I agree with falstaff.  People with varied theatre experience need to
"represent" their specialty.  A cross section of knowledgeable people will result in level and even-handed opinions on all theatre topics.  You may not always agree on everything, but at least all aspects will be addressed.

May I also suggest also finding some people who are not necessarily theatre-types.  Just regular joes with an interest in volunteering.  For example, our Treasurer is a retired CPA who also serves on our city's downtown business revitalization committee.  Yes, she loves theatre, but has no interest in being on stage, designing something or working in the tech booth.  Her thoughts and opinions are usually quite insightful.  Plus, her involvement with the city is a huge asset!!

Regarding choosing shows:

As the Artistic Director, I have found that play selection by committee can be tedious and sometimes frustrating.  Also, once a slate of shows was chosen and approved, then directors would be contacted and asked if they would like to direct one of the chosen shows.  Inevitably, there would be one or two shows that directors would end up directing just because it was the last show chosen and no one else wanted to direct it.

Now, I accept play submissions from directors.  There is no play reading committee.  Directors submit up to three plays and/or musicals to me along with their proposals (including "vision", design concepts, etc.) and copies of their scripts.  They also choose their "preferred" time slots.  Once all submissions are received, I log all the shows and directors onto a spreadsheet along with their preferred time slots.  Then the reviewing begins....

Some shows are automatically nixed due to production impossibilities (for example, we can never do "Noises Off" because we do not have the space), cast size (we are a very intimate theatre with no backstage and a stage that's 12'Dx24'W), and content (we *do* takes some risks, but some shows would just be too much for our patron base to handle).

Once the list is narrowed down, I get to reading.  If I am unfamiliar with a director, I schedule an interview and bring along another board member who's sort-of my unofficial Associate Artistic Director.

We do six shows a season, and I try to select a well-balanced season of dramas and comedies, with a small-scale musical every other year.  I compile what I think is the best season and present it to the board.  Of course, I have alternatives available should a particular show not be approved.  Scripts are available for all board members to read and the official vote is at the next months' board meeting, so everyone has ample time to research and read the proposed plays. 

Those are the basics, and there are variables.  But long story short, with the abolishment of the play selection committee, there has been zero opposition to the proposed seasons and we are getting directors who are passionate about the shows they want to direct.  Many times, they even bring their own design and technical teams!

Whoa.  You sound light years ahead of where we are.  We're not even sure where we're going to get directors from. let alone having them submit scripts or proposals. 

Where do you get the scripts from that you present to the board or for committee readings?   Do you order perusal copies from the publishing companies?  Doesn't that get to be expensive?  Remember, we have zero money right now.

Your ideas about board make-up confirm what we'd optimally like to have, but I'll be happy just to get a handful of interested people.  It's not like we have an abundance of actors or techies in town.  I do have a lawyer who' willing to help us.

The cheapest place to find scripts is at your local public library (free!).  Or, even better, if there is a college or university in your city with a theatre department, I would try contacting them and ask to peruse their script library. 

Another source is to visit any of the publishing houses' websites.  They will provide synopses, cast size and royalty costs (or you inquire for royalty fees).  Dramatists and Samuel French are the "biggies".  You can also purchase scripts from them. 

I like to visit other theatres' websites and see what they're doing.  You can get a good sense of what is popular and also read some synopses and reviews of those shows. 

Here's more about our situation:  Our library system really stinks here.  I doubt that there's one play in it, but I'll check.  The nearest universities are 45 mins. to 1 hr. 15 mins. away from our town.  The whole county population is less than 30,000 and very poor.  The schools literally have ceilings falling in due to the unwillingness of the majority of tax payers to fund school maintenance levies.   Sad.

The high school drama teacher has been staging shows year round, but only involves adults in the summer.  If she continues to do shows in the summer, they will draw talent and audience from our shows.  She is willing to let us take over the summer show, if she feels we have a director and artistic staff in place that is "good enough" to put on a quality show.  She's a fantastic director, but does not have the time to direct for us as she's begun a professional summer theater in the next county which involves many of the same actors.  Their season starts after the summer production in our county. 

Another factor - if we do shows at the high school, which is the only nice auditorium, people will think it's just another high school production and not differentiate us from them.  So, we need to find a different venue at least until we've established ourselves.

Thanks again for your valuable insight. 

Opalviolet, does your state have an interlibrary loan system?  In Iowa if I go to the public library and ask for a book that they don't have they can request it from any library in the state, be it university library or city library.  The only cost involved is postage, I think. 

We are pretty isolated, too.  The nearest universities being 60, 90 and 180 miles away.  Our county population is 14,334.  Our county is the oldest in the state, too -- by that I mean has the oldest population in the state.  And we have a thriving community theatre but we work our tails off.

I agree that the high school auditorium (even if it's a great auditorium) isn't the best place for community theatre productions. If you can find something else, it will "feel" better to you, I think.  A restaurant might let you do some shows in their place on slow nights to help build their dinner business.  Doug B from Orcas Island can tell you about doing theatre in restaurants... are you here Doug?  If there isn't anyplace else, then by all means take the school auditorium, but not if you don't have to, (in my opinon.)

Just an observation - but if you don't have enough money to buy perusal scripts how will you be able to pay the royalties and rental up front to do a show?  It takes a little bit of money to make money.  In order to produce a show, someone in your group is going to have to bite the bullet and put up some front money. They can submit receipts and be reimbursed with the profits from the first show, and hopefully there will be enough profit to fund the next show.

Our CT has a play-reading committee of 5 people.  They discuss and bring ideas of what scripts to read to the meeting and then order the perusal scripts from the publishers.  Some publishers allow you to purchase one perusal script (around $7) and others have you pay the postage to receive and return the borrowed scripts.  After receiving the scripts the committee passes the scripts around, reading and making notes as to their opinions of the show, staging, costumes, number of characters - all the things you need to think about before deciding on your season.  

Tonight is the first meeting we've advertised to the public, so we hope to have more people to offer their time and money as word gets out.  Initially, we'll probably do some small productions in restaurants or the community center.  I've written eight murder mystery plays which have been performed professionally on scenic railroads and in restaurants in the area I moved from.   We could do these to raise some funds.  I'd waive the fees I get for royalties, directing, and acting. 

We also plan to have membership dues, solicit sponsors, and do other fundraisers.  It all takes time.

As far as I know, West Virginia does not have a statewide community theater organization.

The first meeting, no one showed, the second we had three and last night, the first one advertised to the public, we had one, besides my husband and myself.  I have an e-mail list of 15 people who are interested and I've spoken to a few others, but they obviously don't look at this as a priority.  I'm very discouraged.  Since I'll be acting in a professional equity show in a few weeks, playing Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, I've decided to put the community theater attempt to rest until January. 

opalviolet:

As a follow-up and for your future reference, I did check with the exec dir. of our state org. and received the following reply:

"I looked in the AACT directory and there is no WV State Assn.  There are only 6 theatres that are members of AACT and one of them is Actors Guild of Parkersbury, which is a member of OCTA, but they are located in WV.

The other 5 theatres are located in

Charleston, WV

Fayette, WV

Morgantown, WV

Charles Town, WV

Clarksburg, WV

West Virginia is in Region 4 of AACT and Ginger Heath is the Regional Rep for that region.  There are 12 states or provinces in this region.  I think Ginger is on the committee for the National AACT next year at Charlotte, NC. 

.....if your friend knows anyone in any of the towns listed above, I can give you the names of the individuals that are the contacct people for that theatre."

And if you want Ginger Heath's address/phone number etc. I have that and can send you a private message.

Hope that some of this is helpful!

We are located near Morgantown.  Yes, I'd like to have that contact information. 

Thanks!

opalviolet:

I have sent that info to you  in a private message.  Hope  it helps, and good luck!

Doug B:

You make me tired just reading your post.  We do not have a permanent home, but there's a possibility we may be able to have one leased to us, hopefully for free.  It too requires a lot of work.  I'm not sure I have your energy to tackle it by myself, as I've just started my own business within the past six months.  That has to be my priority.  What I may end up doing is incorporating the theater group as part of my business' mission includes entertainment for my tour groups.    I'll see how our January meeting goes.  As I'm sure you know, it's a lot easier to simply act for another company than to try to run one yourself, even if it means travel time outside of the community.  Part of my problem is that I'm new to this community and don't know a lot of people nor do they know me or my credits.

If you are interested I would be more than happy to provide you with a copy of our By-Laws which describe in some detail our particular Board positions. Let me know. You can reach me at:

mailto:act@silverstage.org - act@silverstage.org

Break a leg!

Frank L. Sawyer

Silver Stage Players: Chairman 2006-07