#LoveTheatre day takes centre stage

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

More than four hundred theatres and arts organisations came together yesterday for the first ever #LoveTheatre day on Twitter, a virtual celebration of all things theatrical.

Theatres posted exclusive behind-the-scenes pictures and videos, ran Q&As and live-Tweeted along with several performances. Twitter users sent more than 40,000 Tweets as #LoveTheatre trended on Twitter in 18 countries around the world.

Many of the UK’s best-known theatres and performances were part of the extravaganza, along with smaller fringe venues, drama groups – and even museums with theatrical collections.

They were joined by theatres from more than 20 countries around the globe, including France, Canada, the U.S., Italy, Chile, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Ireland and India.


Alongside the #LoveTheatre hashtag, there were three themes that got people talking throughout the day.

#Backstage

#Backstage kicked off between 10 a.m. and 12-noon GMT as fans on Twitter enjoyed a unique insight into what goes on behind-the-scenes in some of the UK’s best known venues.

Some top West End productions gave followers a glimpse into the world of costume and makeup, set design and venue management – putting a spotlight on the people that make the magic happen day in and day out:



#AskATheatre

Between 3-5 p.m. GMT, theatres put fans in the front row, giving them the chance to Tweet their burning questions.

The reaction was fantastic, with theatre lovers grasping the opportunity to get to grips with some of the uncovered aspects of the industry.


#Showtime

#LoveTheatre day concluded as theatres and fans shared in the excitement of the main event. Theatre fans were invited into the virtual stalls as the curtain was raised on the the secrets behind the evening performance.

Theatres brought fans into the dressing room, the wings, the opera pit and more, as they live-Tweeted every moment from the opening curtain, to the interval, to the standing ovation:


We spoke with Mar Dixon (@MarDixon) who runs the @CultureThemes project. She’s been working in partnership with @TwitterUK and the Guardian Culture Professionals Network (@GdnCulturePros) to bring #LoveTheatre day to life.

“We could not have been more delighted with the success of #LoveTheatre day on Twitter,” Dixon said. “The amount of effort, creativity and imagination displayed by theatres and arts organisations was incredible. It was also awesome to see other cultural institutions like museums and art galleries lend their support and get involved with the day.”

She also shared how Tweets made an impact on the event. “The huge range of Tweets sparked the imagination of people from all over the world, making the day a truly global celebration of theatre for everyone to enjoy.”

For more #LoveTheatre day Tweets, check out this collection: