Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Christian/church theater

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Nigel
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 8/15/09
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/18/09 at 8:43pm

Sonshine, we have the same problem with auditions! Our group is run as a "community theatre" within a religious Chautauqua. We have only one show every summer and since there are limited people who spend the entire summer there it is difficult to cast a show of just the community members. The problem is half of the board thinks we should only cast from within and the other half thinks we should allow surrounding community members to audition. Last two shows we allowed outside community members to audition. Our director for both of these shows was also from a nearby community and fear is she will cast all her regulars. So far this hasn't happened. We do have a bit of a problem choosing shows that won't offend the Christian community in which we reside. The director is not totally insensitive to this, however, she still recommends shows that I know will never fly here. Our audience is extremely conservative in this area and we try to stage family friendly shows. This year we did Cheaper By The Dozen. Am currently in the process of finding a show for next July. It is a challenge in the confines of a Christian community! We also only have four weeks from the day of auditions to opening night. We get into our venue on a Sat. and open on a Tues. It is hectic at best!

Nigel

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TonyDi
Celebrity

Joined: 9/13/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 325

Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:53am

Regarding NUNSENSE, it CAN be over-the-top for some people's taste. It's not VULGAR. It's suggestive here and there. BUT I MUST say we had both nuns and priests attend every iteration of Nunsense we did. And we did Nunsense 1 - four times and Nunsense 2 twice and Nunsense Jamboree once. And at every performance where there were nuns and priests they absolutely laughed their heads off - had a great time being "spoofed" and literally were very tolerant and played right into the whole thing. It CAN be offensive to some people. It's a bit irreverant but pokes fun at all the cliches' of the Catholic Church, the nuns and situations with which they deal. I mean come on, Robert Anne - a "street-wise nun" from the streets of Canarsie - tough gal who occasionally uses some rough language because it's who she is and what she knows? BUT whose good, sweet heart accomplishes reaching those like her whom she or the other nuns wouldn't otherwise be able to connect with? And all the other characters. Well they're all based on real people - just over the top humor, irreverant, salty here and there, with minor language issues but our community - who is also among those on the buckle of the bible belt, responded unbelievably at these shows - which we even spiced up a bit more in the production style and presentation. SOLD OUT SHOWS EVERY PERFORMANCE. The SECOND year we did it, the show was sold out before we even opened it - totally unheard of before that and hasn't been duplicated since that I'm aware of.

BUT it is a different show that allowed even the most staunch Christian that we have here in middle American bible belt, to have a good time. But then maybe they weren't as good as others might have thought they were and just responded to the humor, whatever it was. HARD to say how it would go over. But I understand the issues and I'd guess that 95% of the people can have a good time with it. The other 5% just need to come down off their clouds of euphoric goodness and realize that for the most part, nuns and those in the Catholic clergy are often like they're represented in this show - BUT realizing it's a THEATRICAL PRODUCTION based upon real people but from the perspective of Dan Goggin who was and still is a strong Catholic and loved his religion and church - AND the people he is caricaturing.

Tough call though for many people. Fundamentalists don't like it because they think it pokes irreverant fun at Catholics. CATHOLICS for the most part - LOVE IT because they lived a lot of what the show talks about in it's dialogue/humor. People just need to lighten up a bit and experience the real world - imperfect as it is - to further appreciate what they believe and how they believe it - whatever that is.

Just an opinion - I view things a LOT differently than a LOT of people. But then I don't criticize anyone for what they believe as long as they don't try to shove what they believe down my throat. THAT is another whole debate - one which I never indulge in because in that debate no-one can ever win. Again an opinion.....and I'm equally entitled I hope.

TonyDi

"Almost famous"

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colugino
Star
Star

Joined: 6/30/09
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 55

Posted: 9/18/09 at 2:29am

To update on our situation, we have since started our own theatre company. We are still working with the church but will also be doing our own theatre company outside the church. We set everything up through Legalzoom.com and for under $2000 we got all the paperwork filed to become a non-profit and tax exempt organization. We did this for two reasons: 1) so we have a fall back in case we lose the ability to do shows at the church, 2) so we are open to more show options - barring we perform them somewhere other than the church. No matter how I put this it is going to sound harsh, but our board (who are all members of my church) have agreed as long as the church keeps playing nice we will continue to give donations to them. Now by nice I simply mean that we don't have to deal with some rediculous politics that 4 or 5 people that don't like our drama group (and literally for NO reason) have been making it next to impossible for us to do shows there. We do not wish to stick it to the church but some of the church leaders have made it very clear they do not want us there and for absolutely no reason - we have approached them and our pastor and they always provide rediculous answers such as the church can't afford to pay bills as it is and we used too much electric (mind you we spoke to the head of our finance committee and she said our electric bill only went up $50 the 2 months of our show & rehearsals and we donated $1000 to the church. Not to mention our head of finance stated that the $1000 we donated was what got them through the last two months of bills for the summer.

So all in all it has been a major uphill battle. We at least (for now) have the pastor on our side as we were able to get through to her that our mission is to help the kids in our shows as well as to try and bring people into our church. We brought several hundred people through our church for our last show and none of these were church members.

Just keep praying! Hope this post finds everyone well!

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Firace
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 5/08/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:45am

WOW! AM I late or what! I just stumbled on this post and if it helps I operate a Christian Community Theatre. The only way to go is to get your own non profit status and open a theatre yourself. Find a place you can rent yourself and build up enough monthly partners and donations and loyal following to get your self up and running on your own. We have been around for ten years...hope this helps and if you need anything further contact me....frank www.impactdrama.com

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sonshine
Lead
Lead

Joined: 3/23/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 33

Posted: 12/19/09 at 4:50pm

Where do you find the people to volunteer? We post in papers, etc but still have problems getting people out. And mailing and e-mailing churches seems to be a waste of time, normally if they have a drama they seem to be unwilling to help out.

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Firace
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 5/08/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 1/04/10 at 2:53pm

Well Sonshine- originally I started out with 2-5 gung ho christian artists and we did it all. Now word of mouth has spread and I carry a troupe of 17 but have a waiting list.

I think what makes us unique and why christian actors want to join us is that we we are chrisitian theatre in other words, we are more of a ministry than just entertainment. Our goal is to bring the gospel and that is what christians want to do with their talent, otherwise you are simply doing what the secular world does:)...as one who joined my troupe recently told me " I love doing this with you because I am not only entertaining people but ministering to the lost and hurting as well".

So I would start with a couple of die hards and be prepared to take some lumps and do alot of work....be different and do not present things of the world, because the world is already doing that! Christian actors want to do christian acting. Otherwise they can just audition for secular plays...understand? www.impactdrama.com

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

Topic: Christian/church theater( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
Nigel Walk-On Joined: 8/15/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/18/09 at 8:43pm
	Sonshine, we have the same problem with auditions! Our group is run as a "community theatre" within a religious Chautauqua. We have only one show every summer and since there are limited people who spend the entire summer there it is difficult to cast a show of just the community members. The problem is half of the board thinks we should only cast from within and the other half thinks we should allow surrounding community members to audition. Last two shows we allowed outside community members to audition. Our director for both of these shows was also from a nearby community and fear is she will cast all her regulars. So far this hasn't happened. We do have a bit of a problem choosing shows that won't offend the Christian community in which we reside. The director is not totally insensitive to this, however, she still recommends shows that I know will never fly here. Our audience is extremely conservative in this area and we try to stage family friendly shows. This year we did Cheaper By The Dozen. Am currently in the process of finding a show for next July. It is a challenge in the confines of a Christian community! We also only have four weeks from the day of auditions to opening night. We get into our venue on a Sat. and open on a Tues. It is hectic at best!
	Nigel
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TonyDi Celebrity Joined: 9/13/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:53am
	Regarding NUNSENSE, it CAN be over-the-top for some people's taste. It's not VULGAR. It's suggestive here and there. BUT I MUST say we had both nuns and priests attend every iteration of Nunsense we did. And we did Nunsense 1 - four times and Nunsense 2 twice and Nunsense Jamboree once. And at every performance where there were nuns and priests they absolutely laughed their heads off - had a great time being "spoofed" and literally were very tolerant and played right into the whole thing. It CAN be offensive to some people. It's a bit irreverant but pokes fun at all the cliches' of the Catholic Church, the nuns and situations with which they deal. I mean come on, Robert Anne - a "street-wise nun" from the streets of Canarsie - tough gal who occasionally uses some rough language because it's who she is and what she knows? BUT whose good, sweet heart accomplishes reaching those like her whom she or the other nuns wouldn't otherwise be able to connect with? And all the other characters. Well they're all based on real people - just over the top humor, irreverant, salty here and there, with minor language issues but our community - who is also among those on the buckle of the bible belt, responded unbelievably at these shows - which we even spiced up a bit more in the production style and presentation. SOLD OUT SHOWS EVERY PERFORMANCE. The SECOND year we did it, the show was sold out before we even opened it - totally unheard of before that and hasn't been duplicated since that I'm aware of. BUT it is a different show that allowed even the most staunch Christian that we have here in middle American bible belt, to have a good time. But then maybe they weren't as good as others might have thought they were and just responded to the humor, whatever it was. HARD to say how it would go over. But I understand the issues and I'd guess that 95% of the people can have a good time with it. The other 5% just need to come down off their clouds of euphoric goodness and realize that for the most part, nuns and those in the Catholic clergy are often like they're represented in this show - BUT realizing it's a THEATRICAL PRODUCTION based upon real people but from the perspective of Dan Goggin who was and still is a strong Catholic and loved his religion and church - AND the people he is caricaturing. Tough call though for many people. Fundamentalists don't like it because they think it pokes irreverant fun at Catholics. CATHOLICS for the most part - LOVE IT because they lived a lot of what the show talks about in it's dialogue/humor. People just need to lighten up a bit and experience the real world - imperfect as it is - to further appreciate what they believe and how they believe it - whatever that is. Just an opinion - I view things a LOT differently than a LOT of people. But then I don't criticize anyone for what they believe as long as they don't try to shove what they believe down my throat. THAT is another whole debate - one which I never indulge in because in that debate no-one can ever win. Again an opinion.....and I'm equally entitled I hope. TonyDi
	"Almost famous"
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colugino Star Joined: 6/30/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 55	Posted: 9/18/09 at 2:29am
	To update on our situation, we have since started our own theatre company. We are still working with the church but will also be doing our own theatre company outside the church. We set everything up through Legalzoom.com and for under $2000 we got all the paperwork filed to become a non-profit and tax exempt organization. We did this for two reasons: 1) so we have a fall back in case we lose the ability to do shows at the church, 2) so we are open to more show options - barring we perform them somewhere other than the church. No matter how I put this it is going to sound harsh, but our board (who are all members of my church) have agreed as long as the church keeps playing nice we will continue to give donations to them. Now by nice I simply mean that we don't have to deal with some rediculous politics that 4 or 5 people that don't like our drama group (and literally for NO reason) have been making it next to impossible for us to do shows there. We do not wish to stick it to the church but some of the church leaders have made it very clear they do not want us there and for absolutely no reason - we have approached them and our pastor and they always provide rediculous answers such as the church can't afford to pay bills as it is and we used too much electric (mind you we spoke to the head of our finance committee and she said our electric bill only went up $50 the 2 months of our show & rehearsals and we donated $1000 to the church. Not to mention our head of finance stated that the $1000 we donated was what got them through the last two months of bills for the summer. So all in all it has been a major uphill battle. We at least (for now) have the pastor on our side as we were able to get through to her that our mission is to help the kids in our shows as well as to try and bring people into our church. We brought several hundred people through our church for our last show and none of these were church members. Just keep praying! Hope this post finds everyone well!
	IP Logged

Firace Walk-On Joined: 5/08/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 10/15/09 at 11:45am
	WOW! AM I late or what! I just stumbled on this post and if it helps I operate a Christian Community Theatre. The only way to go is to get your own non profit status and open a theatre yourself. Find a place you can rent yourself and build up enough monthly partners and donations and loyal following to get your self up and running on your own. We have been around for ten years...hope this helps and if you need anything further contact me....frank www.impactdrama.com
	IP Logged

sonshine Lead Joined: 3/23/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 12/19/09 at 4:50pm
	Where do you find the people to volunteer? We post in papers, etc but still have problems getting people out. And mailing and e-mailing churches seems to be a waste of time, normally if they have a drama they seem to be unwilling to help out.
	IP Logged

Firace Walk-On Joined: 5/08/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/04/10 at 2:53pm
	Well Sonshine- originally I started out with 2-5 gung ho christian artists and we did it all. Now word of mouth has spread and I carry a troupe of 17 but have a waiting list. I think what makes us unique and why christian actors want to join us is that we we are chrisitian theatre in other words, we are more of a ministry than just entertainment. Our goal is to bring the gospel and that is what christians want to do with their talent, otherwise you are simply doing what the secular world does:)...as one who joined my troupe recently told me " I love doing this with you because I am not only entertaining people but ministering to the lost and hurting as well". So I would start with a couple of die hards and be prepared to take some lumps and do alot of work....be different and do not present things of the world, because the world is already doing that! Christian actors want to do christian acting. Otherwise they can just audition for secular plays...understand? www.impactdrama.com
	IP Logged