This case study describes two very different theatre productions from a cost input perspective and reviews the results achieved.

Lets deal with the large elephant first.

The aim of this industrial theatre workshop was to explain the new vision and mission to all the leaders and get them mobilized to start using the company's new leadership qualities and disseminate it through the workforce. There was also stalwart resistance present from the leaders to attend training courses.

The theatre production consisted of a full day workshop with four facilitated plays:

1. Giving an historical perspective on the company and reasons for change.
2. Explaining the leadership qualities and what they mean.
3. Showing the qualities in action in a practical, work-related sense.
4. Gazing into the future and showing the possibilities open to the company, should everyone strive for the common vision and mission.

Fifty participants attended each workshop. The cast for this production consisted of eleven people - a production manager, six actors, and four facilitators.

The cost per person to attend this facilitated theatre workshop was R 850-00.

Let’s now have a look at the baby elephant.

There is a dire need for programs that will help people to live with HIV/Aids infection or to live with infected friends, relatives and fellow workers. To this end we put together an industrial theatre production to address both issues – prevention and after care. Solid medical backup from company clinics, community health workers and centres was obtained for each performance.

A series of five small plays (7 minutes each) address both issues in a dramatic and emotional way without resorting to the normal battery of scientific facts or the scare tactics used by many. Driving and exciting music was composed exclusively for this performance. Each play closed with a song that highlighted the key learning points.

Large audiences of 700 people attended the performances. The cast consisted of two actors and a team leader.

The cost per person to attend this edutainment production was R 28-00.

It is clear that the HIV/Aids performance from a cost perspective was much cheaper than the leadership development theatre.

If we evaluate the same two theatre productions from a results achieved perspective, then an interesting picture emerges.

With regards to the leadership development theatre very favorable feedback was received and a follow-up session six months later showed remarkable retention of the messages with some people able to recite portions of the plays by heart. One of the key objectives was to mobilize leaders to voluntary attend the training workshops to embed the new leadership skills. Leadership workshops were overbooked for 1 year after the intervention.

The participants described the HIV/Aids performance as an intense and emotional experience. The play forced them to rethink their current sexual behaviour patterns and attitude towards victims of this disease. At the end of the performance, participants fervently committed themselves to join the fight against HIV/Aids. The theatre not only contributed to the quality of life, but indeed the preservation of life. From a financial perspective, if one participant were prevented from contracting HIV/Aids, the savings in medical expenses covers the cost of the total theatre production.

If you look up at a baby elephant when lying on your back, it will probably look as big as a giant elephant. On the other hand, if you look at a full-grown elephant from far away, it will look very small. The fact of the matter is that the cost of each theatre production needs to be evaluated in terms of required results, or in terms of value that it adds. Only then can the true nature of the elephant emerge.