For over 20 years, the Ridgefield Playhouse has been committed to bringing high-quality entertainment to residents of the 068 area and beyond, offering over 200 live events a year, with shows ranging from classical music to comedy and everything in-between. Their online calendar is eagerly awaited by patrons – the most recent features well-known groups such as The Goo Goo Dolls, but also up-and-coming artists like Matteo Bocelli.
When it comes to booking artists and groups, Jared Shahid, Ridgefield Playhouse’s Executive Director of Programming, readily acknowledges how the process has evolved in recent years. The Playhouse’s inaugural season in December 2000, which consisted of only 12 scheduled performances, happened at a time when social media platforms were not as commonplace. MySpace, which launched in 2006, was one of the first platforms that opened the gates of connectivity in the music world. In the ensuing years, the emergence of YouTube, TikTok, and Reels have dramatically changed the way rising artists gain exposure, and consequently, how performing art centers like the Playhouse find and book acts. “TikTok – with its short form content – has had the most impact on hard ticket sales, converting fans from free media consumers to paying ticket purchasers,” says Shahid.
A perfect example of the power of social media is comedian Pinky Patel, an Indian American PTA mom turned social media star, who appeared at the Playhouse in early 2023. “That career path simply couldn’t have existed a few years ago,” says Shahid. “She has over five million followers on TikTok, which allowed her to perform at the Playhouse and sell almost 90% of the seats. THAT is the power of social media.” Shahid also utilizes social media to scout artists to book for the Playhouse. For instance, that’s where he first saw Leonid & Friends, a Moscow based tribute to the band Chicago, who he booked for a show in June and is already sold out.
Shahid feels that, used correctly, social media can dramatically facilitate the path of rising artists, citing comedian Hannah Berner’s rise to fame. “Hannah performed here recently and sold out. We talked before her show, and she told me she had only been doing stand up for 5 years! But with 2.8m TikTok followers, she condensed down a decade of pounding the pavement.”
In addition, Shahid relies on an artist’s social media presence to drive his marketing plan. “When researching acts, their social footprint plays a role in my decision making, but it all depends on the act and the circumstance,” says Shahid. “With more traditional acts like Chris Botti or Jon Anderson, it doesn’t matter if they even have social media accounts because we’ll be more focused on using traditional outlets for them. For someone young like Neal Francis, we’ll focus on social for his marketing.”
While some might argue against social media, its impact on the music industry has been far reaching and offers ever-expanding ways for artists and fans to connect. •
