fact that given the high price tag of Broadway tickets today–some productions can run at $120–the biggest lesson he learned on Radio Golf is that casting and good marketing are vital. “You need a recognizable name today and you need to demand focused marketing initiatives to the community most likely to support the production,” he says, citing the success of A Raisin in the Sun, with P. Diddy, and the cast of Cat. Pierce further explains that the first month of a commercial play’s life is crucial for winning theater-goers and building momentum. “You need people to come early. You need that critical mass,” he adds.
George Alexander’s column on the business of entertainment appears weekly at blackenterprise.com. He is the author of Why We Make Movies (Doubleday Harlem Moon, $15.95).