As actors we all need reviews for our portfolios and press kits. I heard a fellow Berubian on set say the press would never review their show. Not true. The pirate musical "The Sea Is a Restless Whore" got reviewed by LA weekly and this is how:

1) Two-three weeks in advance: Contact LA weekly, Backstage, LA times and any other local newspaper and website you can find. You can also post it on sites like PRWeb.com (I will post contact info in this thread later). Send them a Press release. You can find examples online and or I will post an example here). Tell them that press kits and comps are available upon request.

2) Create a press kit-- go to staples and get those cheap folders you use for industry packets. The kit should include information about the theater (INCLUDE OUR WEB ADDRESS!!!), the production, and a Cd of promotional images (ie a jpg of the poster, actor's headshots, pictures from rehearsals..) The press LOVES it when you give them pictures they can use. Save money. Only print a few press kits. Don't send the press kits unless they ask.

3) A week before the show, if no one has contacted you, start contacting them, checking if they received the press release.

Post edited by: Liz Jamieson, at: 2007/08/08 21:30

Here is a link to a good example of a press release:
http://www.press-release-writing.com/sample-press-release.htm
the first para should have a quick who, what, where, why. The second should be a summary of the show. The third para should say something about the theater company. You can have as many paragraphs as you want but keep the release to one page.

Feel free to shoot me any questions or email me the release for a once over. I have a B.A. in Journalism

Post edited by: Liz Jamieson, at: 2007/08/08 21:38

Post edited by: Liz Jamieson, at: 2007/08/08 21:39

I had difficulty finding where to send the press release to. Do you have email addresses or anything?

I would also look at their websites and get listed in their calendar of events. Usually look under "Contact Us." Otherwise there are numbers listed to call.

Where to send Press releases:

Backstage Via Email:
bsweditorial@backstage.com

Mail:
Back Stage West Editorial
5055 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone: 323-525-2356
_________________________
LA Weekly
THEATER EDITOR Steven Leigh Morris
6715 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90028

Phone: (323) 465-9909

____________________________
Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012,
Phone 213) 237-5000

Orange County Edition
1375 Sunflower Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1697,
Phone: (714) 966-5600

Here is a link to their PR Guidelines: http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-contactus- prguidelines,0,5874620.htmlstory?coll=la-navigation


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ReviewPlays.com does online reviews. I don't know who reads them but if you send an invitation/press release they will probably come!

letters@reviewplays.com

I got my Star Trek themed production of Romeo and Juliet reviewed twice. The review by LA Weekly was one of those "careful what you wish for" reviews. The AC was broken, it was the first Weds of July, and the reviewer got the hottest corner in the theatre. Any review that ends with the phrase "if Snyder had (blah blah blah,) there might have been a bit of fun" ain't going on my cork board. BSW came by 4 weeks later and called it pure genius. I lived off that for a month.

Ggreg