BYOT PRODUCTIONS
Bring Your Own Theatre ("BYOT") Productions is Chicago's longest-running 24-Hour Theatre Company. And I'm lucky enough to be their Media Director.
Originally beginning as a senior thesis in 2014, BYOT has expanded throughout the city of Chicago to create a tight-knit community of theatre artists and technicians dedicated to creating accessible and entertaining monthly performances.
When taking over as Media Director in July of 2025, I worked quickly to re-brand the company's social media pages, creating content that is pleasing to interact with while still maintaining the company's "cardboard and blue tape" aesthetic, a design I developed based on the company's tendency to build all props for 24-Hour Shows out of cardboard boxes and painter's tape. Below are examples of promotions I've created both for regularly scheduled productions and special events.
MONTHLY SHOWS
Each month, BYOT brings together five writers, five directors, and a handful of performers and technicians to create a never-before-seen night of theatre, all written and rehearsed in 24 hours. For monthly shows, I create a variety of themed posts which announce sign-up forms going live, inform audiences of when and where our shows are, announce cast and crew, and show fun behind-the-scenes photos once the event has ended.
SIGN UPS
Two weeks before each monthly show, sign up posts are created according to the show's theme, sharing the official sign up links to participate. Depending on availability, a second graphic is also made, reminding participants to sign up and informing them of which roles are still available.
PROGRAMS
After sign ups have closed and casting is confirmed, official cast lists are created and announced via social media and email.
POSTERS
Posters are shared on social media and through email to promote the show to audiences or family and friends of the artists working on the show.
BEHIND THE SCENES
After each show, photos throughout the day are collected into a collage and posted to share with followers the fun we had throughout the day and the performances done in the evening.
ABBOTTS vs COSTELLOS
In September of 2025, BYOT produced Abbotts vs. Costellos: A Game of "Who's On First?" as a part of the 36th Annual Rhinoceros Theatre Festival in Chicago. This production featured four separate teams memorizing the entirety of Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?" comedy routine, and competing against each other to perform the script perfectly, defeating a variety of obstacles thrown their way. For this project, I created a series of posts focusing on promoting the show, the players, and leaning into the baseball-ification of the show.
POSTERS
The posters for the show were created with a red, white, and blue, symbolizing baseball as "America's favorite pastime" and referencing the Chicago Cubs' team colors. Additionally, parts of the graphic are created to look doodled on to utilize BYOT's aesthetic.
CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT
In order to combine BYOT's aesthetic with that of a baseball game, I used a photo of a baseball diamond in the early 1900s while placing all other elements on top of pieces of cardboard.
MASCOTS
To evoke the feeling of supporting real-life baseball teams, I designed mascots for each of the four teams participating in the show. The four characters were then shared with our audiences, along with fun facts to flesh out their personalities.
BASEBALL CARDS
To promote the show's cast and in keeping with the theme, I designed baseball cards for each player, sharing fun facts about the team members and coaches along with their headshots.
COUNTDOWN POSTS
In the final five days before the show's opening, a countdown was posted leading up to the big event. Each post was completed with a fun fact about the show and the script's history, sharing the impact that "Who's On First" has had in pop culture.
PROGRAM
Every show needs a program! I combined each element of the show into one for the program, utilizing BYOT's "cardboard and blue tape" aesthetic and outlines of the original mascots I had designed for an earlier campaign.