Community Theatre Site

Try this site on community theatre - unless you already know!http://www.communitytheater.org/Just a grab - from their article sectionOver time, we have received a number of requests askingfor advice on setting up and running a community theatergroup. We have tried to reply to each of these requestsindividually, but many of them were rather open-ended, sowe've put together a few organizational tips andsuggestions for theater groups no matter their age. Theseare certainly open to discussion and debate, and wewelcome your input.Below, you will find a list of organizational "don'ts" basedon observation and experience with a number oforganizations, both theatrical and non-theatrical. Alongwith our list of "thou shalt nots," you'll find our explanationsof what kind of problems these scenarios can generate andwhy you should avoid them.Pitfall #1 - Too many board membersAn ideal board for a community theatershould be anywhere from 5-9 members, andalways an odd number. More than that, anddiscussions and decision-making can getbogged down, leading to inaction.Pitfall #2 --Too few board membersFewer than 5 board members leads toperception problems. A board must haveenough people to assure diversity of opinionand thought.Pitfall #3 -- Too much detail dealt with at the boardlevelCommittees should be used to spread thework around. If a board spends too muchtime dealing with minutiae, importantdecisions get short shrift. Let committees ofmembers handle the arguments and detailsand, if necessary, bring recommendations tothe board.Pitfall #4 -- Unempowered committeesMake sure committees have enoughauthority to do their jobs without having tocome to the board for every decision.Pitfall #5 -- No budget for individual committees andshowsBudgets allow committees and productionsto spend money without board approval, upto certain preset levels. This again allows theboard to deal with more important issuesthan how much to spend on toilet paper forthis month.Pitfall #6 -- Non-member decision makingAvoid this one like the plague. Create amembership standard and invest themembership with certain privileges, such asvoting for the board, borrowing items from thetheater, etc. Make sure that members areaware of the rights and privileges that comewith membership. Do not allow non-membersto become a part of the decision-makingprocess.Pitfall #7 --Inactive members voting for boardmembersBe sure your bylaws spell out the votingrequirements and make sure they go beyondpaying dues. Require attendance at a setnumber of board or general meetings in orderto vote. Require participation in other wayssuch as backstage or committee work. Theprivilege of having a say in how theorganization is run has to be earned.Pitfall #8 -- Inactive board membersIf your board is composed of members ofyour theater company, a majority of themshould be active members. A boardcomposed mostly of people who no longerwork on shows runs the risk of being out oftouch with the needs and wants of themembers down in the trenches.Pitfall #9 -- Not keeping members and patronsinformedAn uninformed membership tends to drift.They don't feel as if they're a part of theorganization. The same goes for patrons.Publish a periodic newsletter for everyone,letting them know about important boarddecisions and upcoming productions andauditions. Make your board minutes availableto the membership. Keep them involved inwhat's going on.Pitfall #10 -- Policies shared by word of mouthHow does one get to be a director? What arethe producer's responsibilities? Write 'emdown and make sure they're available toeveryone. Policies are not bylaws theboard has to have the flexibility to changethem as circumstances change, but theyshould not be changed on a whim.Pitfall #11 -- Non-member directorsUnless you import and pay for directingtalent, this could spell trouble. An outsidedirector doesn't know the unique situationswithin your group and yet represents yourgroup to new members and to patrons. Makesure that your directors have experience withyour group as participants, not justobservers. Not only will they be more in tunewith the members and the audience, you'll bemore likely to keep them around.Pitfall #12 -- Having one person selecting plays for aseasonI know that's how many groups with anartistic director work. However, it doesn'tallow for more than one person's preferencesand interpretations. I am familiar with onesituation where a group's artistic directordecided to do a season of "cutting edge artshows" and nearly put the group out ofbusiness. It was just too much for theaudience. Put together a diverse playreadingcommittee, with members who range fromvery conservative to very cutting edge. Don'tforget the moderates. This committee shouldmake recommendations to the board anddissenting opinions about shows should alsobe presented to the board. Let the boardmake final decisions on the plays and theseason. That's what you have one for.Pitfall #13 -- Relying on government money to surviveSooner or later, the Republicans are going tosucceed in cutting the NEA's budget to thepoint where community theaters get left out.Don't use government money for generaloperating expenses. Use it, if you have to, tofund special projects that can be dumped ifyour funding is cut. Make sure that yourbudget is such that your main purpose,producing plays for the community, isself-supporting. It isn't impossible, eventoday. Work within your means and don't gettoo ambitious too fast. Budget, then checkyour figures annually.Back To The Green Room Main Page 1998 by Mike & Chris Polo.I only had a quick look - but it's now a bookmarkJoe McCabe