Open Forum

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

My district gives each teacher the ability to host a website on the district's server so there is no expense for that but I did have to pay a small fee for a URL that was easy to remember and was not longer than a paragraph. I am I. The middle of switching from the no longer supported iWeb software to WIX, an online app. Here is my website if you'd like to see for ideas: skylinetheatre.org

-------------------------------------------
Anne-marie Roberts
Theatre Director
Ann Arbor Public Schools
Ann Arbor MI
-------------------------------------------



Sent via Higher Logic Mobile



Original Message:
Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM
From: amstrait@interact.ccsd.net
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

My school uses Teacherweb, it is free for us, the school system has a deal with them I guess. I find it is easy to use, and you can do just about any kind of pages you want. I also created a Facebook page. It is sometimes a pain to manage both, but both have their uses. The FB page is free, and I can create events for the plays that both parents and students can share. They both seem to work, and while they overlap a little, I use the FB to drum up interest and excitement, and the teacherweb to post more in-depth info - like the rehearsal schedule. Links to both are below. http://teacherweb.com/NJ/EastBrunswickHS/Dramaclub/index.aspx https://www.facebook.com/EastBrunswickHighSchoolDramaClub ------------------------------------------- Jeffrey Davis Plainsboro NJ -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 07-29-2014 15:28 From: Anne-marie Roberts Subject: School Program Websites My district gives each teacher the ability to host a website on the district's server so there is no expense for that but I did have to pay a small fee for a URL that was easy to remember and was not longer than a paragraph. I am I. The middle of switching from the no longer supported iWeb software to WIX, an online app. Here is my website if you'd like to see for ideas: skylinetheatre.org ------------------------------------------- Anne-marie Roberts Theatre Director Ann Arbor Public Schools Ann Arbor MI ------------------------------------------- Sent via Higher Logic Mobile
Original Message: Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM From: amstrait@interact.ccsd.net Subject: School Program Websites I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program. Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free. Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas? Right now I want a website with Class schedule and information Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos Links to ticket sales Links to VSM and other sites We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc. Anyone have more suggestions? ------------------------------------------- Alan Strait Teacher CCSD Henderson NV -------------------------------------------

Our department website is on godaddy, fee for six years was very light (can't remember amount) is http://sfsotatheatre.org. We also have Facebook page and twitter and our ticket seller (brown paper tickets) and school web site all linked. Go to our department web site for these links.

-------------------------------------------
Phillip Rayher
Director, Theatre Dept.
Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts
San Francisco CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-30-2014 06:29
From: Jeffrey Davis
Subject: School Program Websites

My school uses Teacherweb, it is free for us, the school system has a deal with them I guess. I find it is easy to use, and you can do just about any kind of pages you want. I also created a Facebook page. It is sometimes a pain to manage both, but both have their uses. The FB page is free, and I can create events for the plays that both parents and students can share. They both seem to work, and while they overlap a little, I use the FB to drum up interest and excitement, and the teacherweb to post more in-depth info - like the rehearsal schedule. Links to both are below.



http://teacherweb.com/NJ/EastBrunswickHS/Dramaclub/index.aspx



https://www.facebook.com/EastBrunswickHighSchoolDramaClub



-------------------------------------------

Jeffrey Davis

Plainsboro NJ

-------------------------------------------




Original Message:

Sent: 07-29-2014 15:28

From: Anne-marie Roberts

Subject: School Program Websites



My district gives each teacher the ability to host a website on the district's server so there is no expense for that but I did have to pay a small fee for a URL that was easy to remember and was not longer than a paragraph. I am I. The middle of switching from the no longer supported iWeb software to WIX, an online app. Here is my website if you'd like to see for ideas: skylinetheatre.org



-------------------------------------------

Anne-marie Roberts

Theatre Director

Ann Arbor Public Schools

Ann Arbor MI

-------------------------------------------







Sent via Higher Logic Mobile






Original Message:

Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM

From: amstrait@...

Subject: School Program Websites



I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.



Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.



Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?



Right now I want a website with

Class schedule and information

Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos

Links to ticket sales

Links to VSM and other sites

We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have

Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.

Anyone have more suggestions?



-------------------------------------------

Alan Strait

Teacher

CCSD

Henderson NV

-------------------------------------------

'Accidentally on purpose' show the starting time 1/2 hour before the real curtain time - it helps get everyone seated sooner rather than later.  Provide some pre-show entertainment to fill the gap so people won't be angry that the show is starting 'late'.  This is a great time to have your 'B' crew show their stuff.  This can include an extended 'Hello, this is your flight attendant and here are the exits . . ." speech as well as a skit about how photography of copyrighted material is stealing (and how flash photography blinds the performers) and have the Keystone Kops haul-off an offender, etc.  Hey, why not throw-in a little Arts Advocacy and/or fund-raising speech, too?  No reason you can't get a little loose change gathered-up in Oliver Twists' cap . . . (I've seen actors grab a 'plant' out of the audience and literally turn them up-side down to shake the coins out of their pockets!  Quite effective!  Especially if you do it in a 1920's gangster motif.)

Include a downloadable 2-3 page PDF map.  Page 1 shows how to get to the school (city level view), page 2 shows how to get to the school (4-10 block radius level view), page three shows where to park, which entrance to use (foot-print of the building and campus) and maybe an inset that shows how to get the Theatre Lobby (Theatres are not typically like the Football Stadium where they just 'go towards the lights').  GPS coordinates can also help, as many school addresses don't correlate well to the actual Theatre building entrance location.  Include a picture of the building as they would see it as they approach the correct entrance from the main street.  This helps them know they are in the right place.

Include a 'NO Photography' warning along with a thorough explanation about why this will be enforced (copyrights, distractions, blinding the performers, being courteous, it's NOT all about your kid, etc.)  Maybe even include a phrase about "the purchase of a ticket acknowledges this warning", even if it isn't enforceable, it might make them think twice.

Get local merchants and restaurants to offer-up coupons that must have the ticket stub attached (or better yet - printed right on the back of the ticket) and pre-announce them on the web site.  This way they have to come to the show to get the coupon.

I've also seen web sections that talk about being a good audience - this is a lost art for many parents, so don't be afraid to explain it.  It can help even if only a few 'get it'.  Passing these out at the door, or with the tickets, in a flyer format can be another delivery method.

-------------------------------------------
Erich Friend
Theatre Consultant
Teqniqal Systems

Alan,
I would check and see how your school website is hosted.  Like Anne-Marie said below, our district also allows each teacher / sport / club to have their own website hosted within the school's website.  Our district's websites are hosted by a company called Edlio.  They allow re-directs to be created so that the URL doesn't end up being longer than a paragraph, and we don't have to pay extra.

For example:

District website:  southwestschools.org

Drama page's actual URL:   http://hhs.southwestschools.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=175039&type=d
 
Drama page's redirect (this is what we publicize):  southwestschools.org/drama

Bottom line, if your school's website is hosted by a third-party vendor, they should be able to set this up for you.  Start by sending a help ticket through the vendor's tech support site.  If it's hosted internally, check with your IT folks and see if they have the capability/know-how.

-------------------------------------------
Mike Morris
Technical Director
Southwest Local Schools
Harrison OH
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 15:28
From: Anne-marie Roberts
Subject: School Program Websites

My district gives each teacher the ability to host a website on the district's server so there is no expense for that but I did have to pay a small fee for a URL that was easy to remember and was not longer than a paragraph. I am I. The middle of switching from the no longer supported iWeb software to WIX, an online app. Here is my website if you'd like to see for ideas: skylinetheatre.org

-------------------------------------------
Anne-marie Roberts
Theatre Director
Ann Arbor Public Schools
Ann Arbor MI
-------------------------------------------



Sent via Higher Logic Mobile



Original Message:
Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM
From: amstrait@interact.ccsd.net
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

Alan,
Our parent booster (named "STARS") sponsors our website and it is linked to our school website.  It is always a work in progress and I'm currently updating it with info for this school year, but feel free to check it out for ideas @ www.sahuarostars.org.
Good luck and have a great year! :0)

-------------------------------------------
Geri Wharam
Theatre Director
Sahuaro High School
Tucson AZ
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 15:28
From: Anne-marie Roberts
Subject: School Program Websites

My district gives each teacher the ability to host a website on the district's server so there is no expense for that but I did have to pay a small fee for a URL that was easy to remember and was not longer than a paragraph. I am I. The middle of switching from the no longer supported iWeb software to WIX, an online app. Here is my website if you'd like to see for ideas: skylinetheatre.org

-------------------------------------------
Anne-marie Roberts
Theatre Director
Ann Arbor Public Schools
Ann Arbor MI
-------------------------------------------



Sent via Higher Logic Mobile



Original Message:
Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM
From: amstrait@interact.ccsd.net
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

I love Weebly. It is very inexpensive. You can even register a domain name through their company if you want. I think I pass less than $100 a year for both the domain name and the website. 

Weebly is all drop and drag. It is so much fun to use, it is almost like playing a game. I'm constantly playing with it.

My site is http://www.olathesouththeatre.org.

-------------------------------------------
David Tate Hastings
Olathe Public Schools
Olathe KS
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 11:08
From: Alan Strait
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

Alan,

My school has a website at www.ldrama.org.  I'm working on some improvements to it to come in the next six weeks or so, but it's largely going to be a design change.  I buy the domain through Godaddy.com and then build the site on Google Sites (that's free!), because our school email is Google based (makes it easier to do for me).  I then point the domain name to our site!

Good luck with your administration!  Push it as a PR/Advocacy issue!

Ray

-------------------------------------------
Raymond Palasz
Schererville IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 11:08
From: Alan Strait
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

I just updated the Firestone Theatre website --although most download links are not yet active. You can see it at www.FirestoneTheatre.com
-------------------------------------------
Mark A Zimmerman
Theatre Director
Akron School for the Arts
Akron Public Schools
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 11:08
From: Alan Strait
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

We use weebly.com for our site it is free for the general use.  There are options to purchase as well.  Our website is poteetpirateplayers.weebly.com.  We use the weebly site to have students create various websites for projects like playwrights and theatre history.  They enjoy the projects and it gives them a chance to use technology.


-------------------------------------------
Kelly Thomas
Mesquite TX
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 11:08
From: Alan Strait
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

Alan, I spend a LOT of time dealing with websites (unfortunately, too much), which can be great or the bane of your existence.

Obviously if your school already has web resources, it's worth checking into what they are first. Most of my sites (including the YouthPLAYS.com site and JonathanDorf.com site) are
hosted on Bluehost.  The basic hosting there is $4.95/month (probably with a 2-year contract, I'm guessing), which includes one free domain name and unlimited additional domains.  Most hosting companies are going to be roughly similar, but what I've found to be important is 24/7 phone support--if something goes wrong, I want to be able to get someone right away and not have to patiently wait for an email response.

Almost everyone has templates that allow you to build a simple site for free.  It's only when you start adding complexity (shopping carts and the like) that you need to get into using web developers.  Your needs sound very basic so far.

As a general tip for any who may be registering domains, I have a bunch of domains registered with GoDaddy, and they're perfectly good.  But lately I've been switching to Namecheap.  They're a little bit cheaper, and I like that when I buy something, I'm not being bombarded by additional shopping "opportunities."  My two cents.

Cheers,
Jon

-------------------------------------------
Jonathan Dorf
Playwright/ Co-founder of YouthPLAYS/ Co-chair of The Alliance Of Los Angeles Playwrights
Los Angeles CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2014 11:08
From: Alan Strait
Subject: School Program Websites

I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program.

Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free.

Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas?

Right now I want a website with
Class schedule and information
Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos
Links to ticket sales
Links to VSM and other sites
We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have
Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc.
Anyone have more suggestions?

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------

I'm a fan of weebly. It's free and easy to customize with just about anything you want. I use education.weebly.com because it allows my students to create websites that I have direct access to for building digital portfolios. falcontheatre.weebly.com ------------------------------------------- Heather Brandon Bakersfield CA ------------------------------------------- Sent via Higher Logic Mobile
Original Message: Sent: 7/29/2014 11:08:37 AM From: amstrait@interact.ccsd.net Subject: School Program Websites I've been slowly getting my administration to allow us to create a website dedicated to the theatre program. Two questions out there, one, what are some of the preferred servers out there, they don't have to be completely free. Two, if you have a website, can you share a link and show us what you have so I (maybe others too) can look at them and maybe get some good ideas? Right now I want a website with Class schedule and information Show Information, dates, times, summaries, etc, also photos Links to ticket sales Links to VSM and other sites We have a class library I've been building up, summaries of the plays we have Thespian activities, community service, competitions, fundraising, etc. Anyone have more suggestions? ------------------------------------------- Alan Strait Teacher CCSD Henderson NV -------------------------------------------

Thank you for all the submissions, I'm going to take a look at all of them and work on getting ours up.

-------------------------------------------
Alan Strait
Teacher
CCSD
Henderson NV
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2014 21:40
From: Heather Brandon
Subject: School Program Websites

I'm a fan of weebly. It's free and easy to customize with just about anything you want. I use education.weebly.com because it allows my students to create websites that I have direct access to for building digital portfolios.

falcontheatre.weebly.com

-------------------------------------------
Heather Brandon
Bakersfield CA
-------------------------------------------



Sent via Higher Logic Mobile