Theatre groups embrace movie-style posters

CHANDIGARH: While filmmakers are adopting out-of-the-box methods to promote films and reach their target audience, theatre groups are returning to movie-style posters to get their message across to their patrons.
The trend is catching up with not just plays performed on stage, but street plays as well. Recently, the group, Theatre Arts Chandigarh, performed their play, "Gunday" at the Sector 17 plaza and came out with a poster that gave a peek into the kind of story audience could expect.
"We have to adapt to the modern day audience's taste. Nobody has the time to go through the synopsis or story of the play that was mentioned on invited or brochures. A poster gives them an idea about whether the play's content matches their taste or not. It develops interest and also helps people decide whether they want to watch the play or not," said Gaurav Sharma of Theatre Arts Chandigarh.
"Posters of this kind serve another purpose. Especially with street plays, people assume the quality is not going to be as good as the plays staged in an auditorium. We want to tell them a?? as well as the actors a?? that street plays can fare well in terms of content," Sharma added.
Chakresh Kumar, a city-based theatre director, from Alankar Theatre group, said it was very important to depict the dramatic element in play posters. "The theatrical look is the most important in the poster of any play, since people come to watch a play on the basis of whatever we show them in the posters," he said.
Kumar extensively used such posters for his recent theatre festival held in the city. "A lot of students from the university and colleges of the city come to watch plays when they see these posters. Thus, it is important to depict what's in store for them," he added. "A few years ago, people watched a film only on the basis of what they saw in its posters," he said.
While movies may have taken to social media and malls for promotions, theatre groups were increasingly using similar posters in the city these days a?? and tasting success with better outreach to their audience.