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Successful? Well we've been operational for 10 years. Started with a core of about 10 people who wanted to act and had no outlet. Community theater group with the goal of giving amateur actors a place to act. No big productions at first and even now we alternate years because of burnout. Average cast is 6 to 8. We were lucky in that we had a lawyer who helped set up the group as a non-profit organization and a person who was versed in bookkeeping skills. Both are valuable to have. Seek them out if you must. Biggest thing is to decide on what the group represents. We have had many discussions and still can't decide on a "mission statement". Good luck.

If you have time, could you give me some more specifics on how you got your group started? We've got a lot of people (none so far with $$$) interested in this project and a good deal of experience with directing, vocal directing and choreographing. It's the nitty-gritty setting-up process I need some advice on.

Good Article - we (I) started a theater company last fall. The community theater is a closed shop - the same people do all the directing and all the acting. We started ours for two reasons - to provide and open process for anyone to participate and secondly (and more importantly) to train people involved with the theater. We hold acting classes (actually scene workshops) - 12 to 15 sessions over 5 weeks ending with a public performance. We will have 8 training classes over the winter - most 2 to 4 sessions but two continuing - some local people doing the training and some out of town people.

Our first production was TO GILLIAN ON HER 37th BIRTHDAY - we made $1,000 profit - most of the cast were new actors and people with one of two small parts behind them. It was my first effort at directing a full length play. Several of the actors turned out to be wonderful and done great stuff since (both with us and with the community theater. We continue to focus on seat fillers - if we don't survive (read $$$) we can't do any good. We have made money on most of our shows. The local theater does THE CRUCIBLE and other heavy shows so there is a market for fluff.

You missed one issue that we spent a lot of time on - whether to make your organization a membership organization or not. There are a lot of plusses and minuses - revenue from memberships vs keeping track of them. We opted for not but we are revisiting the issue. We also have a newsletter that goes to a hundred people about our activities (very important to get the word out).

This summer we have a travelling road show - actually nine plays (most readers theater) between mid June and Labor Day - we are playing the local resorts. We are doing a mix of established plays and new material - some unpublished. So far we are doing better than we thought we would - believe me the biggest problem is hauling stuff in and out every night. Not just the sets and props but lights and sound stuff.

Publicity is also a killer - posters, playbills, ads for the papers (they won't give us continuing coverage unless we advertise) and so on. Each resort wants something different for promotion.

Talk to me after Labor Day and I'll tell you how successful we were. First week was bad - a couple of single digit audiences - we are setting seating for 30 hoping for 20. We have had several audiences approaching 40. We had to spend $2,000 on lighting - cheaper to buy then rent - so we have to make that much profit to be successful.

Our organization is incorporated as a non profit corporation. We have not filed for our 501 (c) (3) yet - $150 filing fee is a lot of money right now.

Anyway, your article was good and got me thinking and sharing our experiences with you.

Doug

I don't really understand what you need to get started.

We started our theater group ten months ago. I got a set of Articles of Incorporation from another theater that did what I wanted. Found several sets of bylaws and put together a set that met our needs. Got four others to serve on the Board of Directors, sent the Articles and $30 to the Secretary of State and we were in business. Let me know if you have questions on this process.

I had a play that I wanted to do, made up a budget, found a place to rent and we had a successful production - made $1,000 and got several donations. We are rapidly becoming recognized for what we do - training and involving new people in all aspects of the theater. We continue to make money on our programs.