Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Beating my head against a brick wall.

Message

   Ok.  I need some advice.
Over the last three years I have been serving on the Board of Directors for our community theater.  We have been struggling during that time to bring a dying theater back from the brink and back to life.  The problem has been though of getting the other board members, other than myself, my mother (who also serves on the board) and another board member to organize events, step up for work days, or even help with the production of a show.  Now I can deal with being one of three at every work day, if the people who wern't coming had the curtesy to call and say they wern't or had said at the time the work day was set that they couldn't make it.  However, that said, the others are constantly saying they don't have time, but what is frusterating about that is I'm going to school, I have a three year old and another one due in September, my mother works full time, and the other board member works crazy hours because she is a journalist.  So the I don't have time excuse is getting a little thin.
How do you get people to commit?  If the board can't commit, how can we expect our members to?  I am at a loss of what to do and any advise would be helpful.  I'm getting burnt out and am ready to throw in the towel at the end of my term.  I don't want to do that because this theater is very special to me.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Author	Message
bbpchick Star Joined: 7/17/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Topic: Beating my head against a brick wall. Posted: 7/01/08 at 3:31am
	Ok. I need some advice. Over the last three years I have been serving on the Board of Directors for our community theater. We have been struggling during that time to bring a dying theater back from the brink and back to life. The problem has been though of getting the other board members, other than myself, my mother (who also serves on the board) and another board member to organize events, step up for work days, or even help with the production of a show. Now I can deal with being one of three at every work day, if the people who wern't coming had the curtesy to call and say they wern't or had said at the time the work day was set that they couldn't make it. However, that said, the others are constantly saying they don't have time, but what is frusterating about that is I'm going to school, I have a three year old and another one due in September, my mother works full time, and the other board member works crazy hours because she is a journalist. So the I don't have time excuse is getting a little thin. How do you get people to commit? If the board can't commit, how can we expect our members to? I am at a loss of what to do and any advise would be helpful. I'm getting burnt out and am ready to throw in the towel at the end of my term. I don't want to do that because this theater is very special to me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
	Kendra www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up!

	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 7/01/08 at 8:05am
	Firstly Kendra it helps to wear a crash helmet? Call an Extraordinary General Meeting & grab a soap box or milk crate. Give it to them between the eye balls! Bring about a notice of a 'No confidence' motion, in the board - &/or line up some candidates, to replace them. Let them answer on the basis of them showing good cause or reason why they should not resign &or replaced. rather than you listing all their faults - As you would be the baddy - no matter how it goes.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

avgsuperheroine Player Joined: 6/04/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 20	Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:43am
	I read a great article once on the development of a board. It talked about how in the beginning a board is usually made up of the most dedicated volunteers, and after time it transforms into a managing board that may have volunteers on it but the main function is to manage finances and legal issues, etc. Without a staff I can see how maybe just a few people are doing the brunt of the work. After 50 years we still see that at our theatre, the group changes every couple of years though. Even though we have a large staff for the size of our town, we do still require our board members to sign a contract. Being a member is required. Donating is required. Board meetings are absolutely required--I think only two of twelve can be missed before you're dismissed. Being on at least one committee is required also. And I almost forgot, coming to the shows is required. I understand that you want to show your volunteers that your board is dedicated, but not all good board members are going to be able to best serve your organization by showing up to clean or paint or haul things, etc. If you have a well-rounded board, that isn't probably the case. Everyone should chip in, but some folks are better serving in different ways (fundraising, publicity, organizing parties or events, legal services, financial advice, etc.) When you recruit be careful not to fall into the trap of lureing people in with the old "it's not that much time, it's not that hard, it's fun, you'll like it" speech. We've found the more we spell out exactly what we expect, the more dedicated and surprising community members we've found interested in serving for us. And it's been great for our growth overall. Instead of spending all of your time focused on doing the dirty work--how about shifting focus to recruitment and delegation. Also a HUGE job, but one that needs to be done. You'll soon find those golden volunteers who help because they really enjoy it and can take some of that pressure off of you. If the work is making you bitter, you need to change the way you approach it so you don't stop loving what you're doing. I think it's great that you've got such a heart for your organization, too. Good luck in the future.
	Dramatically Correct Cast Gifts Costume Shop Organization Tips
	IP Logged

bbpchick Star Joined: 7/17/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Posted: 7/11/08 at 2:33am
	Do you still have access to that article? Or do you know the website where I could find it? I would love to read it. Also, you have some very concrete and viable ideas that I will definately start using or try to get implemented (i.e. the contract). As for recruitment and delegation, you are right. How does your theater apporach it? We have tried, but I don't think we are approaching it in the correct manner, because while new members will show up for productions, they don't usually come back for the other jobs that need to be done within the theater. So I don't think we are approaching that aspect of recuritment and delegation correctly either. Any details you can give me would be wonderful. A fresh perspective for me on these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for everyone's responses. Kendra P.S. JoeMC I seriously thought about what you said and was seriously tempted to do it, but then I rememberd that the last General Membership meeting we held, a grand total of 2 members showed up. So it would be the board and those two members. Which is why I'm taking the position of "What can I do to get the people who are here to step up?" instead of kick them out and replace them. Obviously, there are other problems with our theater here, but that is for another thread.
	Kendra www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up!
	IP Logged

stageman 2 Player Joined: 8/20/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Posted: 8/27/08 at 9:48am
	Twink Lynch's book, "Boards in the Spotlight" is a marvelous source for most CT Board Issues. I purchased copies for each of our Board members. It can guide you through almost every issue you have expressed concern about.
	Les Liss Fine Arts, County of Effingham info@effinghamface.com www.effinghamface.com Always be yourself because the ones that matter don't care and the ones that care don't matter.
	IP Logged

Running Your Theater
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Running Your Theater

Topic: Beating my head against a brick wall.( Topic Closed)