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| Money Talk | |
 Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Money Talk |
 Topic: Help please!( Topic Closed) |
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| Author | Message |
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Darren
Player 
Joined: 6/11/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 17 |
 Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:31pm |
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I agree that in most theaters it wouldn't matter. The exception I suppose is if you're rewarded in some way for coming under budget. If that's true, let the board decide. The fact is you didn't use the previous show's paint--why should you pay for it?
What most disturbs me is that this other guy wants to make an issue out of it. If you're both board members of the same theater, the good of the theater should be what matters. |
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gracie
Walk-On 
Joined: 4/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 7/22/08 at 7:24pm |
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Wow. I didn't realize this topic generated so many responses. First of all everyone, Thank You for your replies. I appreciate the input from others.
Here's what happened:
When it came time to get my expense figures together, I emailed him and asked for a listing of his lumber purchases so I could get my set costs together, figure out where I was spending-wise.
When I next saw him, he informed me my show had already paid for half of the cost of his set, including the paint. Did I mention he is also the treasurer and a tempermental artist?
 I was pretty...Well, let's say I was caught off guard.That night, I emailed him again. This time requesting copies of receipts so I could include them with my set expenses. My thought here was to do an itemized expense report, forcing him to show me what he had spent. (For some reason, we never seem to find out exact details of what he has spent on a show.)
After I told a couple of other fellow board members about our exchange (they agreed with me), they tried to talk to him about it. Make him see what I was asking for was not out of line. Get him to see the big picture, that we are all part of the same group.
After these exchanges and my request for receipts, he emailed me back stating it was a moot point and my show will not be paying for any of his set/paint costs.
There are NOT separate accounts for each show. I'm guessing he just wanted to make his earnings/numbers look better. Not that is was necessary. He did direct Grease after all.
Here's how our group works:
Submit a budget (the board usually makes changes, often increasing certain budget costs).
The budget is simply a guideline, so expenses don't get out of hand. Of course, the ultimate goal is to come in under budget, while still putting together a quality production.
Again Thank You to everyone for your replies. I was initally a bit stumped about what to do, because I couldn't find adequate theatrical definitions of SET or SCENERY. My initial arguement was going to be that paint is not part of the set. It all ended well, though. I guess there's just no escaping drama in theatre with so many different temperments involved.
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KEB54
Celebrity 
Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227 |
Posted: 7/24/08 at 3:47pm |
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Decline. Have him pay for his own set totally. To keep costs down, tell the board that you will use as much previously purchased construction materials as possible. ... Your show is after his, right?
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KEB
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Baldwin _jack
Walk-On
Joined: 7/25/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 7/25/08 at 12:46pm |
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Hi
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Baldwin _jack
Walk-On
Joined: 7/25/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 7/26/08 at 10:57am |
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Hello, I certainly agree with you.
Thank you very much for sharing your information. It was really very helpful
for me. Thanks for
sharing your information.
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vickifrank
Celebrity
Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332 |
Posted: 7/28/08 at 9:17am |
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1. ) Nominate someone else as treasurer next time, and 2.) propose that your board audit the books each year with an audit committee (the treasurer is not on this committee). Get this written into the standing rules--but sell it as a protection for the organization and also the treasurer, who is responsible if money disappears. 3.) Also propose that some rules are set down regarding accounting for expenses. For example if a director/producer goes over the budget for his set because he believes that another subsequent show can reuse the pieces, he should get that overage approved by the board--who then reduces the next show's budget accordingly.
Sometimes people believe that a charity, or volunteer group or a club is being 'mean' by having rules. But the rules keep peace. More experienced people will volunteer if they can know what to expect. Keep the rules simple and clear and let the board decide formally to go around a budget in rare cases--that makes it clear that all agreed. If you can't summon a board meeting, have an agreement that you need a quorum of the board to agree by email--and that the secretary records this as a board decision.
For a charity that I'm VP of, for clubs for which I've been president, VP or treasurer, I've insisted on similar controls. Sometimes I've instituted them. This secures tax status, and protects both the club and the treasurer. In at least one club, before the simple audit requirment was added, I know of at least two cases where money could not be accounted for--in one of those cases it cast suspicion on the volunteer treasurer. Would you want to be that treasurer and have your 'friends' suspicious where $100 went? A person's reputation is worth far more than $100.
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http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people |
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