Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Reality Theater

Message

   This morning I was thinking about reality tv.  If your theater group was approached by a tv producer offering a large cash prize for a new reality tv show, would you do it?
The premise:
Your community theater group would have to mount a musical (the same musical that each theater group involved would do).  Judges would select which group would move onto the final show.  The requirements that you allow filming of all process from the first production meeting (when you find out what show will be performed) to the first performance.  
The final show would require you to show case your "best" full company musical number/scene and one additional scene of your choice.

It could be argued that it wouldn't be fair because some groups can raise more money or have more creative talent then other theaters, but this first a competition and secondly I have seen theater with large amounts of money produce a show that wasn't worth the beans but another group with little money does a better job with the same show.  

How would you feel about doing this?  What rules would you expect?  Is it fair to hire professionals or semi-professionals?  

Discuss.

Author	Message
biggertigger Celebrity Joined: 4/16/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 188	Topic: Reality Theater Posted: 5/24/08 at 7:31pm
	This morning I was thinking about reality tv. If your theater group was approached by a tv producer offering a large cash prize for a new reality tv show, would you do it? The premise: Your community theater group would have to mount a musical (the same musical that each theater group involved would do). Judges would select which group would move onto the final show. The requirements that you allow filming of all process from the first production meeting (when you find out what show will be performed) to the first performance. The final show would require you to show case your "best" full company musical number/scene and one additional scene of your choice. It could be argued that it wouldn't be fair because some groups can raise more money or have more creative talent then other theaters, but this first a competition and secondly I have seen theater with large amounts of money produce a show that wasn't worth the beans but another group with little money does a better job with the same show. How would you feel about doing this? What rules would you expect? Is it fair to hire professionals or semi-professionals? Discuss.
	The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

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B-M-D Celebrity Joined: 11/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 346	Posted: 5/24/08 at 8:30pm
	In a heart beat I'd do it! It's almost the same as taking a show to a drama festival and I happen to love the competition. Oh I can hear it now, "But theatre isn't supposed to be a competiion!" - inject whatever degree of whinyness you hear in that. Whatya think auditions are? I wouldn't hire any professionals except the directing team (director ,MD and choriographer) and musicians but that could be at the discretion of the participating group.
	BD "Dying is easy, comedy is hard."
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sconjott Lead Joined: 5/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 35	Posted: 5/25/08 at 2:36pm
	OH YEAH!!! I would absolutely LOVE something like that. Might like a couple of rules. No professionals, all cast and crew must be from within, let's say a 60 mile radius of the physical location of the theater. I wouldn't worry about budgeting, but it might level the playing field to see a budget provided or simply determined as part of the show's production criteria. Still, I'd rather go with what we're comfortable with, a shoestring budget can REALLY get your creative juices flowing. Is it really about the largest pockets? NOPE! Give me a group that works well together and we'll give you a show for about $0.32 (the guesstimated cost of burning 4 standard lightbulbs for 2.5 hours).
	There are NO small roles, only small actors...
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pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 5/27/08 at 1:53pm
	Heck yeah! Count me in. I could easily sell that to our company. It has all the drama: back stage romances, personality conflicts, struggle and triumph. I think it would be great to have a diversity of theatres; rich/poor, established/new, urban/rural.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 5/27/08 at 2:01pm
	Heck Pat... I thought the called that OCTA... (minus the money of course..)
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
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neilfortin Celebrity Joined: 11/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 210	Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:37pm
	Count us in! That sounds amazing, most of our actors want to be on TV anyway! And honestly, what has more drama than amateur drama??? I think the less money the better...but don't include donations in that...some GREAT stuff can be gained with a supportive community!
	Community Theater makes us smile
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mary051756 Lead Joined: 1/31/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 47	Posted: 5/28/08 at 6:09pm
	Put me in the "would love to do it category" - but with a twist - I work with kids - midedle to high school, and would love to have the same premise applied to them. Wouldn't use professionals. Great idea!
	“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON
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biggertigger Celebrity Joined: 4/16/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 188	Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:18pm
	TV has been unindated with reality shows, some I enjoy, others I could care less. One of the biggest additions is the orignial "reality", live theater, were if anyting can happen, it will. We had the Grease audition "You're the one that I want" which was a spin off of the british show, "How do you solve a problem like Maria" for the audition of Maria in Sound of Music. American Ick (Idol) did broadway tunes a couple of times. Step it up and Dance as been highlighting the unsung heroes of shows (the dancer). And to top it off, MTV is Auditioning for the replacement of Elle in "Legally Blonde, the musical" and I just heard High School Musical was doing a series for audiitoning for HSM3. Anyways the thought came to me, why not show how theater groups go through the process of creating a show, even when two towns over, another group is doing the same show. That is what really got the wheels going, knowing that there is great talent in community theater that the world should see. And if the end result is money, I can't think of a group that couldn't use that. Now how do I get the networks interested in this?
	The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.
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