While theater itself is creative, you can get the most mileage by using the standard release.

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1 From the AACT Knowledge Base The Perfect News Release Again, know what's news, and what the media need A news release is simply an announcement sent to the media, in which you spell out some newsworthy event (such as the announcement of the cast for your upcoming production), and provide enough information for an editor to construct a story or calendar item. Most books on public relations mention only one type of news release. However, in recent years editors have become more flexible in what they'll accept. Standard Release. This is still the most common type of news release. It's designed primarily to get the facts across in as straightforward a fashion as possible. Editors use this type of release as a part of a larger story or as a framework for a short filler piece, or calendar item. Article Release. These read like a short article. Busy editors appreciate them and will sometimes use them just as written--as long as you don't come across as overly promotional. Releases like this are more likely to find a home in community newspapers, not large metropolitan papers. Tease Release. As the name implies, this tantalizes the editor with just enough information to get them to call you. If done properly, this may lead to an interview, which could result in a complete article. This is not the type of release a beginner should attempt, however. What strikes the writer as clever may merely antagonize an editor. And that's something you never want to do. While theater itself is creative, you can get the most mileage by using the standard release. Remember that its purpose is to give the editor or writer essential facts, with the most important information in the first few paragraphs. If your release announces that tickets are now on sale to the general public, don't make the editor wade through two pages looking for ticket prices or a box office number. Make it easy for an editor, and your news release will pay big rewards. (See later for a sample release.) 1. Keep margins at least one inch on all sides. 2. Place your company name and address on the upper left-hand corner of the first page, along with the phone number and name of the contact person (usually the publicity person). Remember to include both a day and night phone number. 3. Two spaces below in the release date. Normally, this will say "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE," so the information can be used as soon as it is received. A specific date means that the information should not be announced until that time. Such a request occurs when you want all media in your area to

2 announce your news on the same day, or if you want to alert the media of an event before you notify the public. 4. About one-third of the way down the page, type your headline or title; this space allows the editor to jot down comments or notes. Use all-caps or boldfaced print for the title. If the title is more than one line, single-space it. (The release itself is double-spaced.) 5. Type the body of the release double-spaced throughout. There's a good reason for this--it's more readable and again you leave room for the editor to make notes or changes. Indent all paragraphs with normal spacing between them. Use 12- point type if possible; avoid fancy types such as script--they are hard to read and irritate editors. For the same reason, if you print from a computer, use a daisywheel printer or near-letter quality print mode. Faint dot-matrix print is a chore to read. 6. Editors expect releases to follow journalistic style, answering the questions "Who?," "What?," "When?," "Where?," and "Why?" Make sure you give this information in the first sentence or two. For example: "The Poorhouse Players present Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" at the Jackson Community Theater, June 5 through 12 at 8:15 p.m." The remainder of the release should explain or elaborate on the first paragraph: ticket prices and where they may be purchased, a phone number for more information, theater address, the director's name, lead players' names, and a one-sentence summary of the play's plot or story. 7. If possible, keep releases to one page. If it runs longer, type "--MORE--" centered at the bottom of the page. This way, if pages become separated the editor knows there is additional information. Following pages should be identified at the top with a word that indicates the subject matter followed by the page number. For example: "Couple/2." 8. At the end of the release type "###" centered. If you plan to send your releases via , use the same format, expect for double spacing, which most programs won't recognize. It's always a good idea to find out if a reporter or editor wants to receive releases via . Some do, some don't. As always, provide the information in the form that's most likely to please the person who decides whether or not something is newsworthy. 2

3 A Sample Release March 17, 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media: For further information please contact Julia Gallagher, (555) Off-Broadway hit to make Canadian premiere at Berkeley Street Theatre TORONTO: New York producer Leonard Soloway announced today that off-broadway's hottest ticket of this past year, "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde," will make its Canadian Premiere in Toronto at the Berkeley Street Theatre (Canadian Stage Theatre Downstairs at 26 Berkeley Street). Performances for this summer-long engagement are set to begin on June 8, 1998, with the official opening night on June 25, Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 18th for performances from June 8, 1998 to September 5, Tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 18, and range in price from $29 t0 $45. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Canadian Stage Box Office, any TicketMaster location, or by calling TicketMaster at (416) to charge. "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde," is the hit play commemorating the 100- year anniversary of Irish playwright Oscar Wilde's release from prison. This critically acclaimed drama chronicles the arrest, judgment and sentencing of the most celebrated playwright of his time. The production by Moisés Kaufman uses original trial transcripts, letters and biographies written by Wilde, his contemporaries, and other first-hand sources. The drama focuses on Oscar Wilde as an artist, persecuted as much for his art and radical opinions as for his homosexuality. "Gross Indecency" has been heralded by critics across the United States, with productions currently running in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In New York the show was completely sold out, with huge waiting lists and lines daily (it is rumored that fights even broke out trying to get seats) where hundreds were turned away. "Gross Indecency" has been critically proclaimed as "brilliant" by Donald Lyons of the Wall Street Journal, "compelling" by Clive Barnes of the New York Times, a "theatrical phenomenon" by Linda Winer of Newsday, and "unforgettable--maybe even life changing" by David Patrick Stearns of USA Today. The play has been named "Best of the Year/Top 10" by Time Magazine, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, Time Out NY, New York Post, Newsday, Star Ledger, The Advocate, Next Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Drama-Logue and others. ### 3

4 Think Like an Editor To Get Your Message Out There's no great mystery to getting your press releases published. Just get to know the needs of the media outlets, and think like an editor. 1.Target your press releases. Most media outlets receive anywhere from press releases a week with approximately percent of those having nothing to do with the publication to which (or editor to whom) they are sent. Read the publication. Get to know what type of articles and press releases it prints. (And if you have taken an editor to lunch, you already know what they want.) Gear the release to the media outlet itself C don't expect that the editorial staff will take the time to critique, edit, and print it. It will end up in the trash or recycling bin if it's not in a relatively printable form the minute it comes in the door. 2.Make sure your press release is news. Again, this will depend on media outlet itself. The local weekly paper may be interested that your board president has been elected to serve on the local arts council,, but the editor of a larger publication will probably not be. They would be more intrigued by the fact that your ticket sales have increased during an economic downturn, or that your company has won a national award. Remember, what is news to one publication may be fluff to another. 3.Organize your press release as an inverted pyramid, with the most important information stated first. (See the sample release on page X.) This gives the editor the opportunity to read the first line and see if it's important. Of course, you think it's important, but there are just not enough hours in the day for an editor to read every release in its entirety. This is why it is so important that the first lines of your release grab the editor's attention. This, in turn, makes it more likely that he or she will read the whole thing. And this, in turn, makes it more likely for it to see print. So, whenever you write a press release, always do the following: * Start your release with a phone number and the person to contact for more information. * Date it. * Make sure the first two sentences contain the information that's most important to the editor. For example: "On July 4, The Poorhouse Players will open a new performance space to replace the old theater, damaged by Hurricane Irene. The new Randolph Scott Theater will have a major impact on the local economy by attracting audiences from a four-county area." These first two sentences answer the Five Ws, but also the editor's question of "how does this benefit and impact my readers or viewers?" * The remainder of the release should include other important, but brief, information that supports the opening two sentences. 4

5 * Resist the urge to throw everything in it but your underwear size. Editors like things that are to the point. They do not want to search the text to pull out the information they think will be useful to their readers. A shorter release is more likely to see print than a long one. If the editor needs more information, he or she will call you. * Understand how the inverted pyramid is used by editors--the most important information first, gradually working from immediate and newsy to the background of the story. (The news release shown previously is a good example). If something needs to be cut, it is cut from the bottom up. Write your release with this in mind. Editors will love you for it. And if you make their job easier, you'll find your theater being mentioned more and more in the local papers. 4. Address your release to someone in particular. There is nothing more telling than if an envelope comes in addressed only to "Editor" or "Entertainment Editor." If you do this, you are emphasizing the fact that you are sending it to them and every other media outlet in your area. If you don't show enough interest to make sure it reaches the right person, don't expect that a publication or station will take an interest in what you have to say. (Note: If you have established a rapport with an editor at the outset, this should be no problem.) 5. Call or write first to tell that particular person you're sending a release. This works to your advantage since the editor will, in all likelihood, pay particular attention to it when he or she receives it. (See "The Be-Prepared Letter.") After it's sent, call again, confirm they have received it, and ask if there are any questions. This will bring your release to the top of the pile. Editors do not mind being called, as long as you don't pressure them to run what you've sent. 6. Use quotes. They add life to releases. But avoid long-winded quotes from people who are only peripherally involved in the story. Look for comments that are colorful, pithy, and to the point. 7. Give them something exciting and new. Media outlets are always looking for something exciting and new, but an editor will never know unless you bring it to their attention. 8. Don't be mad if the newspaper or radio station does not use your release. It's an editor's job to provide, in their estimation, what is important at that particiular time. He or she may have determined that something was more important. Keep sending out those releases, because your news will eventually become more important than someone else's. 9. Handwrite the address on the envelope. In this day and age of computer-generated mass-mail, which envelopes do you open first? If you're like the majority of people, an envelope that is handwritten is always opened first. It's a simple but very effective way to gain an edge to get your name and information in front of the editor and, ultimately in front of readers. (c) American Association of Community Theatre,