Running Your Theater: Newbie question

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Newbie question

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=4657
Printed Date: 5/15/24 at 9:28am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Newbie question

Posted By: gidget
Subject: Newbie question
Date Posted: 6/07/10 at 1:58am

In February we held a meeting to see if there was interest in a Community Theater in our town. Well, it is now June and we just closed on our very first show! As our director said to the audience "This is our first show of our first season, and our last show of our first season!" So far things are going well - we have a Pres. and a Sec/Tres. We have $980 in the bank (not bad for a 2 show production with 63 patrons on the first night and about 50 on the 2nd!) We are meeting this month to draft by-laws, chain of command, etc. We are also going to discuss what 3 shows we are going to do next season - we have *general* dates picked - No Christmas show this season (too busy in our town), No musical yet (need a few more shows under our belt, need to get a bit more talent intrested, and we need to find a better venue). But we are a little unsure on how to select a show/director..... we have all been involved in CT in other towns, and I have even directed, but I can't for the life of me remember how the show or I were selected! Please tell me how your CT handles this -- do you pick the show, and then find a director for it, or do you find a director and let him/her pick the show? And WHY do you do it that way? Do you LIKE doing it that way?

Also any suggestions for shows would be appriciated (we did Greater Tuna with 9 cast members - may be able to get a FEW more actors, but 2 of our 9 were under 18, so something for a small cast!!) and anything else you think we should know as we forge into this unknown field!

thank you - I can't tell how happy I was to find this site!!!!

Replies:

Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 6/20/10 at 7:38pm

Either way works, but in your situation it sounds like finding a director is the bigger concern. I'd say let those interested in directing a show put together a proposal and present it to the board. I ensures that the director has a passion for that play ... or at least is comfortable with it and has some ideas. Then the Board can select which proposal to accept.

The director should include in the proposal: rationale for the show; availability of actors for the parts and a strategy for getting them to audition, and; ID or a strategy to recruit the artistic and technical staff. In some cases the director may also propose a budget.

In using this method it may be difficult identify all three plays of the season. You may want to work on a four month calendar, that is, accept a proposal with an opening four months away. If you have targeted dates, work backwards four months for the date you should be accepting a proposal. You may have a bit of overlap, but basically you're working on just one show at a time rather than a season.

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KEB