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Oh, do you produce plays? I've been wanting to try that at our local community theater for a long time. I used to do theater constantly when I was a kid and teen-ager, and I really miss it, but I'd like to try my hand at producing a show. Any advice for me?
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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The biggest thing is market, market, market! The only way the show fails is if no one comes to see it. That means either getting word out yourself (press releases, posters, post cards, calling newspapers, getting local sponsors) or hiring someone to do it for you.
Also, don't wear too many hats. If you're going to produce it, don't act in it! You need to devote yourself to the job of producing. You MIGHT get away with both producing and directing, but you need a support system (stage manager, crew) or else you'll have too much to do for yourself.
Make yourself available to the director. If they need something, get it done as quickly as possible. Try to anticipate their needs, but also keep up a dialog. Make sure you know what you need to do a long time before it needs to get done, and let them know of any difficulties.
When dealing with small professional or community theater, very often the producer becomes the entire production crew. The bigger you get, the more it seems to become "the one with the money".
Posts: 3852 | Registered: Feb 2002
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