Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Recruiting Actors

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whitebat
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Joined: 8/05/07
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Topic: Recruiting Actors
Posted: 4/10/09 at 1:43pm

As the new president of our CT, I am looking for ideas of what kind of show will attract actors to audition. Our HS planned a production of "Alice in Wonderland", which will not happen due to smoke damage in the auditorium. Most of the disappointed actors are Mormons.

Members of our board want a big show, a spectacular, something people have heard of. Our treasurer tells me we only have about $3,000, which probably rules out a musical.

In the past, our CT's have done a lot of melodrama, as it's colorful, popular, and has a low threshold. However, it lacks challenge and variety for experienced actors.

As I may have to direct (our CT is crumbling), I suggested Reader's Theater (I don't understand blocking very well), but got an overwhelmingly pessimistic respone.

Personally, I would like to do a Halloween show. I think a smallish cast would be a good idea.

One board member suggested a straight version of "Oliver Twist". Having kids in the show would probably bring a good audience (along with various headaches).

Thoughts?

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KEB54
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Posted: 4/13/09 at 6:20pm

Thought 1: Children's theatre. Generally inexpensive, at least for royalties and generally draw in a lot of kids. You can either have adult or children actors. You can even find children musicals done with just a piano. I've seen simple Pinochios, Tom Sawyers, and others.

Thought 2: How about a simple Musical? "The Fantasticks" - small cast; simple set; can be done piano only; even smaller cast is "I Do I Do".

Thought 3: How about a talent/variety night? Have people audition with their talent. Then put a show together with a fun theme in a Vaudville style. Jugglers, poem reading, scenes, jokes, sing-a-long, etc. all pulled together with a Masters of Ceromony.

KEB

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imamember
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Posted: 4/14/09 at 8:07am

Little Women is a musical that can be done Piano only.

You're not going to get much of a "spectacular!" with $3000 though and I wouldn't worry about challenge and variety for the actors when you're crumbling. They need to take one for the team same as everyone else.

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kiwiholly
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Posted: 5/14/09 at 7:14pm

I like the variety night idea. It sounds like it would work well, and also help to draw in new people who might see it as less "threatening" than a show they had to strictly audition for if they're totally new to acting. :)

I also like Oliver Twist...but that might just be because I'm in it at the moment! :P

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Nanette
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Posted: 5/15/09 at 7:31am

I'm working on Bunnicula for the fall and would like to suggest that. It's funny/scary, a musical, and the royalties aren't that bad. It can be done w/ just a piano and the cast size is small (6 people). It's also a VERY well-known piece of children's literature. You could play it up to the local schools and put together lesson plan ideas for teacher's to use after the show (there are some great lesson plans worked into one theatre's playbill that is online). With a $3000 budget you could easily do it. (My budget is minus one 0 in that number ... LOL)

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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eveharrington
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Posted: 5/18/09 at 12:31am

I myself am terrible at picking plays, but I wanted to tell you not to rule out shows that would have to be blocked, it is truly the easiest thing in the world when you don't cloud it up with all kinds of rules, just watch them read thru on the set, and think when and where they might move, actors with some experience will do most of the work for you and move naturally around in a scene as long as the director is giving them the nod, just sit at various angles from the show and make sure it doesn't look weird and people aren't standing directly behind something tall, like another actor, when they are delivering lines, and tell them to cross faster when they aren't getting to their props fast enough. Everything will be fine. :D

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 5/19/09 at 7:22pm

Just for the record, I've seen some knock-off-your-socks extravagant musicals done on $3000.

You just need set people and costume people who understand MAKING stuff and FINDING stuff rather than buying and renting everything.

...and who have an excellent personal relationship with mylar and sequins.

Personally, I love reader's theatre...two of my most fond memories in the theatre over 40 years are "Spoon River Anthology" and "Under Milkwood." But not every play works well as reader's theatre - and the acting needs to often be far superior to a regular staged play (every movement and piece of blocking that adds to the plot, character, focus and situtation has to be conveyed ONLY through the voice and face - not easy!). Also - as much as I love it - audiences do NOT usually love it and they're hard ticket sells.

http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com

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belle
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Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:34pm

Pioneer has many cute musicals that you can use adults and kids in. We did Tom Sawyer last year and are doing Kokonut Kapers this year.

The book and royalties (3 performances) for KK is about $800. The set is very easy. Actors can find their own costumes. The music is on a CD, which means you don't need a piano player (although having one at least part of the time is good). KK has 31 speaking parts and several solos as well as some duets and a trio (men in coconut bras).

Tom Sawyer is a well known name. They have a Huck Finn and some others with names.

Look online or get a catalog. We've done the 'big' musicals but our director has some health issues this year so this is a nice alternative.

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Acting
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Acting

Author	Message
whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Topic: Recruiting Actors Posted: 4/10/09 at 1:43pm
	As the new president of our CT, I am looking for ideas of what kind of show will attract actors to audition. Our HS planned a production of "Alice in Wonderland", which will not happen due to smoke damage in the auditorium. Most of the disappointed actors are Mormons. Members of our board want a big show, a spectacular, something people have heard of. Our treasurer tells me we only have about $3,000, which probably rules out a musical. In the past, our CT's have done a lot of melodrama, as it's colorful, popular, and has a low threshold. However, it lacks challenge and variety for experienced actors. As I may have to direct (our CT is crumbling), I suggested Reader's Theater (I don't understand blocking very well), but got an overwhelmingly pessimistic respone. Personally, I would like to do a Halloween show. I think a smallish cast would be a good idea. One board member suggested a straight version of "Oliver Twist". Having kids in the show would probably bring a good audience (along with various headaches). Thoughts?

	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 4/13/09 at 6:20pm
	Thought 1: Children's theatre. Generally inexpensive, at least for royalties and generally draw in a lot of kids. You can either have adult or children actors. You can even find children musicals done with just a piano. I've seen simple Pinochios, Tom Sawyers, and others. Thought 2: How about a simple Musical? "The Fantasticks" - small cast; simple set; can be done piano only; even smaller cast is "I Do I Do". Thought 3: How about a talent/variety night? Have people audition with their talent. Then put a show together with a fun theme in a Vaudville style. Jugglers, poem reading, scenes, jokes, sing-a-long, etc. all pulled together with a Masters of Ceromony.
	KEB
	IP Logged

imamember Celebrity Joined: 8/18/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 121	Posted: 4/14/09 at 8:07am
	Little Women is a musical that can be done Piano only. You're not going to get much of a "spectacular!" with $3000 though and I wouldn't worry about challenge and variety for the actors when you're crumbling. They need to take one for the team same as everyone else.
	IP Logged

kiwiholly Player Joined: 10/01/06 Location: New Zealand Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Posted: 5/14/09 at 7:14pm
	I like the variety night idea. It sounds like it would work well, and also help to draw in new people who might see it as less "threatening" than a show they had to strictly audition for if they're totally new to acting. :) I also like Oliver Twist...but that might just be because I'm in it at the moment! :P
	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 5/15/09 at 7:31am
	I'm working on Bunnicula for the fall and would like to suggest that. It's funny/scary, a musical, and the royalties aren't that bad. It can be done w/ just a piano and the cast size is small (6 people). It's also a VERY well-known piece of children's literature. You could play it up to the local schools and put together lesson plan ideas for teacher's to use after the show (there are some great lesson plans worked into one theatre's playbill that is online). With a $3000 budget you could easily do it. (My budget is minus one 0 in that number ... LOL)
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

eveharrington Celebrity Joined: 8/28/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 198	Posted: 5/18/09 at 12:31am
	I myself am terrible at picking plays, but I wanted to tell you not to rule out shows that would have to be blocked, it is truly the easiest thing in the world when you don't cloud it up with all kinds of rules, just watch them read thru on the set, and think when and where they might move, actors with some experience will do most of the work for you and move naturally around in a scene as long as the director is giving them the nod, just sit at various angles from the show and make sure it doesn't look weird and people aren't standing directly behind something tall, like another actor, when they are delivering lines, and tell them to cross faster when they aren't getting to their props fast enough. Everything will be fine. :D
	"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 5/19/09 at 7:22pm
	Just for the record, I've seen some knock-off-your-socks extravagant musicals done on $3000. You just need set people and costume people who understand MAKING stuff and FINDING stuff rather than buying and renting everything. ...and who have an excellent personal relationship with mylar and sequins. Personally, I love reader's theatre...two of my most fond memories in the theatre over 40 years are "Spoon River Anthology" and "Under Milkwood." But not every play works well as reader's theatre - and the acting needs to often be far superior to a regular staged play (every movement and piece of blocking that adds to the plot, character, focus and situtation has to be conveyed ONLY through the voice and face - not easy!). Also - as much as I love it - audiences do NOT usually love it and they're hard ticket sells.
	http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com
	IP Logged

belle Star Joined: 9/12/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 75	Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:34pm
	Pioneer has many cute musicals that you can use adults and kids in. We did Tom Sawyer last year and are doing Kokonut Kapers this year. The book and royalties (3 performances) for KK is about $800. The set is very easy. Actors can find their own costumes. The music is on a CD, which means you don't need a piano player (although having one at least part of the time is good). KK has 31 speaking parts and several solos as well as some duets and a trio (men in coconut bras). Tom Sawyer is a well known name. They have a Huck Finn and some others with names. Look online or get a catalog. We've done the 'big' musicals but our director has some health issues this year so this is a nice alternative.
	IP Logged

Topic: Recruiting Actors( Topic Closed)