Adding a show
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3092
Printed Date: 4/28/24 at 5:41pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Adding a show
Posted By: StarDiva
Subject: Adding a show
Date Posted: 4/01/08 at 7:36pm
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Hello everyone!
We have the wonderful problem of dealing with growth in our community theatre! Some of our shows the past few seasons have been selling out like hot cakes (good problem to have!). Every time there is talk of wanting to add another performance, but we've been told that it's too hard/too time consuming/etc... to get additional rights at the last minute. (the last minute being a week or two in advance)
Has anyone found a way around this problem? I would love to hear from anyone who has dealt with this.
Thanks so much!
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Replies:
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/01/08 at 8:03pm
| I've never done it but I'd say just call Dramatists or Samuel French or whoever and simply ask. I don't see how that would be that time consuming on your end. They're either going to tell you yes or no and in my experience it doesn't usually take that long to get an answer if you need one quickly. Maybe others have had different experiences. More performances means more money for everybody so I would guess they would attempt to accommodate you if it doesn't conflict with another production. |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 4/01/08 at 8:51pm
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What you have to understand is that it's probably the easiest thing in the world to get rights for additional performances. Just call & ask and with on line access and email you'll probably secure rights within 24 hours.
------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: Carol
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 12:02am
| We just added 2 shows within a 3 week period as fundraisers to help get us to festival ( I guess that it was 3 shows, including the rights for the festival performance). This is VERY common, and we had no problems with Samuel French at all. |
Posted By: Theatrestation
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 2:18am
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Same here, no problems at all. It's actually often just a matter of a phone call. ------------- http://www.castbuilding.com http://www.theatrestation.com |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 8:04am
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The only problem with adding a show is the actors and crew. Getting the rights for another show is a breeze. It's extra money to the publisher at no extra work for them. I've found the biggest problem is convincing the cast and crew to donate another night. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 10:37am
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We had to add two shows to our last production and it just took a phone call and a fax to get it done.
We just told the cast and crew they had another show. They grumbled, but what could they do? They are under contract to us-heh, heh, heh...
Charlie
Remember, the answer is always no unless you ask.
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 1:01pm
How does that work? I don't think I've seen anything resembling a biding legal contract at any of the community theaters where I've worked. As cast or crew I would only feel morally obligated to the performance dates I originally volunteered for. That's not to say I wouldn't do it, but if I had a conflicting previous obligation I'd have no problem declining. |
Posted By: Theatrestation
Date Posted: 4/02/08 at 3:21pm
Our casts and crews are very happy when we need to add another show. Also, with a large cast they know at auditions that if they are chosen that, aside from the actual scheduled show dates, there is a pre-determined "added show schedule" that we may put into effect and those dates must be clear for them as well. ------------- http://www.castbuilding.com http://www.theatrestation.com |
Posted By: whitebat
Date Posted: 4/05/08 at 11:24pm
| We did a show with Sweet Adelines. I assume the script was public domain; otherwise we violated copyright all over the place. They wanted to tour to a nearby town the next month, but too many people would be gone. It MIGHT have been different had they suggested a tour at the beginning. |
Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/06/08 at 9:36am
It's easy, when the crew and cast sign on, they have a contract - it states things like no alcohol or drug usuage in the theater, prompt arrival, strike duty and the like, laong with a warning that if we do an extra show, they are expected to participate. I
If we add a show, we usually know pretty early in the rehearsal process, but we have added shows at the last minute (i.e. a few days later) and we've never had a problem with anyone refusing.
We also benefit from having a solid core of actors/actresses and crew who have been with the theater for years in some cases and put it first. They know all the in's and out's and they know better than to try and schedule anything during our run.
Of course, we do deal with emergency absences, illness, death, accidents that sort of thing, but we haven't had a cast or crew member refuse to work an additional performance since I've been with the theater.
Charlie
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Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 4/07/08 at 3:37am
I tried the Mutual Obligation Agreement only once, when I directed 'A chorus Line'. But being an old softy I never followed thru with it's breach & consequences.
Mainly because most here are members of at least 3 Groups each. Especially the 'Luvvies' & 'Twirlies'. So it is not worth the paper it is written on, in fact most male warm props & Techies don't pay group membership fees. So are not that concerned, they just front up at another group,who offers them a role or part, without auditioning!
{Not that I have ever had to or held auditions for a techie anyway!.
------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/07/08 at 9:13am
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That's the thing is you have to follow through with your threats. thankfully, the policy has been in place at the theater for years, so it's just SOP for us now.
Ooo, auditions for techs - wouldn't that be great to have so many you'd have to? Now, that would be SM heaven...
Charlie
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Posted By: StarDiva
Date Posted: 4/07/08 at 11:33am
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Thank you SO much to everyone who replied. I had a feeling it was a bit easier than we were being led to believe. It's good to know it's an option in the future!
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/07/08 at 6:34pm
Now I'm starting to have that dream where the show that closed last Sunday isn't really over and I've forgotten all my lines! Seriously. 
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