Alan Alda's Latest Scientific Exploration - QR Codes and Theatre
Alan Alda Adopts Skanz’s QR-coded Social Network to Engage and Connect with Younger Audience for New Play, Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, at LA’s Geffen Playhouse
(Media-Newswire.com) - NEW YORK, November 10, 2011 – Acclaimed actor and writer Alan Alda's natural curiosity for science has led him to a explore a new and rapidly growing technology – QR Codes. For his first full-length play, Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, Alda is working with the Geffen Playhouse – the theater where the play is having its world premiere – to use Skanz, a new QR-coded social networking platform, to promote the play to a new audience and to engage and facilitate a stronger connection between the cast and audience members. Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie opened at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles on November 9th, 2011.
Skanz introduces a truly social way for artists to engage with fans by facilitating the instant and easy exchange of their social media and online content – at the flash of a smartphone. On opening night, all audience members were outfitted with Skanz QR-coded bracelets, allowing them to instantly access – and to literally “wear” – Geffen Playhouse’s digital media content on their wrists, including cast photos, bios, social media and video content.
Each Skanz band contains a unique QR code and serial number. Together with Geffen Playhouse, Skanz has been actively promoting Radiance to college students at UCLA, USC, CalTech and surrounding campuses via a QR-coded contest, guerilla flyers and advertising. In addition, the theater is using the QR code on all e-tickets to help the audience further engage with the production and performers. After the show, audience members can register for free at www.skanz.com and transform the bracelet into their own personal mobile website – or Skanzsite.
Star of not only stage and screen, but also an award winning science communicator, Alan Alda sees QR codes as a great way to bring artists and fans closer together. “In writing Radiance, one of the things I wanted to do was to humanize this great scientist and bring Marie Curie's amazing, passionate story to a young and modern audience. I was delighted when Skanz helped us connect to that audience with its QR-coded network. The bracelets are fun for us and they connect us to the very people we want to reach.”
Skanz lets you create a personal, secure, mobile "Skanzsite" with everything you want to share, conveniently stored in your own free unique QR code. Skanzsites are the digital home to all of your social media ( links to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. ), contact details ( phone number, email address ), favorite photos, music videos, and more. Using a smartphone and a QR reader app, friends, colleagues, family – and in an artist’s case, fans – can scan the unique QR code on your band and instantly your Skanzsite appears on their phone and you are connected.
About the Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and second productions, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition.Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates, and is currently helmed by Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Ken Novice and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information, please visit geffenplayhouse.com.
About Skanz Founded in 2010, Skanz is a social networking platform that uses QR codes to link together mobile technology, social media and fashion. Skanz lets you create a personal, secure, mobile “Skanzsite” with everything you want to share conveniently stored in your unique QR code — your SocialprintTM. Using your smartphone, you can scan the Socialprints of your friends, colleagues and family, facilitating the instant exchange of contact information ( phone numbers, email addresses ), social media ( Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter ), favorite photos, music and more. With a line of QR-coded fashion accessories — including silicone bands and phone cases — Skanz invites you to Wear the Web and share your world. Create your Socialprint at www.Skanz.com and follow us on Twitter @QRskanz.
About QR Media Group Skanz is a QR Media Group company. QR Media Group focuses solely on the use of QR codes to deliver just-in-target marketing solutions to businesses, brands, nonprofits, event marketers and anyone interested in extending brand engagement onto mobile devices. # # # Agency Contact: Audrey Mann Cronin, Mann Cronin PR 914-861-2009/o, 914-260-9651/m audrey@manncroninpr.com
This story was released on 2011-11-10. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.