Student Productions, Part 1:

Preliminary Work

First off you're going to need to know what you're doing?  Is it Of Mice and Men, The Serpent, something you and your friends cooked up in a drunken stupor?  What ever it is, you need to know if you need to get rights to use the play/musical/whatever (and therefore pay royalties).  Mike Formato can help you figure this out and help you get them.  If you can't get the rights, you can't do it.  Sorry, those are the rules.

After this you're going to need to figure out where and when.  Mike Formato can help you find out which spaces are available and when.  A cast and crew will also need to be assembled.  Where you do your show will have a big impact as to what you will need tech wise.  Lighting the Katharine Cornell Theatre is much different than lighting the Rehearsal Workshop.  Start asking your friends if they want to help or know someone who would.  Also, start looking for actors.  Unless you already know who's going to be casted, you will probably need to hold auditions.  They can be as formal or informal as you like (remember you're in charge).  Depending on your situation some of the cast can double up as part of the crew.

The CFA requires you to meet some requirements too.  A house manager, approved by Katharine Trapanowski (the CFA house manager), and reassurance that the technical crew can handle what you're asking them to do are a must.  If the CFA isn't happy with your suggestions, you'll either need to find other people to do it or pay them to have someone there for you.  Lastly, you will need a faculty or staff member there to oversee things .  They must attend every tech rehearsal and performance.  If it is a staff member, they must volunteer to help on their own time.  If you plan to have the show run in the CFA or the KCT, you must sell the tickets through the CFA Box Office.  $.50 is taken off the top for each ticket sold.  In exchange for this, they will be open before the show just like any other theatre.

An advisor is very highly recommended.  This is a large, daunting task you're undertaking and there's a good chance this is your first attempt at something like this.  Having someone to give you advice along the way is a big help and can help alleviate the insanity at times.

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