TheatreSquared

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The Client

TheatreSquared, Arkansas’s professional, regional theatre located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, opened their new venue in 2019 to great acclaim in local and national arts and architectural circles. TheatreSquared produce a season of established and new work, including the Arkansas New Play Festival, and in 2021, will celebrate their 15th season.

The Need

In 2017, TheatreSquared was seeking to hire a new Director of Marketing & Communications to drive their ambitious plans for attendance and revenue growth as they approached the opening of their new venue.  Executive Director Martin Miller approached TOCG for thought partnership in making the hire, and also perspective to help set them up for success through a baseline marketing assessment and ongoing retained consulting once the hire was on-boarded.

The Process

As the lead consultant on this project, Tom O’Connor:

  • acted as search advisor as TheatreSquared led an internal search for the next Director of Marketing & Communications

  • conducted an on-site marketing assessment in partnership with the newly-hired Director Joanna Sheehan Bell to help surface key priorities and opportunities for growth

  • undertook a comprehensive review of marketing strategies, materials and sales data

  • delivered a remote presentation of recommendations, which the team worked quickly to implement, and which served as a starting point for ongoing consultation over the coming year

The Results

  • Through Martin and Joanna’s insightful implementation of Tom’s recommendations, including changes to inventory management, TheatreSquared immediately saw revenue growth including substantial increases in subscriptions, setting impressive records for revenue in their final season in their former venue, and setting them up for success in their new home

  • As of 2021, Tom continues to hold bi-weekly work sessions with Joanna to provide objective perspective on season and long-term plans

  • Beginning in 2020, TheatreSquared also commenced an ongoing engagement with TOCG affiliate Anne Trites to provide an identical suite of services for an incoming Director of Development

Explore the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group website to learn more about Our Services, Our Team, and Our Clients.

TOCGMarketing & Audience Strategy