Whether it’s musical theatre, a pantomime or a play, there are many things to think about if you want to make it a success. In order to create a professional production, you need to pay attention to detail. From selecting a great behind the scenes team to creating a marketing strategy, the decisions you make every step of the way matter. Here are a few top tips to help you make your amateur production more professional.
Put Together a Fantastic Team
Perhaps you have already got a few talented people in mind, but which roles will they fit into? To take your production from amateur to professional, put together a list of roles and then match them up with your collaborators. At the very least, your list should include a producer, a director, a production stage manager, a production manager and a technical director. Other areas to think about are music and choreography, and set, lighting, sound and costume design. Not to mention, you may need a backstage team of carpenters, electricians and light operators.
Don’t Take Too Much On
Small, amateur theatre productions sometimes assign several job roles to one person. Unfortunately, this can be incredibly stressful for one person to manage and can leave your production worse off in the long run. Try to expand your team so that everyone can focus on one particular role.
Set the Scene With a Great Set
It doesn’t matter if you’re creating a show with a small cast or a large-scale, all-singing and all-dancing production, you need to make sure you have a great set with fantastic props and costumes to boot. Once rehearsals have begun you will develop a clearer idea of what you need. Take into account the dimensions of your venue, and the individual performers.
Invest in Proper Stage Makeup
Good makeup application is key if you want to flesh out a believable character, and the type of makeup your performers use can make a huge difference. Theatre makeup supplies are thicker than usual, and they are designed for on stage performances. Regular makeup is more likely to run, and you don’t want a melting face to distract the audience from your production. Make sure your performer’s use proper stage makeup, and that they know how to apply it properly. For an added level of professionalism, design their makeup and teach them how to apply it themselves during rehearsals.
Publicize Your Production
If you want a packed theatre every night, then make sure you publicize your production early. Create attractive posters and leaflets to distribute, and contact local establishments to get their support. In addition, speak to schools, clubs and libraries so that they can share the news of your upcoming production.
Your cast and crew can also get involved by promoting the production to their family and friends. Word of mouth can help you attract the punters, but creating an online marketing strategy and implementing it early can draw in a broader audience. This can include setting up social media pages for your production to create awareness, and promoting it on existing social profiles.
