I keep taking leads from the cast of the touring show Wicked. It’s one of my favorite shows, and I’m pretty excited about the prospect of working with them. It started when one of administrators called.“I just want to be able to cook my own meal,” he said mournfully. Soon, one by one, the word spread throughout the cast that we were a friendly provider carrying long-term leases in the city they were scheduled to be in next. One by one, they called.
How does a provider go about targeting a particular tour or performance venue? You can look up upcoming tours on Playbill.com. Use the query form at the bottom of the page to look up tour dates by city, and then contact the performing arts centers listed. Ask for the general manager, or the assistant to the general manager if it’s a larger theatre. If you want to target a particular tour, and capture all of their business as they crisscross the nation, you can contact a production company that manages many tours, such as Richard Frankl. There are also international production companies like Broadway Asia, that send tours overseas. If you build an excellent reputation with them, you’ll have a repeat customer for years to come.