that would be like Inside the Actor’s Studio, but would also highlight all our local colleges and universities first came up. That show became “Broadway In Chicago Backstage”, presented by Comcast. This year we want to work on making our Facebook page more user friendly and, given the drastic change in how people get their information these days, we hope to complete a comprehensive survey with all our customers that will give us a better idea where our shows need to advertise.

· 9 TO 5 is set to open next week…. We are in the midst of planning that opening and while I can’t give any details, there are some exciting things in the works.

· BURN THE FLOOR –  Keep your eye out for social networking – there are going to be some bad dance contests planned around the opening of this show.  I am really excited to see this show. It was here during one of the first seasons of Broadway In Chicago and since then its creator has really been the catalyst for the amazing reality dance contest craze that has come over the country.

· MAYORAL ELECTION – This is on all of our radars this year. After all, Mayor Daley has been a great advocate for the arts – especially theatre – and the Chicago Downtown Theatre District. I often say that if not for him, I would not have the job of my dreams and many other people would not have their job. Mayor Daley understood that an active theatre scene was the ultimate stimulus for the economy and it is now our job to be sure that his vision stays alive. He started it, and in his honor we want to be sure that the tradition and stimulus continues. As a part of that we have been working on a Task Force that will provide counsel to Arts Alliance Illinois and the League of Chicago Theatres as the organizations implement a campaign to put the arts center stage during the Chicago mayoral election. Additionally, both the Chicago Loop Alliance and the League of Chicago Theatres will join other civic minded boards in partnering with ABC to present a Mayoral Debate at the Oriental Theatre.

That is only the start of the New Year….. much more to come!

Now what can you do this month…. advocate for the arts with any elected official you see – it is good for the entire city of Chicago! And what better way is there to spend a cold night with the snow flying than going to see a show?

– Eileen