The play's the thing
It's a cliche, but it's true – the play really is the thing. The choice of script is the single most important decision you make on any project. With a good script, everything else becomes possible. If you have a bad script, you will never have a good production.
Watch everything
From people to productions, it's vital to increase your theatre knowledge, so watch as much as you can. Not only is it the best way to find out what you like and don't, there are also benefits in terms of casting. The only way to know what an actor will really be like on stage is to see them on it. Even auditions are misleading. Look for standing/day seats, young person schemes – it needn't always be expensive – or just turn up to the box office on the day and try some good old-fashioned negotiation.
Learn about every single aspect of the production
Do this as early as possible. Almost every day I'm amazed at how talented the people I work with are. I take pleasure in learning what they do and how they do it. Beyond just being a decent, interested person, there are serious, practical implications to this.
When you set up a show, there will be a period of months when only you, the writer and the director (perhaps the design team) are likely to be on board. Through this time you will make a series of decisions that have a big impact later on. By learning what everyone might require when you bring the whole team together, you will avoid making mistakes that may seem small at the time, but could blow up in a big way later on – recognising the press potential of a piece of casting, for example, or the choice of rehearsal room to suit the stage management team.
Empower the people you employ
Once you've appointed your team, let them do their jobs. Successful producers have a reputation for meddling in all aspects of the production, but I've never seen any evidence to suggest this does any good. If you've got your appointments right (and do try to get it right; it's the second-most important bit of a project) then you will have a selection of people whose abilities far outweigh your own – and the best thing you can do is to make their job as easy as possible.
Remember: happy teams make good theatre.
Don't wait for investors
Find the right project and the money should follow. The big fear for most emerging theatre producers is that they won't be able to raise the money for a project, which is an understandable concern. But the only way to really find out how you can raise money is to have a project for which to raise money.
Try to keep the show's success out of the hands of critics
The critics in London and elsewhere can overnight turn a show that's selling no tickets at all into a hit. It's vitally important to ensure that as many critics as possible see your show. However, relying only on critics is a dangerous exercise; an actor might have an off-night on press night, or an incident could derail a particular performance. As such, you should do everything you can to ensure that a good critical response is a bonus for the success of a show, not essential.
Bonus tips
- Read plays: lots, all of the time.
- On small productions, press trumps marketing every time: spend your money there.
- Be present: even during times when you have nothing to add, such as tech rehearsals. Pop in with coffee and cake; people like to see that they haven't been forgotten about (but don't get in the way!).
- As a very clever producer, Amy Danis, once said: "A producer is a banker, a cheerleader and a fireman" – be prepared to be all three.
Tim Johanson is currently producing The Wasp at Trafalgar Studios
Join our community of arts, culture and creative professionals by signing up free to the Guardian Culture Pros Network.[1]
References
- ^ Guardian Culture Pros Network (register.theguardian.com)
