Running Your Theater: starting community theater

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starting community theater

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1864
Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 12:27am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: starting community theater

Posted By: bakthtr
Subject: starting community theater
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 2:50am

I am thinking of starting a community theater. There are a few parents that are not happy with the local theaters. Are there any suggestions on how to go about doing this? Or, does anybody have any suggestions on how to tell the local theaters that we are unhappy? I am worried that it might harm my childrens chances of landing good roles.

Replies:

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 6:56am

Try the American Community Theatre site.
On starting a theatre group.
http://www.aact.org/start/index.html
Or the front page here of the ?Greenroom? will help as well;-

http://www.communitytheater.org/articles/DOliability.htm

As for your tin lids not getting roles, this is always on anyway, even with adults who are in other groups.
Possibly what may be better for you & the other parents is get elected as Office Bearers to the Committee of the Group that?s already set up. It will possibly easier than starting a new group!

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 8:09am

You don't say why you are unhappy with the existing community theater. Starting up a new theater group takes ten times more work and money than you can possibly imagine. Think long and hard before you do it especially if you are in a small town and the number of actors available will be limited. You will be competing with the other more established theaters not only for audience members but for talent too. It may be a better idea to join in the general meeting of the existing group and make your concerns known. There may be others in the community that feel the same way you do and you may be able to change what you don't like.

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"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 9:05am

I agree with Joan, running a theater is more work than most people could possibly imagine. And starting a new theater just to spite the existing one is getting the entire project off on the wrong foot.

Even though there are several community theaters in our town who are in direct competition with each other, there is a great spirit of community. Loaning out props, costumes or set pieces is common practice among these theaters, each helping the other to put on the best productions possible.

If you have a beef with your present theater, speak up! Most theaters I've worked in welcome comments from their patrons both good and bad. (Good and bad comments, that is, not good and bad patrons -- whatever)

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 1:26pm

Yeah...and the chances of your children landing good roles should have nothing to do with anything but their ability to act and their work ethic as a cast member.

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"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

Posted By: castMe
Date Posted: 5/24/06 at 6:01pm

To elaborate on Joan and Topper's comments a bit, it's usually easier to effect changes from with-in than from the outside.

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Investigate. Imagine. Choose.

Posted By: epetterson
Date Posted: 6/22/06 at 4:34pm

hello, we have to move because of the heating costs. There is a possibility of having a 40x100 building donated to us, with parking, we are wondering how to convert it to a theater. We could add a kitchen outside of the existing building, as well as a lobby, but the stage would be limited to 40 feet. Our usual audiences have been 20-100 people lately. We would like to allow for more. Selling the current building would not net us much above outstanding mortgage (unfortunately).

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epetterson

Posted By: castMe
Date Posted: 6/22/06 at 5:38pm

epetterson, does your theater company know an architect? A designer? Can you go on road trips to view other nearby (or not so nearby) theaters? Check out your local library for theater mags that may contain photos of a variety of college and professional venues. I don't know how large your current space is, but a 40' wide stage sounds delicious. How high are the ceilings? How would you like to seat...proscenium? arena? three quarter thrust? Wanna be able to change from one to another? Good luck and have fun with your beautiful, new blank canvas.

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Investigate. Imagine. Choose.

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 6/23/06 at 10:03am

only a 40' wide stage?

ONLY?

lol

I've done major musicals - complete with corps d'ballet - on 20' wide
stages.

I'm not sure I'd know how to fill up a 40' stage LOL

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:04am

Given the 40? is wall to wall, so taking in account of the off stage area, it would come down to around a 30? proscenium opening, which would be normal!
But remember to give yourself as much space, as you can for the stage depth!

-------------
Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: jcorkran
Date Posted: 6/23/06 at 3:55pm

I have to agree... 40' is more than I am used to working with. It just means you have to be more creative in your staging.

Bakthtr, I have also been involved with start-ups and want to reinforce the notion of being very sure before you launch into that one. Yes, the cost is higher than expected and the amount of work is tremendously larger than you probably imagine. But the biggest downfall I have seen is gaining audience. Regardless of how good your productions are, it takes a while for your community to find out you exist, regardless of how much advertising you do. Then it takes much longer for them to actually come to performances. Also, unless you have your own facility, finding places to stage your productions can be difficult and/or expensive.

I, too, recommend making your concerns known to the existing CTs or getting involved enough to change them from within. It's amazing how much someone is willing to listen to you after you have spent more time and effort in their cause.

In terms of competition in a small community, our 3-4 (and growing) number of small theatres compete, but not directly. We all do different kinds of theatre, so we really complement each other, rather than directly competing. It is very nice to see theatre and the performing arts grow and flourish in a small central Kentucky community! By supporting each other the several theatre groups here are creating a market for ourselves by getting the rest of the community interested, as well.

Jeff

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You're working too hard... there's a reason it's called a PLAY. Have fun!

Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 6/24/06 at 10:47am

There is a wonderful book that will answer all of your questions:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0933750005/sr=8-1/qid=1151160327/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-8007807-3926362?ie=UTF8 - - Will It Make a Theatre: A Guide to Finding, Renovating, Financing, Bringing Up-To-Code, the Nontraditional Performance Space by Eldon Elder (Paperback - Jun 1979)

It is a little spendy but not when you consider the cost of renovating a building.

Posted By: lalunabella
Date Posted: 6/26/06 at 7:59pm

I agree that it is easier to try and work with an existing theater co. than to start one up on your own, but I think it bears saying that there are some circumstances where compromise is not an option. Especially dealing with teens or young children and questionable ethics and behavior, or just dealing with questionable ethics and mismanagement in general. I advocate going to the creative director and the board. Give voice to your concerns first. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Try to work from the inside. But if the situation does not improve, explore your other options.

It is a huge deal... overwhelming actually. You really have to evaluate your motivation for wanting to start up. Of course it seems logical that it would not be totally alturistic, but what is the level of self promotion involved?

lalunabella

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"Yes I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one that can find his way by moonlight and sees the dawn before the rest of the world." ~Oscar Wilde