Executive Summary: Theatre Under the Stars Mission, Vision, and Values

Theatre Under the Stars is Houston’s preeminent production company for musical theatre; it’s a Tony Award-winning regional theatre with highly popular productions and annual revenue that typically ranges between 15-20 million dollars (ProPublica, n.d.). The focus of this initiative is education: The River and the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre; their work is highly intertwined.

As part of TUTS’s mission to increase and highlight the rich diversity in Houston, the Inclusive Arts Society page of the website affirms its commitment to the core value of inclusivity, saying “We are committed to bringing together diverse peoples, cultures, traditions, and ideas to break down barriers to the craft of musical theatre by practicing diversity, inclusion, and access across all areas of our organization” (2023, para.1).

The Communication Need

The theatre is in the midst of fundraising for a new space to house the educational wing. The growth of Humphrey’s and The River necessitates an expansion that is virtually impossible in its downtown location; a new facility is planned in Midtown’s new Ion District. Considerable capital must be raised; theatre officials have planned for a multi-year project (Elliott, 2021). This specific campaign, planned for the 2023-2024 season, is one of several planned over the expansive fundraising initiative; its goal is to raise $1.25MM needed for early capital outlay.

The robust PR campaign includes traditional media and new media. Publications such as the Houston Chronicle, Houstonia, and Houston Press, along with appearances on Houston Public Media’s Unwrap Your Candies and Houston Matters, Great Day Houston (CBS KHOU) and Houston Life (NBC KPRC) will serve to reach Gen-X and Boomer adults who have disposable income to donate. New media’s focus on digital delivery and social engagement is ideal for the Millennial audience; TUTS already has a robust presence on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. Traveling to schools and local festival events with performances supports schools and those nonprofit festival events; reciprocity and supporting the community at large is vital to fostering and maintaining relationships with donors large and small, new and returning.

The Magic Ingredient? Story.

Storytelling, which is what drives the art of theatre, is an effective way to reach and connect with donors. TUTS uses this to good effect in various videos of Humphreys School rehearsals and interviews with participants in The River’s program. The communications team will collaborate with class instructors and production directors to craft stories that can be disseminated on multiple media formats for audiences both established and new.

Consuming and creating stories enriches our human experiences and content that is story-centered is particularly effective at reaching one’s intended audience (Lambert, 2013, p. 120). The campaign will employ compelling ways to use stories to inform and connect donors, audiences, and stakeholders. TUTS’ own stories (its folklore, so to speak) and the stories it tells through its productions and performances, can “make heroes out of the individuals and teams who are doing what’s needed. The key is storytelling that puts people and teams at the center of the action” (Doorley & Garcia, 2021, 156-157).

References

Doorley, J. & Garcia, H.F. (2021). Reputation management: The key to successful public relations and corporate communication. Routledge.

Elliott, A. (2021, October 26). Theatre Under the Stars is building an arts and education center in the Ion district. Houston Chronicle. https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/theater/theatre-under-the-stars-is-moving-into-the-ion-16561785

Lambert, J., & Hessler, B. (2018). Digital Storytelling: Capturing Lives, Creating Community. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.

ProPublica. (n.d.) Theatre Under the Stars Inc. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/741621647__;!!BeImMA!_vsrWuVq7RfCY3OtraqPkcVSfYp4kcScnHSDGQt8h6NjeAdn7Abll02MCMr_-cBvBj4x0SCGUAd3J6VjdPSFDeni2vskQw$

Theatre Under the Stars. (2023). Theatre Under the Stars Inclusive Arts Society. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.tuts.com/ias__;!!BeImMA!_jonN8raZigqnITblRQ-54GruTqMTU746PVJsZxFLn3i1z0ldd1eVoZMzWr-b9xUP9yRD40T3gGIpzjc-0mJg95XGVe-sw$