Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: artistic, board, management = one person

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RoseColored Gla
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Player

Joined: 8/15/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 27

Topic: artistic, board, management = one person
Posted: 9/02/08 at 10:07pm

Am I the craziest person in the world? I am starting my own theater company, but am finding it EXTREMELY difficult to find anyone other than myself who is willing to put in the effort, blood, sweat, and tears to be a 'founding member'.

I have people outside of my area who are willing to help from the start, but has anyone ever heard of a theater company that holds its board meetings via yahoo chat because their are no local members?

I am getting burnt out already, and all i have done so far is write my bylaws, build my website, applied for a business license, got a federal tax id, working on my 501c3 status, apply for the rights for our first show, partially cast it, create the program, try to find others who would be willing to help out. I am sure there is more that i have done, but i haven't the energy to think about it....basically, my entire infrastructure is present, but i have nobody to fill the positions available.

It is my money being put up for the production, i haven't asked anyone else for money (yet).

What am i doing wrong? Has anyone ever heard of a one person theater company? I guess i just need to know that i have some support out there somewhere!

Thanks for your prayers to Dionysus in advance!

Dennis

Dennis Dippary
Artistic Director
Songs for a New WorldRoseColored Glasses
May Dionysus smile upon your every performance!

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Nanette
Celebrity

Joined: 8/01/06
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 399

Posted: 9/03/08 at 9:55am

Trust me ... You are not alone!

Someone offered me some great advice once; ASK!!!

I regularly ask my "people" (those in the shows, parents of those in the shows, people at church, etc.) if they'd be willing to help out (with sewing a costume or two, taking tickets at the door, working backstage, building sets, etc.). It's hard for me to do, but I do it, because I know that otherwise I'll get too burned out to be any good to anyone. Believe it or not, I even found a number of people who wanted to be on a script-reading committee!!!

When I started my theatre, I considered what type of person I wanted on my board and approached them, in private, to see if they'd be interested. I started with 6, have had one drop, and have since added two more to our board of directors.

Usually I am the one doing the script reading, casting, costumes, programs, etc, etc, etc ... But I'm learning who I can count on to build flats, find props, sew in a zipper, paint scenery, etc. I have carpenters who are willing to build flats, as long as I give them enough notice; seamstresses who will sew an occasional costume for me; moms and dads who will track down props; a graphic designer who paints my scenery, with enough notice; church ladies who are willing to bake bars for after the shows; etc.

JUST ASK!!!

It takes time to build up the kind of help you're going to need in the long run, but don't be afraid to just flat out ask people to do something. You'd be surprised to find out how many are actually willing to step up if it's something specific you're asking. (Don't ask if they can HELP, ask them to __________________ ... fill in the blank.)

Hope this helps! Good luck!

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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KEB54
Celebrity

Joined: 7/24/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 227

Posted: 9/05/08 at 10:24am

Who have you approached? There are a couple different philospohies. The one I subscribe to is the board as a business. I look for membership that may include the mayor, bankers, business people, a lawyer, an accountant, a fundraiser, etc. These are people that you look to for pro bono work.

Get out in the community and meet with people. Sell them on your theatre. Help them to understand the benefits to them and the community. Just this week I saw in our local paper an article about kids and drug where the mayor stated that we have to have positive things for kids to occupy their time. He mentioned two examples: sports and theatre! I could have kissed him for that. But that didn't come without work. The mayor is a supporter (though not a board member). He was able to mention theatre because he had been educated about it both formally (in his office) and informally (at social events).

Another philosophy is to have a board that doubles as staff. Personally that style drives me crazy. They have typical titles like president, VP, treasurer, etc, but also Play Reading, Costumes, Set Building, etc. While these people are all very intellegent they are not business, law, or accounting professionals and so either do amature work themselves or hire it out spending hard earned production money on business expenses.

This is strictly my opinion, but I say get business people on your board and theatre people on your production staff. It's easy to get theatre people to understand the importance but it takes a lot of work to get non-theatre people. Put together a compelling presentation and start meeting with folks.

KEB

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copasetic
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 9/14/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 9/14/08 at 5:49pm

Starting your own anything is akin to giving birth to and raising a baby! Your baby (your new theater) is your passion to breathe life into, nurture and raise in the way you envision. Count yourself blessed to find one or two people who share the same love and devotion you have for your baby! Sit down with paper and pen, plan your work then work your plan. Your family and friends are busy with their own babies....raising yours is not going to be a priority for nor of great interest to them. You don't have to reinvent the wheel! There are several successful theaters where you live! If possible, meet with a theater's founder(s) and ask for guidance. You'll be glad you did!

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Stageref
Player
Player

Joined: 7/30/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13

Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:19am

I totally agree with Nanette. Especially the blank part! Ask for something specific. I would only add that doing so makes you parse out your work in your own mind so you know what small specific tasks need doing. Break a leg.

Stageref.com
The new, free, on-line social experience of community theater productions and people

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Debflo
Star
Star

Joined: 6/06/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 60

Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:48pm

Everyone above me is right here - you have to ask for specifics. However, my board meets weekly (we are a new theatre company still in the planning stages) in an online chat. We all live at least 40 mins from eachother, so the online chat has worked really well. It is an easy way to talk about to-do and status updates, etc.

Check out The Denver Theatre Examiner! http://www.examiner.com/x-474-Denver-Theater-Examiner

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RoseColored Gla
Player
Player

Joined: 8/15/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 27

Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:55am

I just want to thank everyone who has posted. The support I have recieved has helped me along. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say "we're here for you"

We are in production for Songs for a New World, performances are Jan 8 - 11.

Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart!

Dennis Dippary
Artistic Director
Songs for a New WorldRoseColored Glasses
May Dionysus smile upon your every performance!

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

Topic: artistic, board, management = one person( Topic Closed)

Author	Message
RoseColored Gla Player Joined: 8/15/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Topic: artistic, board, management = one person Posted: 9/02/08 at 10:07pm
	Am I the craziest person in the world? I am starting my own theater company, but am finding it EXTREMELY difficult to find anyone other than myself who is willing to put in the effort, blood, sweat, and tears to be a 'founding member'. I have people outside of my area who are willing to help from the start, but has anyone ever heard of a theater company that holds its board meetings via yahoo chat because their are no local members? I am getting burnt out already, and all i have done so far is write my bylaws, build my website, applied for a business license, got a federal tax id, working on my 501c3 status, apply for the rights for our first show, partially cast it, create the program, try to find others who would be willing to help out. I am sure there is more that i have done, but i haven't the energy to think about it....basically, my entire infrastructure is present, but i have nobody to fill the positions available. It is my money being put up for the production, i haven't asked anyone else for money (yet). What am i doing wrong? Has anyone ever heard of a one person theater company? I guess i just need to know that i have some support out there somewhere! Thanks for your prayers to Dionysus in advance! Dennis
	Dennis Dippary Artistic Director Songs for a New WorldRoseColored Glasses May Dionysus smile upon your every performance!

	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 9/03/08 at 9:55am
	Trust me ... You are not alone! Someone offered me some great advice once; ASK!!! I regularly ask my "people" (those in the shows, parents of those in the shows, people at church, etc.) if they'd be willing to help out (with sewing a costume or two, taking tickets at the door, working backstage, building sets, etc.). It's hard for me to do, but I do it, because I know that otherwise I'll get too burned out to be any good to anyone. Believe it or not, I even found a number of people who wanted to be on a script-reading committee!!! When I started my theatre, I considered what type of person I wanted on my board and approached them, in private, to see if they'd be interested. I started with 6, have had one drop, and have since added two more to our board of directors. Usually I am the one doing the script reading, casting, costumes, programs, etc, etc, etc ... But I'm learning who I can count on to build flats, find props, sew in a zipper, paint scenery, etc. I have carpenters who are willing to build flats, as long as I give them enough notice; seamstresses who will sew an occasional costume for me; moms and dads who will track down props; a graphic designer who paints my scenery, with enough notice; church ladies who are willing to bake bars for after the shows; etc. JUST ASK!!! It takes time to build up the kind of help you're going to need in the long run, but don't be afraid to just flat out ask people to do something. You'd be surprised to find out how many are actually willing to step up if it's something specific you're asking. (Don't ask if they can HELP, ask them to __________________ ... fill in the blank.) Hope this helps! Good luck!
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 9/05/08 at 10:24am
	Who have you approached? There are a couple different philospohies. The one I subscribe to is the board as a business. I look for membership that may include the mayor, bankers, business people, a lawyer, an accountant, a fundraiser, etc. These are people that you look to for pro bono work. Get out in the community and meet with people. Sell them on your theatre. Help them to understand the benefits to them and the community. Just this week I saw in our local paper an article about kids and drug where the mayor stated that we have to have positive things for kids to occupy their time. He mentioned two examples: sports and theatre! I could have kissed him for that. But that didn't come without work. The mayor is a supporter (though not a board member). He was able to mention theatre because he had been educated about it both formally (in his office) and informally (at social events). Another philosophy is to have a board that doubles as staff. Personally that style drives me crazy. They have typical titles like president, VP, treasurer, etc, but also Play Reading, Costumes, Set Building, etc. While these people are all very intellegent they are not business, law, or accounting professionals and so either do amature work themselves or hire it out spending hard earned production money on business expenses. This is strictly my opinion, but I say get business people on your board and theatre people on your production staff. It's easy to get theatre people to understand the importance but it takes a lot of work to get non-theatre people. Put together a compelling presentation and start meeting with folks.
	KEB
	IP Logged

copasetic Walk-On Joined: 9/14/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/14/08 at 5:49pm
	Starting your own anything is akin to giving birth to and raising a baby! Your baby (your new theater) is your passion to breathe life into, nurture and raise in the way you envision. Count yourself blessed to find one or two people who share the same love and devotion you have for your baby! Sit down with paper and pen, plan your work then work your plan. Your family and friends are busy with their own babies....raising yours is not going to be a priority for nor of great interest to them. You don't have to reinvent the wheel! There are several successful theaters where you live! If possible, meet with a theater's founder(s) and ask for guidance. You'll be glad you did!
	IP Logged

Stageref Player Joined: 7/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Posted: 10/14/08 at 10:19am
	I totally agree with Nanette. Especially the blank part! Ask for something specific. I would only add that doing so makes you parse out your work in your own mind so you know what small specific tasks need doing. Break a leg.
	Stageref.com The new, free, on-line social experience of community theater productions and people
	IP Logged

Debflo Star Joined: 6/06/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 60	Posted: 10/14/08 at 6:48pm
	Everyone above me is right here - you have to ask for specifics. However, my board meets weekly (we are a new theatre company still in the planning stages) in an online chat. We all live at least 40 mins from eachother, so the online chat has worked really well. It is an easy way to talk about to-do and status updates, etc.
	Check out The Denver Theatre Examiner! http://www.examiner.com/x-474-Denver-Theater-Examiner
	IP Logged

RoseColored Gla Player Joined: 8/15/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:55am
	I just want to thank everyone who has posted. The support I have recieved has helped me along. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say "we're here for you" We are in production for Songs for a New World, performances are Jan 8 - 11. Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart!
	Dennis Dippary Artistic Director Songs for a New WorldRoseColored Glasses May Dionysus smile upon your every performance!
	IP Logged