Portfolio: An Itch and a Scratch Project

on

As Project Leader for the marketing team behind my university’s theatre production of An Itch and a Scratch, I oversaw managing and assigning tasks to two people, writing the project proposal, updating the project plan, sending emails to our various contacts, chairing a meeting with the rest of the project team, and writing an advertorial for one of the plays. 


Below is the advertorial that I wrote for the play The Wedding Cake by John Son, as well as some of my email correspondence with various people involved in the project. The names have been removed for privacy reasons. 


The Wedding Cake Advertorial

Wedding cakes, or wedding bread, have been a part of marriage ceremonies since the Roman times. The Romans cooked salt and wheat into small cake-like loaves of bread. The groom would eat part of this before breaking the rest of it over the bride’s head in order to ensure good fortune and a blessed marriage. Similar to how bouquets traditionally work, guests would try and obtain a crumb from the wedding bread in order to share in the good fortune of the newlyweds. This tradition was crucial, as only those whose weddings had been blessed in this way could have children that could be appointed to high office in Roman culture. Wedding cakes are also seen as a symbol of fertility and prosperity.

Gradually, this custom evolved into to the bride and groom attempting to kiss over the top of the cake. This is because bakers began to pile cakes as high as possible. If the newlyweds succeeded, it was a sign that their marriage would be a long and happy one.

This, in turn, led to the creation of the tiered wedding cake in the mid-17th Century, during the reign of King Charles II. At the time, small broomstick handles were used to separate the layers. At some point during this time, a chef visited London from France and decided that it would be better for cakes to be presented as a solid whole. This led to the traditional design that we know and love today.

Wedding cakes have been customarily white since Victorian times. This is because white was seen as a symbol of purity and so appropriate for what was referred to as the ‘Bride’s Cake’. It was also convenient, because the ingredients were easier to come by than for coloured icing.

Extravagant tiered cakes were originally reserved for royalty. They began as show pieces, with the actual cake being one base layer, while the rest were made up of spun sugar, to create a grand appearance.

As the breaking of the bread developed into the attempted kiss over the top of the cake, so did this develop into ritual of cutting the cake. Conventionally, the bride, with help from the groom, will cut the first slice. They will then feed each other as a symbol of mutual commitment. This is usually the first task the married couple will perform together.

Another tradition, which has fallen into somewhat disuse, is that of baking silver charms into the cake. Nowadays, if they are used at all, it is more common to push the charms into the cake with a ribbon attached in order to allow guests to pull the charms out before eating. Each charm has a specific meaning:

Heart: true love.

Wishing Well: wishes coming true.

Highchair: children.

Clover or Horseshoe: good luck.

Rocking Chair: long life.

Anchor: adventure.

Flower: new love.

Purse: good fortune.

Wedding bells: marriage.

 

Sponsored by: The Wedding Cake: An Itch and a Scratch production.

Buy your tickets at: https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/whats-on/itch-and-scratch



Email Correspondence:

To ***** (from The Theatre Royal):

1):

Hello *****,

 

I'm the project leader for the Itch and a Scratch marketing team. ***** mentioned that you could help us with advertising on the radio and in the press.

 

We are hoping to advertise on Winchester (Hospital) Radio and Winchester University Radio, as well as possibly the Hampshire Chronicle.

 

How would you suggest we approach them? 

 

And would you like us to write a press release?

 

Thank you,

Harry Penwell

Project Leader


2)

Hello *****,

 

Thank you for your reply. We'll send you a press release by Tuesday. If you could send an email to Winchester Radio and the Hampshire Chronicle, to get their contact information, that would be very helpful.

 

Thank you again,

Harry 

(Project Leader)

 

To The Theatre Royal:

Hello *****, 

 

For our Professional Writing assignment, we have been tasked with aiding the Theatre Royal with marketing for the 30th March's 'An Itch and a Scratch' production. Therefore, we were wondering what marketing the Theatre was planning to do, and what sort of marketing you would like us to do?

 

Our current ideas are as follows:

  • Social media
  • Posters
  • Possible airtime on Winchester Radio and University of Winchester Radio
  • Posts on the University of Winchester Creative Writing Blog/Splendid Fred Records Blog
  • Interviews with the cast/crew/writers/creative team 
    • Possibly to be uploaded as podcasts on a blog or social media 
  • Viewing a rehearsal and writing a feature article on it to be uploaded on a blog or social media
  • Writing feature articles on Shakespeare and modern playwriting and connecting it to the plays being performed on a blog or social media 

Thank you for your help,

 

Best wishes,

Harry Penwell (Project Leader) 


To ***** (Head of Creative Writing for An Itch and a Scratch):

Hello *****,

 

I am project leader for our team, who are intending to aid the marketing campaign for the Theatre Royal's 'An Itch and a Scratch' production. 

 

Could we have some more details regarding the production and the seven different plays that will be performed? 

 

Do you also have a contact number/email for the Production/Stage Manager at the Theatre Royal, that we could have, please? 

 

Thank you,

Harry Penwell


To ***** (Head of Performance for An Itch and a Scratch):

Hello *****,

 

Is there any progress with the Shakespeare groups for An Itch and a Scratch?

 

Thank you,

Harry

(Project Leader)

Comments

Post a Comment