Partnership Marketing: Met Season Opener Brings Opera to the People

“Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and drama and dance and emotion and story.”

— Diane Paulus

Though Diane Paulus makes a great point, the majority of the population rarely gets to experience opera. The epic art form often remains out of reach, a night at the opera evoking the gilded privilege of the few. But, to quote Diane Paulus again, “I don’t want art to exist in a bubble,” – and neither does the Met.

The Metropolitan Opera House is kicking off its 2023-24 season opener with a FREE live transmission (in partnership with the Times Square Alliance) of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking” on multiple screens in Times Square. There will be 2,000 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis, and theatreMAMA’s Met Opera Brand Ambassadors will be there to assist guests! 

Content Advisory: “Dead Man Walking”  contains a depiction of a rape and murder, as well as other adult themes and strong language.

To open the Met Opera’s new season with as much drama as, well, an opera, our Brand Ambassadors will activate all day on Tuesday, Sept. 26  throughout Manhattan. The Met Opera city takeover will feature 12 experiential Ambassadors who will evoke the creative spirit of the iconic opera house while spreading excitement about the Met’s new season across the community.

Partnering with the Met Opera to amplify the start of their 2023-24 season is a way to bring opera directly to the people. Did you know that this year’s event continues a 17 year-tradition of the Met live streaming their season opener? This initiative is an incredible way to break down the barriers that prevent people from experiencing the opera. Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to enjoy this grand art form, and theatreMAMA will make sure that evreryone in the city knows they can attend this event! The Met will even be offering a free audio stream of the performance for those who can’t make it to Times Square.

Photo Credit: The Metropolitan Opera

“Dead Man Walking” is the most performed modern opera of the last 20 years. The show is based on a memoir by Sister Helen Prejean that details her fight for the soul of a condemned murderer. Produced by Ivo van Hove and featuring mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato starring as Sister Helen, bass-baritone Ryan McKinny as the death-row inmate Joseph De Rocher, soprano Latonia Moore as Sister Rose and mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as De Rocher’s mother, “Dead Man Walking” is sure to be a thrilling season opener.

Opera can – and should – be accessible to everyone. By continuing to honor the tradition of live streaming their season opener, the Met is building a bridge from the opera house to the people. 

Hoping to catch another one of Met’s masterpieces this season? Tickets start as low as $25 AND  free audio broadcasts of the 2023-24 season will be available throughout the year on select Saturday afternoons.  So …  what are we waiting for? Let’s go to the opera!

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“Dead Man Walking” Live Stream iNFORMATION

What: “Dead Man Walking” Live Met Opera Transmission
When: Tues. Sept. 26, 2023 @ 6:30 p.m. (House opens at 5:30 p.m. and the pre-show live stream begins at 6 p.m.)
Where: Duffy Square and the Broadway Plazas, between 43rd & 44th Streets and 46th & 47th Streets
Content Advisory: “Dead Man Walking” contains a depiction of a rape and murder, as well as other adult themes and strong language.
Additional Info: “Dead Man Walking” is sung in English and is approximately 3 hours including a 30 minute intermission. This event is free and open to the public.

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Order Up! Catch MAMA at Waitress Tribeca Film Premiere in Times Square

The Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! will screen at 7:30 p.m tonight, Monday, June 12, at both the BMCC Theatre and in Times Square via TSX Entertainment’s 18,000-square-foot digital screen.

With a little help from the TSX app, the public will be able to watch Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! in the middle of Times Square on the corner of 47th street and 7th avenue. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., attendees can claim one of the 300 available seats on a first come, first served basis. Brand Ambassadors from theatreMAMA will be there (dressed in our best Waitress-inspired attire) to help film-goers download the TSX app which will broadcast the film’s audio. In lieu of competing with the notorious noise pollution in Times Square, attendees will access the audio for Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! from their own headphones and personal devices via the TSX app. 

The Times Square screening of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! marks the first-ever viewing of a Tribeca Film Festival feature in Times Square. Times Square attendees will view a live broadcast from the festival premiere that will include Sara Bareillis introducing the film and a live performance from the grammy-winning artist immediately following the screening.

Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! captures the 2021 return engagement of Waitress, the Musical on Broadway and stars Sara Bareillis, Charity Angél Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan, Drew Gehling, Dakin Matthews, Eric Anderson, Joe Tippett and Christopher Fitzgerald. 

Our Waitress Street Team can’t wait to visit the diner once again! We’ve truly missed bringing a bit of Waitress to the patrons of Times Square after wrapping our Experiential Marketing campaign when the show closed on Broadway. We are ready to help make tonight’s premiere of Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! as sweet as Jenna’s “deep dish blueberry bacon” pie! 

Tips for attending Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! in Times Square:

• Arrive early to get seats. Attendees can arrive up to an hour prior to the 7:30 p.m. screening.

• This outdoor event is rain or shine. Please prepare for the possibility of inclement weather.

• Bring your phone and headphones so that you are able to access the film's audio via the TSX app.

•  Be sure to fully charge your phone so you can download the TSX app and access the audio for “Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway!” uninterrupted. 

• If you need help downloading the TSX app, find one of our Waitress Brand Ambassadors! We will be the team dressed in Waitress aprons and ready to assist you! 

Location Scouting for Experiential Marketing Activations: 5 Key Takeaways

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for Broadway’s Waitress at Bryant Park in NYC.

Experiential Marketing is a strategy that creates increased brand engagement, positive brand associations and memorable experiences that customers want to share through user generated content and word-of-mouth. Each Experiential Marketing campaign is uniquely designed to act as the living embodiment of a brand – we literally bring your brand to life. Because no two living media campaigns are the same, there are often myriad variables for us to consider when launching a new program at theatreMAMA. One of the most important variables to address when planning a new campaign is location. Even the most fabulous Experiential Marketing team will be ineffective if no one can find them. This frustrating scenario is why location scouting is KEY to a successful Experiential Marketing campaign. With that in mind, we compiled a list of 5 key takeaways from our location scouting experiences.

5 Key Takeaways: Location Scouting for Experiential Marketing Activations

theatreMAMA’s Chicago Dance Mob promoting Chicago the Musical in Times Square, NYC.

1. Know Your Demographics

Knowing who you’re targeting will often directly affect where a campaign takes place. Our Chicago Dance Mob seeks to engage both NYC tourists and locals who are interested in seeing Chicago on Broadway. To achieve this, we station our Street Team in the Times Square area where there is a healthy cross-section of locals and tourists making their way through The Theatre District. In contrast, promoting a boxing match at Madison Square Garden took our Brand Ambassadors across the city to bars and gyms in hopes of engaging local sports fans.

2. Weather Matters

Unfortunately, weather is a variable we can’t control, but we can prepare for it. While promoting Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ at Disney Springs in Orlando, we quickly realized that Florida in May means unrelenting sun and heat. To combat this, we scouted different locations throughout Disney Springs that could support our Street Team’s immersive theatricality and provide much-needed shade. Offering a reprieve from the sun helped us increase overall guest interactions and allowed our team to stay relatively cool while they work their Cirque-inspired magic!

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL.

theatreMAMA’s Street Team for LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil in Vancouver, Canada.

Having alternate locations in case of weather is paramount to successful location scouting. When considering a primary location, be sure to factor in alternate locations that could work in case of inclement weather. When Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA took us to Vancouver, Canada, there was heavy rain predicted on the same day we were to launch an outdoor, parade-style activation that included a Mariachi band, 2 costumed-characters and 8 Brand Ambassadors. Because of this, our team diligently scouted alternative locations that would allow us to have the same massive impact, but would provide coverage for our performers. We figured out that we could station ourselves inside transit hubs and it was a huge success! Commuters were delighted by the Mariachi band and our Cirque du Soleil LUZIA-inspired performers! We offered the magic of Cirque du Soleil on a dreary, rainy day! 

3. Pedestrian Traffic is Important

Even in a pedestrian heavy area like New York City, there are still many locations that don’t generate high foot traffic. Assuming an area will be busy simply because it’s in a big city can lead to major disappointment on the day of an Experiential activation. Location scouting prior to an event can alleviate this issue. Taking the time to research an area, talking to locals about different neighborhoods, capitalizing on events already taking place and physically scouting activation locations are musts if you want to maximize the number of impressions a campaign makes. 

theatreMAMA promotes the Met Opera’s season launch with Street Teams located across NYC.

4. Proximity to Venue

When representing a live event or a brick and mortar business, proximity to the venue being promoted is essential. Patrons are more likely to engage with a brand immediately after an experiential interaction if they can easily access it. For our ‘Drawn To Life’ team in Orlando, that means locating our team within walking distance of the Cirque du Soleil big top! Guests experience fun, immersive interactions with our Street Team and become curious about the show. With the big top in such close proximity, our team can seamlessly send guests to the ‘Drawn To Life’  box office to find out more information and purchase tickets to the show. Likewise, our Toy Soldier Street Team for the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio city Rockettes consistently stations a handful of Brand Ambassadors within view of Radio City Music Hall – a tactic that exponentially increases day-of and walk up ticket sales. 

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ Street Team performer promoting the show at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL.

Brand Ambassadors for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular outside Radio City Music Hall.

5. Flexibility is Paramount

Alegria by Cirque du Soleil-inspired Activation with Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and Villa Maria Wine.

Experiential Marketing campaigns are accompanied by many different variables, so the ability to be flexible and pivot on the spot is of the utmost importance. Location scouting is a way to cut down on the uncertainties that uncontrollable variables (like weather) can bring. By knowing an area and understanding how to optimize an activation – even if you have to pivot to plan b, c or d , you will create the circumstances for a successful campaign no matter what gets thrown your way.

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MAMA LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S ‘DRAWN TO LIFE’

Watching a drawing go from 2D on paper to 3D in person is pure magic, whether viewing it under the big top in 'Drawn To Life,' or following along with the costume design process of one of our experiential marketing campaigns.

Emily Beets, theatreMAMA Manger and head of costume/wardrobe, with Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life’ cast members at a press event for the show.

theatreMAMA recently launched our newest living media campaign for ‘Drawn To Life’ by Cirque du Soleil & Disney at Disney Springs in Orlando, FL. ‘Drawn To Life’ marks our 15th experiential marketing partnership with Cirque du Soleil! Creating campaigns for Cirque du Soleil’s enchanting productions is a dream come true, and generating our newest campaign for ‘Drawn To Life’ inspired us to design an entirely new character for our latest Street Team Activation.

’Drawn to Life’ features Walt Disney Animation's art brought to life through the magic of Cirque. theatreMAMA’s newest Street Team is tasked with recreating the magic of this dynamic duo’s production outside the big top. We achieve this by hitting the streets of Disney Springs with costumed performers dressed as a ‘Drawn To Life’ inspired character. Our Street Team performers utilize their immersive theater, improvisation and performance backgrounds to engage guests in fun and compelling ways that both increase awareness around the show and generate positive attitudes associated with Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life.’ We are thrilled to bring the joy and spectacle of Cirque to Disney Springs!

A Look Inside Our Costume Design Process

A major component of creating captivating experiential media campaigns is costuming. At theatreMAMA, we design our costumes to be eye-catching, engaging and innovative. No detail is too small and we encourage our creative team to think outside the box. When cultivating costumes to evoke the animated artwork brought to life in ‘Drawn To Life,’ our costume design team drew inspiration from characters featured in the show to bring an entirely new character to fruition. The idea was “to encompass everything into one costume — to make it different but relatable to the show,” said Emily Beets, lead designer, adding that the design process took a fair amount of time because many costume pieces were made by hand.

theatreMAMA is no stranger to intricate costume pieces and elaborate designs. Designing costumes for ‘Drawn To Life’ led us to reminisce over our long history of producing the unique costumes that make our experiential and immersive campaigns pop! Similar to the animation brought to life in Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Drawn To Life,’our costume design process begins with a sketch that is then actualized in our living media campaigns. Watching a drawing go from 2D on paper to 3D in person is pure magic, whether viewing it under the big top in ‘Drawn To Life,’ or following along with the costume design process of one of our experiential marketing campaigns. 

Experience that magic with us by taking a look at our campaigns that have literally been “drawn to life” over the years!

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What an honor it has been to have worked with so many incredible designers to create our experiential campaigns, and what an honor it is to be working with Cirque du Soleil again,  “drawing to life” a joyful living media experience for guests visiting Disney Springs!

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theatreMAMA Turns 18!

theatreMAMA is offically an adult! April 9, 2023 marks MAMA's 18th birthday and 18 years of joyful, creative, innovative, connecting Experiential Marketing campaigns. The last 18 years have been an incredible journey, so we thought it would be fun to celebrate this year's birthday by taking a look back at monumental MAMA milestones. Navigate through our interactive '18 Years of MAMA' timeline below to discover some of our favorite moments in MAMA history.

If Sundance and SXSW Are Any Indication, 2023 IS The Year of Experiential Marketing

Though the past few years have been defined by a pandemic-necessitated pivot to virtual events, this year, event-attendees and companies alike seem to be craving in-person experiences. With our work in Experiential Marketing, we get it. There’s nothing better than meaningful, shared experiences – especially now that we can gather safely. Three years after the pandemic shutdown, we have truly understood what it means to be without live experiences, socially isolated and craving connection. That trial revealed to us just how important and impactful Experiential Marketing is.

We are only at the beginning of 2023, and two major festivals – Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest (SXSW) –  have signaled a big, bold return of Experiential Marketing this year. Both festivals featured extensive immersive experiences and brand activations.

“We’re not really seeing a lot of engagement around hybrid or purely online [activations]. We have a handful of partners who are doing that but the biggest and most obvious thing we’ve seen is this roar to be back on the mountain and this excitement to be engaging in-person again.”

—Mary Sadeghy, head of partnerships and co-director of advancement, Sundance Institute, in an interview with Digiday.

At Sundance, there were 122 brands that came to Park City, Utah and 18 event marketing partnerships that set up activations along Main Street. Activations included classes, panels, parties, beverage stations and numerous other experiences for Sundance attendees.

The same approach was seen last week at SXSW in Austin, Texas. A great deal of brands created experiential activations throughout the festival, but the most exciting trend this year was the innovation of (ridiculously cool) brand houses. Lush, ParamountPlus, Planned Parenthood, Prime and Roku created interactive brand houses for the festival, each a unique and elaborate physical manifestation of the brands.

Hats off to the agencies and brands creating new experiences for all of us to enjoy! Innovation in Experiential Marketing is one of the most exciting aspects of this industry. theatreMAMA has been pushing the boundaries of brand marketing for almost 20 years and we have loved every second of it! Reflecting on past campaigns, and the imagination invoked by them, we are thrilled to continue innovating as we move forward, with gratitude, into a year defined by connection, shared experiences and Experiential marketing. 

A Look at theatreMAMA’s Experiential Marketing Campaigns

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