February Favs đ
The shows (and creators) that stopped my scroll this month
Good morning đđŒ My screen time report this month was...alarming. But instead of spiraling into digital guilt, Iâm reframing it as research.
So today youâre getting a curated list of the shows (and a couple creators) that actually stopped my scroll this month. And to be real, I couldâve included a lot more, but I aimed for concise!!
I went ahead and distilled each into a quick hit with a takeaway that gets to the heart of what makes them special. No fluff, just the good stuff.
Now let's praise some internet brilliance (in no particular order!)
đ€đȘŽ Maybe Happy Ending
Some shows hope for a fandom. Maybe Happy Ending is actively building one. Their social strategy isnât just about promotionâitâs about participation. By creating content for their most engaged fans, theyâve turned their audience into insiders, making those not in the know feel like theyâre missing out.
Their mix? A perfect blend of memes, timely trend-hopping, and their boldest move yetâa livestreaming marathon titled Party Like Itâs 2064. On top of that, theyâve been giving understudies the hype they deserve, reinforcing that this show isnât just about a singular castâitâs a community.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: Donât just market at your audienceâmake them feel like theyâre part of something. Inside jokes, exclusive experiences, and fan-first content donât just reward existing fansâthey create new ones.
âđđŒ The Last Five Years
Rather than treating The Last Five Years as a tough sell on social, theyâve leaned into what makes it specialâintimacy, artistry, and process. Theyâve struck a balance between polished, cinematic visuals and intimate, behind-the-scenes content, making the making of the show part of the narrative. From Whitney Whiteâs first day of rehearsal speech to spotlighting standbys, theyâve pulled fans into the process rather than keeping them at armâs length.
By blending high-engagement formats with raw, unpolished moments from the creative team, theyâve kept the showâs elevated aesthetic while making it feel alive. Theyâve turned what could have been a marketing hurdle into an asset, proving that a strong vision can make any production feel urgent and engaging.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: Process is part of the product. Let your audience inâwhether itâs leadership moments, cast insights, or amplifying the people who make the show happen. The more they feel invested, the more they care.
đđ John Proctor is the Villain
John Proctor Is the Villain isnât just selling ticketsâitâs selling a vibe. The show has positioned itself more like an A24 indie thriller than a traditional playâcomplete with a cinematic trailer. Every piece of content feels intentional, matching the showâs edginess rather than falling into the usual polished promo cycle.
That strategy extends beyond visuals. Instead of the standard first-day rehearsal montage (my arch nemesis at this point), they shared the first moments of their table readâan unfiltered, intimate choice that pulls audiences into the actual energy of the production. Itâs a small shift that makes a big statement.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: When marketing a bold piece, let the tone of the show drive the strategy. Aesthetic consistency and unexpected choices donât just build hypeâthey set the terms for how an audience feels before they even step inside the theater.
âđ° Hamilton
Ten years in, and Hamilton is still making every other show look like it's playing catch-up. For their 10th anniversary, theyâve upped the ante againâleaning into meme culture, flashback content, and deep-dive lyric breakdowns to keep fans engaged beyond just nostalgia.
Their sharp, self-aware memes tap into internet culture without feeling forced, while throwback content reminds fans exactly why they fell in love with the show. Ten years later, theyâre proving that great marketing isnât about reinventing the wheelâitâs about keeping it in motion.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: Legacy brands (and shows!) donât just live off their pastâthey activate it. Smart, self-aware content that blends nostalgia with new ways to engage keeps audiences invested for the long haul.
đ€đ Jaelle Laguerre
jaellelaguerre
For Black History Month, Jaelle Laguerre created a TikTok series celebrating Black Theatre TikTokers that wasnât just about contentâit was about community. She used her voice to amplify others in a way that felt purposeful and necessary.
By shining a light on fellow creators, she didnât just celebrate their workâshe expanded their reach. The series was a reminder that social media isnât just about personal brand-building; itâs a tool for uplifting and creating space for others.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: Visibility is powerâsharing it makes a greater impact. Elevating others strengthens both the community and the conversation.
đđ
đŒ Hannah Solow
@babymcgoo
Hannah Solow has singlehandedly kept my feed unhinged, and I am eternally grateful. As the Mary standby in Oh, Mary! , sheâs bringing the showâs absurdist energy online with a steady stream of original, bizarre, and wildly funny mini song-videos that feel like a fever dream in the best way.
Her videos are weird, witty, and weirdly catchyâthe kind of content that doesnât just make you laugh, but makes you want to send it to five friends immediately. At a time when the world feels confusing and stressful, her comedy is a reminder that sometimes, the best thing you can do is embrace the chaos.
đ„ĄÂ The Takeaway: Absurdity is an art formâleaning into it makes content feel fresh, unexpected, and impossible to ignore.
âđŒ One last thingâŠ
Week one of rehearsals for "All The World's A Stage" at Keen Company wrapped, and with it came the most spectacular case of imposter syndrome I've experienced since... well, the last time I stepped into a rehearsal room.
It's hilariously tragic how these moments we dream aboutâlanding a show, growing a creative project, hitting subscriber milestonesâcan instantly transform us into anxious puddles of self-doubt. Our brains really said, "Congrats on achieving your goal! As a reward, here's a crushing wave of inadequacy!"
I'm floating my way back to shore now (the cast is phenomenal and it turns out I do actually remember how to sing), but it got me thinking about success and joy and all that existential jazz.
Those external markers of achievement we chase? They're just fancy confettiâthey look pretty for a moment but they're gone in a flash. And then you're left with the cleanup.
The sustainable stuffâthe real joyâis hidden in the tiny victories that nobody posts about. It's nailing that impossible rhythm after practicing it 47 times in the shower. It's the "I loved the newsletter today" email from a reader. It's making a silly quip that cracks the rehearsal room up.
It's not about collecting validationâit's about spreading little bits of yourself into the world and trusting that it matters. Even when your brain is absolutely convinced that it doesn't.
So if you're feeling like a fraud in some corner of your life right now, please know you're not alone. We're all just making it up as we go, pretending we know what we're doing until eventually, somehow, we actually do.
See you next week â„ïž