Recently I went to an off-Broadway play.
I'd gotten good tickets because a friend of mine was producing it; while I liked it very much, after the show my friend confessed that ticket sales hadn't been what she was hoping.
It seemed that she was having problems reaching people who were interested in her premise.
If I'd known then what I know now, I would have suggested she read some theater surveys: one of the best possible ways to find out who is interested in what -- and target them.
I thought about this again the next week when I decided to catch another off-Broadway production that I'd read good things about in a local newspaper.
Most of the time I was bored, uninterested, or downright confused at some of the decisions made.
It wasn't that it was a bad play -- it just wasn't what I expected.
If I had consulted theater surveys before deciding to go I wouldn't have wasted an evening watching a production I didn't like.
Whether you're interested in the theater professionally, as a hobby or just as a patron, theater surveys can help you enrich the experience.
If you make your living acting, directing or producing, knowing what people are interested in seeing can mean many more tickets sold.
If you're just producing a school or community play, having a good idea of what aspect people are responding positively to can make the entire production more positive for everyone.
Even if you're just appreciating from the audiences, good theater surveys can help you decide which plays to see -- and which ones aren't worth your time or money.
The more information you have on any topic, the better your decisions can be.
Whether those decisions are what to put on stage or just which stage to watch, theater surveys can help you make the best possible ones.