A LEADER IN NEW MEDIA FOR THE ARTS

Jonathan Slaff has been a leader in adapting new media technologies to media relations and arts marketing.

Mr. Slaff implemented the first application of cellphone balloting for live performance with "Così fan Tutte: Defining Women" by Underworld Productions April 29 and 30, 2009. The production was based on the classical score by W.A. Mozart and its libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. The opera's plot involves three men, three women, a little fiancé-swapping, a wedding and the unanswered question of who is marrying whom. Underworld Productions asked audience members to pair up the characters for the final wedding scene. Electronic voting took place at intermission and the cast then performed the favored ending. To participate in the balloting, audience members sent a text message from their cell phones.

Mr. Slaff produced the first websites devoted to theater criticism (NY Theatre Wire, 1996) and museum shows (nymuseums.com, 1997), created the first use of streaming media for theater ticketing (nyticketwire.com, 2001), produced the first podcast for theater (Kings County Shakespeare Company, 2005) and produced the first foreign-language podcast for theater (Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America, 2005).

He is perhaps the only arts marketing practitioner in New York City with professional-level experience in the business of Open Source software. In 2005, he started The Linux Loft (www.linuxloft.com) to develop and sell computer systems built for FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) and to offer consulting and support to businesses and organizations which are using or migrating to Linux systems. The Linux Loft partnered with a "distro" of Linux, Linspire, to sponsor the Passport to Puppet Theater marketing promotion in 2006 and 2007.

Mr. Slaff has been Chairman of the Task Force in Arts and Entertainment of the Streaming Media Alliance and a member of the New York New Media Association. He is an active member of the New York Media Information Exchange Group.

 

 

HOME PAGE