Hey guys!
I know I did my HSC last year and all, but I did Promotion & Program for my IP, so if at anytime, you guys want help with something, I'd be glad to assist seeing as i've been there, done that kinda thing and know what it's like - my IP wasn't OnStage material however, but was a 'band 6' if you're gunna judge my advice on that...or whatever...
But anywho - pwiincess - tell me about teachers not giving 100% answers...pffft, mine never did either really, so I know how you feel...such annoyingness!!! But as for advertisements, if you're talking about in the program and whatnot, what I did was take ad's from magazines that I thought would relate to what goes into the production of a play and whatnot, or what I thought a person would want to be amused by or interested by while flipping through from the point of view of an audience member who purchases the program - say for example, I chucked in a car company for the major sponsor (as Sydney TC has Jaguar as a sponsor...don't know if they still do) and for general interest, I chucked in a gloria jeans ad and a jewelry ad, makeup ad and mobile phone ad (stuff that appeals to everyday peeps) - all of which I just took out of a Cosmopolitan mag and scanned into my program.
As for the sponsors, if you're making your own hypothetical theatre company, you choose the sponsors - I chose Mercedes Benz as a sponsor for my theatre company...however, if using an already established theatre company such as STC they already have sponsors which you must include on your material for the 'conviction factor' as you'd be advertising and promoting as them.
The picture on the poster can be entirely developed by you - I mean, I wouldn't recommend just running out and using someone elses' already well known or famous photo as the sole focus of your poster - however, if you manipulate it and change it round and add in stuff to represent what your text choice is trying to say, then go for it!
Hope some of this helps!