I was wondering if people wouldn't mind sharing how they go about selecting plays for a season. I work with two theaters. They have very different ways of putting together a season. One involves directors from the beginning of the process. The other selects plays then trys to find someone to to direct them. I just wanted to see how other theaters go about this process.

Linda

The way our theatre works is we send out letters to our patrons/directors/people who might like to direct, and ask them if they would like to direct and what show they would like to direct. They are givin a certain amount of time to submit the show they want. Then we put together a perusal committee to go through and read the scripts from there they decide which shows they like and think would be good at our theatre, and then we place them in our time slots.

Ace

We have a committee that makes show recommendations to our Board of Directors.  The Artistic Director (me) is a member of the selection committee, and is responsible for directing all our productions (we do 5 full length shows a year).  I also have a certain amount of veto power, if it's a show I really detest it is likely that it won't end up on our slate of recommendations.  The Board has final approval of the shows and sets production dates.

We solicit our patrons, board  and volunteers for suggestions of shows, but also extensively research what's playing in the region and keep an eye on what's new and what's playing on Broadway (hot revivals, etc.).

It would seem to me that the committee format works most effectively in keeping personalities out of the show selection process.  "Oh you're only doing that show, because your daughter can play the lead," or pushing an individual's personal agenda on the organization.  It also lets a theatre focus more on the organization's production goals.  At the same time we don't have to worry about finding production directors, so I can see advantages to the director selected productions method if you don't have an artistic director or resident director. 

Thank you. This has been very helpful. The first theater that I work with has a very similiar process to most of you. Letters are sent out to prospective directors and suggestions are processed by a committee and presented to the board. Sometimes a director will make a presentation to the board if the board has questions, or the show involves original music or is an original script. For the most part the seasons are balanced and there has been little problem in finding directors.

I have been asked to be part of the programming committee for the other theater. Their process has me baffled. For the most part it consists of quessing. I wanted to give them some options on how other theaters select seasons. Now we are suppose to go find the directors for these shows we guessed people would want to direct. It is frustrating.

Barb: To answer your question about finding producers. In the theater where I do most of my work  producers volunteer from the board after the season has been selected. There are 12 members on the board, so ideally 1/2 the board is involved in producing every year. Some people really like producing and volunteer more often. We like for there to be two producers. It helps defray burnout. We have actually put together a manual. It has information on just about everything from applying for rights, to lists of local musicians, and who to call get to get oil delivered. It includes check lists, timelines and contact information. We update it fairly regularly. It has helped standardize the process and people are more willing to volunteer to produce.

Thank you all for your input. I am going to suggest that the second theater look hard at their process and come up with an alternative.

Linda

First, as a director, I wouldn't want to be directing a show that I didn't have a hand in selecting.  I would at least want the right to decline to direct.

However, at my group the directors get to select their shows, subject to approval.  Wouldn't have it any other way.

We have done it both ways -- director input and selection, then find a director.  Both worked, but having the director's input has been more effective for us.  We are fortunate enough to have hired a director for the entire season this year and he will be full-time for us next season.  Because of his knowledge of theater, he has been instrumental in providing suggestions that have helped in improving the quality and variety of our programming.  In turn, our attendance has steadily increased.

Of course, our board has the final say into selection of the season.  We use a committee to make recommendations, usually from the director's suggested list, then approve it with the entire board.  Sometimes it gets fine-tuned a bit, but everyone has had input before it is decided.  It works for us.