BorrowMe for Theater Groups

“O BorrowMe, BorrowMe! Wherefore art thou BorrowMe?”… OK, while Shakespeare may not have lived long enough to experience theaters crumble from the pressures of the Mega-Movie-Plexes, his legacy of plays are faithfully re-enacted year after year by starving artists in underfunded playhouses. As more people shy away from cultured performances in favor of over-budgeted, over-acted screen adaptations of stage classics, theaters struggle for financing to fund wares for their next production. If only there was a better way…

An idle wardrobe helps nobody!

BorrowMe is a great option for theater groups to share resources between groups, and request gift-in-kind donations from their faithful patrons. Let’s look at this in a bit more detail.

Theater groups have many different costumes and props that they keep around for different performances throughout the year, while the rest of the time they sit around collecting dust. At other times, they are in need of more sets, lighting and sound equipment for different productions. With their minuscule budgets, purchasing new items is out of the question, and asking for money from patrons is seen as tacky in some parts, so what are they do to?

One option is to create a Wish list on BorrowMe.com for the stuff they are looking for and promote the URL at the end of their performances or maybe hand out some fliers. This will allow people to donate items they already have and are not using themselves instead of money, something more people would be willing to do.

Another option is resource sharing with other groups. Unless the group is in a very small town, there are usually a few theater groups spread across the city, and they are probably in the same boat. Why not start a group on BorrowMe and invite the different the different group heads to join. Everybody can list the items they are will to lend to each other for different performances and productions. “Not using that spotlight next week? We could use it for our production of Hamlet and Eggs”.

This type of engagement ends up being a win-win situation for everybody involved, one group can put significant idle resources to work, while the other group gets the benefit of borrowing or renting at a reasonable cost instead of buying new items.

Theater groups are under economic pressures to create greatness from very little. The challenging financial environments are always tough to work in, but opening up to ideas such as resource sharing can open doors that were never thought possible.

A few ideas for items that theater groups might have on their Wish Lists:

• Paint
• Tools
• Lumber
• Excess Storage
• Lighting Equipment
• Bulbs
• Speakers
• Microphones
• Fabric
• Sewing Machines
• Office Equipment
• Skulls (The fake ones of course!)

Remember, one mans junk is another mans treasure!