Pictured K.D. Kweskin promotes productions such as Darling of the Day. Jasen Woerhle of Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
When you want to see theater, how do you choose? Hopefully, you turn to your trusted critics at Windy City Times, but you might also explore other avenues: word of mouth, advertising, listings online and in newspapers and magazines. However you go about it, the original source for most of your information probably starts with a publicist.
Although they're seldom in the limelight, they're the ones that ensure a show is getting coverage: sending out press releases and invitations to critics like me, setting up opening night guest lists, coordinating feature articles and more with the press. Although we don't think about them much, publicists play a major role in ensuring the public is aware of the shows they promote. Without them, theaters would be pretty dark and empty.
Recently, I had a chance to talk to two Chicago theater publicists. Jasen Woerhle is in charge of publicity for one of the city's major theatrical venues: Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. K.D. Kweskin represents the other side of the coin. K.D. is an independent publicist ( her business, begun in 1991, is called KD-PR ) , and gets the word out about many different theater companies.
Here's how they responded when I shined a spotlight in their faces and interrogated them about their work:
RR: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
K.D.: I've been an entertainment publicist since 1985 and have an extensive theater background including an M.A. in directing from Northwestern. Originally from St. Louis, I came to Chicago to go to graduate school and stayed. Besides doing PR, I have been teaching for five years at the International Academy of Design and Technology. I teach PR, Theatre Appreciation, Literature and Film, and Film and Fashion. Today, I work primarily with professional theaters. I send out opening-night invitations and supervise photo shoots. Of course, pitching story ideas to the press is at the core of the publicists' duties, and the most difficult part of the job. But a publicist who doesn't place articles doesn't last very long. I tell my students, if you like to spend half the day writing, and the other half talking on the phone, you could be a publicist. I fit that description.
JW: I have been the Public Relations Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater for nearly five years. Prior to this I was the Director of Ticketing and Audience Services for CST, helping to open the facility on Navy Pier.
My first official theater administration job came at 19 when I was hired as the Box Office Manager for the St. Louis Conservatory and Schools for the Arts. A year later, I accepted the Box Office Manager position at The Goldenrod Showboat where I worked not only in the office, but also performed in two productions ( A Chorus Line and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. ) It was a dream come true being able to perform and receive a paycheck. However, after one year of working from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 6 days a week, I suffered major burn out and stopped acting. Without performing, my creative energy was free to pursue work in theater administration. Life in the theater—performing or not—is in my blood.
RR: What attracted you to doing publicity?
K.D.: From the time I was very young, I wanted to direct. I only made $800 in 10 years directing plays. It was time for a change. In 1985, I met and started working for the late Bob Gibson, who was a folk singer, writer, and producer. He had me write his press releases, and because he was sort of famous, the press called me almost immediately to write articles about him.
JW: What was most appealing to me was to be successful in a line of work where I had the ability to be creative and to be able to work with the company in a completely different aspect.
RR: What do you like best about doing PR for theater? Least?
K.D.K: The best part is when an article or photo lands in the paper with no errors. One of the hardest parts of the job is tracking people down for interviews, scheduling the interviews, and then having people forget the interview. It's maddening!!
JW: There are many aspects that I love. Whether I am arranging the filming of a segment for future broadcast or whether I am escorting talent at 5:30 a.m. to a TV studio for a live segment, I love television. Least? Sometimes the hours get long. Most of the time my body automatically prepares for it in advance. The only time that it wears me out is when I am opening more than one show back to back.
RR: What's the hardest part of your job?
K.D.K: Actually getting the job. Next is convincing clients that I have no control over the results. I am hired for the attempt to get coverage. Some clients understand that, some don't.
JW: Between the two theater spaces and our year-round programming, we produce a lot of work and employ more actors than any other theater in Chicago. The hardest part of my job is juggling multiple projects and strategizing pitches to maximize coverage for all of them.
RR: In getting a show in front of an audience, what's the process you go through?
K.D.: I'm a great believer in doing things by the book. The publicist is just one part of the process. Everything needs to be in place, including a good Marketing Director.
JW: After the season is announced, we begin gathering information we have on the play and artists involved in the production. A few months before rehearsals begin for any given production, my boss and I have a brainstorming session to discuss ideas for stories on how we want to proceed with getting the word out to the press. As the opening date nears, I schedule photo shoots, video calls, and advance interviews to get the most current information out.
RR: Rough estimate: how much of your audiences would you guess are made up of the gay community? How important is this audience segment?
K.D.K: The gay audience is culturally educated and has great taste in theater. I would say most of my clients depend on the gay audience for 25% of ticket sales. The theater audience as a whole wants to hear opinions on gay marriage, for example. Theater educates as well as entertains.
JW: It's important to include the gay press just as we would the non-gay media. Certainly there are productions, artists, or events that may have a strong appeal to the gay community and those stories are pitched appropriately, however there are plenty of non-gay specific productions that the gay community, or any community, should be aware of.
RR: What's your relationship to actors and the creative team of the productions you publicize?
K.D.K: Except for setting up interviews, I do not work closely with actors. The director's take on the show helps me write the release and pitch stories.
JW: I work pretty closely with the artists. They understand the importance of publicity and how it is a part of the process. To do my job, I need the assistance of so many people that work for Chicago Shakespeare, from company and stage management who help me secure the time of the talent, to the production staff who assist me on a technical level with lighting and sound for photo and video shoots.
RR: What's the most exciting thing you're publicizing at the moment?
K.D.K: At the moment, I'm working on Light Opera Works Darling of the Day and Theater Wit's The Santaland Diaries. Light Opera Works is doing its best work ever.
JW: Aside from continuing the push for The Merchant of Venice, I'm planning the PR for two international limited engagements, one from France and one from Italy ( Nov. 16-27 ) ; and gearing up for an advanced photo shoot for Much Ado About Nothing ( Dec. 10, 2005-Feb. 26, 2006 ) .
