Nora Burns’ “David’s Friend”

Aug 1

Nora Burns, a prominent actress, comedian and performance artist, and a fixture on Manhattan’s Downtown scene, was ready to launch a new theater piece. Her one-woman show “David’s Friend,” was an homage to life during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, and a personal memorial to her best friend.

Our media campaign implemented traditional outreach to theater columnists and reviewers, as well as to LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS media. Complementing this push was a social media campaign that emphasized the themes of the show and Nora’s own history in the community. Advance media exposure resulted in strong box office sales. Public Impact also promoted an after-party at a local venue and invited prominent Manhattan VIPs, opinion-makers and influencers.

The height of the campaign was our success in pitching a story to New York Times reviewer Charles Isherwood, who attend the Opening Night performance. The rave review Isherwood wrote (making the show a Critic’s Pick) ensured strong audiences for the three-week engagement at La MaMa.