Start A Community Theater in the Country

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The average royalty will range from $25 to $50 a night, paid in advance. Unfortunately, the fees have no relationship to the amount of money taken in at the box office. Suppose the royalty is $25, and you clear $200 . . . that's fine! But if you make only $10, the fee will still be $25. And so it will remain . . . even if you charge no admission at all! (Well, the stage has always been a risky business at best . . . and little theaters are no different in this respect from the big Broadway houses.)

THE PRODUCTION CREW

An axiom in the theater says that "everyone wants to act", and it's only too true! For that reason, people who are willing to work on production-doing lights, sound, set construction, prop collection, costumes, and makeup-are worth their weight in spotlights. But in the country, nearly every member of the cast will know enough carpentry to help build sets ... and fingers that quilt and mend jeans can whip out some dynamite costumes!

A production crew should consist of at least one light person, one sound person, a half-dozen people for set construction, at least two to handle properties (all those items-from a toothpick to a sofa-that are required for the play), and two or three for costumes and makeup. (Of course, some positions can be doubled up.) It also helps tremendously to have a stage manager to "orchestrate" all such tasks .. . and take that big workload off the director.

DIRECTOR BY DEFAULT

In a country production the role of the director usually goes to whoever's had any experience whatsoever in the theater . . . and his or her first job will be to hold auditions. Then-once a play is cast rehearsals begin, and continue (ideally) for six weeks. If you allow less time, the performance won't be polished properly . . . but a longer rehearsal period often results in tired actors who are bored with their roles. A six-week schedule seems to exert just the right amount of pressure.

NEVER AGAIN!

Usually, rehearsals last four hours a night . . . and are scheduled two nights a week for the first four weeks, twice as often during the fifth week, and whatever it takes in the sixth week.

By the time that final down-to-thewire stretch is reached, most of the cast will be heard exclaiming loudly and frequently, "I'll never be in another play as long as I liver"

But wait two weeks after the final production, hold tryouts for the next performance . . . and everyone will be right there, ready to go again!

"It's like a drug," moaned one actor. "Once you get hooked on it, you can't get off."

WHY BOTHER?

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