WHY DO YOU WANT TO PRODUCE A PLAY?
The love of theatre? Are you a writer who is sick and tired of getting rejections letters? Or NO LETTERS even when you enclose the mandatory SASE? Are you an actress who wants to get noticed? Or perhaps you just love, love, love a certain piece and HAVE to do it and no one will cast you in it so, damnit, I’m doing it myself! Perhaps you have a dream of producing a play on Broadway and you want to shop it for angels (investors). Have you considered adapting your screenplay to stage, mounting it and inviting production companies? That is an option often overlooked. Are you considering creating a show to tour the country and you’d like to mount the play in Los Angeles, New York or Chicago to work out the kinks, get reviews and credibility to market the show in other cities? You’re reasons are individual, personal and endless.
Whatever your reasons I’m here to help. StageMyPlay.com was created to help you pursue your dream. Our sister web site Riprap Entertainment is my personal and business web site that houses Riprap Studio Theatre, my theatre in North Hollywood, California. Can I help you? I think so. At a minimum, I hope to get you started in the right direction and give you some inspiration.
INTRODUCTION
“There’s no money in theatre!” Says who? As an actress, I signed with a top-tier talent agency in New York after an agent saw my performance in a stage play at the famed Negro Ensemble Company. That relationship led to many national commercial auditions. As a producer, I staged an adaptation of one of my screenplays at my theatre in LA that caught the attention of HBO Films who subsequently requested a copy of the original screenplay for review. Had it been developed and produced, was there “money” in that play? Absolutely! Will it lead to future success? Who knows. Our most recent stage production “Eccentric” written by Ernest Hemmings of Las Vegas, Nevada is on the table for film production with a promise of a significant budget. That may or may not happen. If it does, I’d say there’s “money” in that play.
Is there “money” in the theatre? It depends on what kind of money you need. If you wish to nourish your soul, I say you’ll get rich. If you’re in theatre for the mean green, get out. If you love theatre and appreciate the rewards and where it can take you and you’re also willing make a serious investment in your career, read on.
WHY DID I START PRODUCING?
I really don’t know. Okay, I know, but I really don’t have one reason. I started Riprap Writer’s Playhouse in 1999 as a vehicle for writers. As an actress I also wanted to endear myself to writers in order to find great roles to play. My goal was to expose writers’ works to the Los Angeles market with the hope of performing in some great pieces. Did that goal come to fruition? Yes, absolutely. It happened times ten. I couldn’t be happier with my achievements and the people with whom I’ve crossed paths.
Have I made any money in it? Each play that we’ve done has brought in a larger audience and more money than the prior stage play. Is that success? Yes. How do you measure success? I can’t answer that, but for me, it’s not money.
GOALS
What is my first and best advice to people who ask me, “How do I put up my play?” You must know that you will get it done, period. Know that if your director flakes and chokes during rehearsal you will not personally choke him and lose the trust of your cast or worse, lose faith in yourself. Know that when an actor quits because her boyfriend doesn’t like the show, you will re-cast it and keep the play running. The other option is to double-cast every play and/or be certain to have dependable understudies. Know that when you get in the lighting booth and your critical CD changer starts playing the same disk over and over of its own volition without any assistance from you, you’re not going to freak out. After all, the show must go on.
In a nutshell, theatre production is tedious and time consuming. You’re faith in YOU has to be greater than any obstacle that will inevitably arise.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
I have mounted five stage plays at my theatre, Riprap Studio Theatre in North Hollywood, California in addition to numerous other events and one-night activities such as readings, open mic nights and film and video production. This web site will educate you about insurance requirements, equity, contracts, marketing, the decision to go non-profit (or not), free services to help you achieve going non-profit, both locally and nationally. How to deal with writers, finding a play, getting the rights to that play, public domain, other contracts, paying the talent, paying the writers and your production team, awards, finding a publicist, working with that publicist, working with friends, budgeting, reviewers, advertising. . . ahh, the list goes on and on.
I have experience and I have friends who have experience from Broadway to the 99 seat plan and both and everything in between. Most importantly, I have a love of theatre and I love people who also love theatre. Helping you helps me and keeps theatre alive. What’s more important than that?!
Why, you might ask, have I only staged five plays in eight years? It’s simple, I demand a certain quality, so please keep that in mind when you bring me your play.
HOMEWORK – LET’S GET BUSY
Why do you want to stage your play and what do you hope to achieve?
Make a list. Write down the pros and cons. PRO – I get to act! CON – I have no money. Come back after you’ve written your list and we’ll talk about getting the rights to the play and putting a team together.
Thanks for stopping by. If you really want to stage your play in LA, give me a call and we can talk costs and whether or not it’s feasible.
CONTACT: Sandra Nutt, Riprap Studio Theatre, 5755 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, California 91601. Telephone: (818) 990-7498. Web site: http://www.riprapentertain.com/
Email: Sandy@RiprapEntertain.com