With Mother’s Day right around the corner, you may be frantically searching for the perfect gift for your mom or a mom-like figure. After all, moms work hard day in and day out to ensure their kids are happy and healthy, so why not return that favor?
If the lovely lady you’re gifting to is a fan of all things theatre, you can accomplish two great things this Mother’s Day: Make her feel happy and appreciated and support small businesses and local theatre by giving the gift of art.
On The Stage offers a few ideas for the theatre-loving mom that will benefit the community, stimulate the economy, and ensure mom has the best Mother’s Day ever.
You can guarantee your mom an entire season of theatrical magic by purchasing her season tickets for the theatre in your city – whether that’s Broadway-caliber productions, community theatre, professional non-equity entities, or something in between.
This present has multiple perks. For mom, it’s the gift that keeps on giving – a handful of wonderful experiences all wrapped up into one. For a small business, this is guaranteed income to support creative endeavors now and in the future. And last but not least, for you, there’s a chance you’ll save some dough by ticket bundling instead of buying individual tickets for each show.
Maybe your mom has a favorite Broadway production or is an avid supporter of the community theatre in your region. No matter her passions, merchandise is always a good idea for a theatre-lover.
The best part about merchandise is that there’s typically so much to choose from. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, coasters, mugs, buttons, posters, oh my! Make sure to take stock of what your mom already owns and switch things up this time. That way, you ensure it gets a lot of use!
Of course, in addition to making mom feel appreciated, buying merchandise from theatres is a great way to support local businesses and creative entities on their missions to create great art.
If your mom prefers a more hands-on approach to theatre and art, why not search for relevant workshops in the area?
Perhaps your mom is passionate about acting and wants to hone her craft. Maybe she wants to learn more about improvisational comedy. Or she loves the behind-the-scenes technology and hopes to understand lighting and sound better. With a bit of research and forethought, you should be able to find a workshop that fits her interests – and supports other creatives in the area, too!
Okay, so maybe mom doesn’t want to get that hands-on when it comes to the theatre. Swerve the idea and instead splurge on VIP or exclusive experiences at your local theatre.
A few ideas on these exclusive experiences include:
This idea may not work for everyone, but it’s worth a shot! Consider contacting your local community theatre or a local choir or musical group to see if they are open to commissioned private performances or music/performance-grams.
Then, find a time that mom is available and arrange for the group to serenade her or perform her favorite piece. With this gift, you’re personalizing an experience for mom, giving work to creatives, and truly giving the gift of art.
With the summer months upon us, there’s likely to be a summer stock production running near you. Combining the great outdoors with performance, summer stock is an excellent opportunity to appreciate the theatre and enjoy the great weather.
So, find a production your mom enjoys – or even one she’s never seen. Make sure to grab concessions and merchandise and make a day of it. You’ll give mom an experience to remember and lift up the creative arts all in one go.
If you’re passionate about treasure hunting, jump on eBay, Etsy, or even a forum of passionate theatre lovers to try and find some rare posters or signed editions this mother’s day. Bonus points if you can find the poster for your mom’s favorite show!
Putting in the extra work to search out unique theatre-related gifts like rare posters will signal to your mom that you’re important to her while also infusing money into the world of theatre. Win-win!
Show programs are excellent relics and reminders of positive, creative experiences. The only issue? Some are flimsy, easily torn or stained, and often get lost in the shuffle.
You can rectify that issue by creating a show program scrapbook for your mom. Find programs of shows she loves, shows you’ve gone to together, or shows she’s always wanted to see. That way, you avoid the risk of losing these unique relics and also provide mom with a truly unique gift.