For more than a century, the Hawaiian Opera Theater (HOT) has been entertaining the masses of theatre adoring individuals throughout Hawaii. But plays are just the tip of the iceberg for this long standing theater organization. Behind the velvet red curtains, there’s a different story. A story of individuals who work behind the scenes to make each and every play perfect. Jason Walter, the marketing director for HOT, came down to James Campbell High School (JCHS) to speak about the different intricacies that come with being a marketing director for HOT.

He’s responsible for booking each seat in the auditorium, and more importantly, he’s the sole person that handles marketing for all the performances conducted by HOT.  With a budget of around $700,000 to $1,000,000, Walter is faced with a job to get exposure for upcoming events by either spreading it through social media, paid advertising, sales/promotions, or print collateral.

Showing off his technical skills, Walter dealt with the first opera of the season, Carmen which debuted on October 13, with two more showings on the 15th and 17th. Pamphlets with details and showtimes of this opera were distributed amongst the community, to hopefully bring in sizable groups of people so they could provide an everlasting experience.

Walter specifies the importance of knowing the correct demographic and branding style to attract a wide audience. “HOT wishes to cultivate loyalty amongst our customer base,” said Walter. This is a well known strategy in marketing. The more reocurring the customers are, the more exposure HOT gets throughout their individual communities.

Marketing is only one line in a script. There are many jobs that go unseen in the makings of HOTs breathtaking performances, such as event management, operations director, clerical, writer, etc.

Though working for an opera theater was never in Walter’s dream, he continues to work for HOT with five years of experience. Working with the marketing aspect in the theatrical world connects Walter’s enjoyment of writing with his career allowing him to enjoy each day to the fullest. To lead a enjoyable life “do what excites you.”