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Most of the responses dwelt on ways of taking theatre to more people especially on issues to do with how to engage the corporate sector in sponsoring theatre companies’ performance programmes to schools, colleges and universities.
There were views that simply stressed that performance of the excellent plays presented at the Hifa 2011 should be kept alive for many years and that theatre companies must be encouraged to plan for extended performance schedules.
It was appreciated that the issue of other theatre companies requiring the use of the theatre where a play is currently hosted may be the main reason why a play may be scheduled for a very short period.
The case of the few performances “Ten Years From Now” in Theatre in The Park which ended on June 19 in order to give room for the world premier of another new play “Sinners”, was a case in point as audiences were steadily increasing day by day since the play was opened to the general public on June 8.
Also noted was that in Zimbabwe the most viable promotion of plays is by word of mouth by those who have seen the plays who urge friends and relatives to go and see the plays.
Theatre reviews in the print media often appear when a play has been running for some time and in many case the reviews are often accessed by the general public.
Theatre companies consider investing in high profile advertising of their plays in various media as a very expensive alternative.
One response was from a representative of a corporation that has been in the fore-front of sponsoring a festivals, exhibitions and arts education projects who suggested that theatre companies should extend invitations to public relations officers of corporations to the opening night of plays.
It was argued that this would enable corporations to appreciate the kind of theatre productions they would be requested to sponsor.
On the other hand, theatre companies must be aware that many corporations have to be assured that they will be comfortable with the content of the plays they sponsoring especially.
This would in view of the fact that these days many local plays are dominantly social and political commentaries with points of view corporations may not want to be associated with.
Concerning plays which corporations would consider to sponsor for performances to their workers, the representative indicated that corporations may make suggestions to reduce the lengths of plays so that their performances can be accommodated during workers’ lunch breaks.
Also essential to consider is that theatre companies may be asked to prepare a version of the play with the type of language considered appropriate for the workers the play would be presented to.
The representative also suggested that theatre companies should approach corporations to urge them to consider buying seats for their workers and members of their families.
Another observation was made by a lecturer from a Harare-based university who felt that university administrations would be prepared to work out special arrangements with theatre companies to bring plays to their campuses. The lecturer stressed that this requires that theatre companies meet deans of students or student leaders as part of their marketing strategies to sell their productions to college and university audience.
He further stressed that theatre companies must be aware that colleges and universities often require special admission fee arrangements whose monetary value is enhanced by the capacity to attract large audiences paying affordable admission fee.
A theatre practitioner who attended the Friday 18th June performance of “Ten Years from Now” reacted to this comment saying that although it was a good idea, deans of students and student leaders should also take it upon themselves to invite theatre companies to bring plays to their campuses and that information about plays at hand could be obtained from the provincial officers of the National Arts Council who are often aware of the plays that have been launched in their provinces.
The theatre practitioner also urged his colleagues to invite deans of students and student leaders of colleges and universities to the world premiere of their plays as well as to send to the college and university administrations information about their theatre productions.
A representative of a European embassy indicated that already there are embassies, which are buying tickets for theatre performance in both Theatre in the Park and Reps Theatre, which are distributed, to students and children’s homes.
The diplomatic said that this approach was a very good way of taking disadvantaged youths to the theatre and helping them to become responsible theatre audience.
He further indicated that embassies would even be more forthcoming if there were special afternoon theatre performances – an arrangement which reduces transport costs for students who are not coming from boarding schools.
He also pointed out that offering members of drama clubs at schools would be a very good way of exposing future theatre practitioners to samples of good plays and good acting.
The diplomat urged theatre companies to approach corporations, which have disadvantaged children at heart to consider sponsoring children in children’s home to theatre as part of the strategy of promotion social cohesion.
A filmmaker recommended collaboration between theatre companies and film houses that would lead to production of commercial videos of successful theatre productions which would be sold to those who would have failed to see the stage performances.
The filmmaker cited most of the plays featured at Hifa 2011 as theatre products that could be turned into very viable commercial video.
A member of a school development committee at a Harare school pointed out that it would be useful if plays brought to schools were not just aimed at schoolchildren but for both the schoolchildren and their parents.
This, she felt, would give parents who cannot travel to city centre for plays with their children to access plays within their communities using school halls as entertainment centres.
She observed that most primary and secondary schools in low-density suburbs have halls that are most appropriate for theatre and that such an approach would also encourage playwrights and theatre companies to produce plays suitable for family audiences.
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