Theatre Poaching 101

Written By Donald Parman

Why “Poaching”? Great question. It seemed like a reasonable way to describe the act of cold calling on a theatre with the intention of gaining access. And it just felt a little more dangerous and exciting, you know, a bit more drama. I came up with the term in July of 2023 after successfully accessing several theatres in central Europe.

As of June 26 2025, I have succesfully poached 24 theatres through Europe and the UK. Now, I know you are going to question the number based on my access to theatres in Canada, but once you read my rules of engagement you will better understand.

The rules of engagement:

Here are the criteria, by which I define a successful poach:

  • No appointments ahead of time. Now, you CAN arrange to access at a later time/date, but the initial ask has to be spontaneous.

  • You cannot pay for the tour. You know the ones that are open to the general public, generally only getting you a look at the audience chamber. Rewarding them after the tour is 100% acceptable and encouraged.

  • You must gain access to at least one area the audience cannot. Stage, loading dock, catwalks… you get the idea.

  • You must be guided by a crew/staff member of the venue. This can include performers! Its happened several times.

  • Currently I only count the venue, not all the performance spaces within.

Poaching ettiquette:

1: Don’t be an asshole! Nothing will ruin this hobby faster than being and asshole during a poach.

2: Always introduce yourself and make you intentions clear. A business card goes along way.

3: Be honest. Don’t inflate your experience or name drop just to gain access.

4: Always ask if you can take photos.

5. Ask if you can post to social media.

6: Be respectful of their time. READ THE ROOM! If it is clear they are up against a deadline of they are struggling, get out of their way!

7: Do not ask about salaries or pay. Unless they bring it up, it is a sensitive topic and can make things awkward in a hurry.

8: This is not a sales call. Poaching is meant to be a community building and information gathering experience.

9: Never knowingly interrupt a show. Check the venue website for scheduled sows, and avoid the show runs etc.

10: Take “No” for an answer. Don’t push it. Say thank you and move on.

Pro tips:

  • Find a stage door! You know who you are looking for… wearing black, tools on their belt exhausted look about them.

  • Crew call times work well in general. Anywhere inside of two hours before a show usually works.

  • Loading docks: Always a good place to find crew willing to chat.

  • Where crew type clothing, a tour shirt always help break the ice.

  • Have a “Hook”. Something intriguing to reel them in. “Some people collect post cards, I collect theatres while I Travel” or something similar.

  • Be inspired. Going in with a sense of wonder and amazement makes all the difference. The more excited you are, the more they tend to open doors.

Now that you know a little more about my “Poaching” habit, I hope you mught be inspired to give it a go. I sincerely feel that this type of outreach can help strengthen the industry, across cities, provinces and continents.

But, please… Don’t be an asshole and ruin it for everyone else!

Up next:

I will try to bring you into the 2025 Euro tour. First stop…Graz!

Donald Parman