This summer I am excited to have the opportunity to direct "Once On This Island" with my nonprofit, community theater group in its 12th year, Metrowest Family Theater. Our last production was "The Sound of Music" in July, 2010 and while it was a beautiful show, we took a huge financial hit with low ticket sales and it forced us to take a year off to recoup & regroup.
Nearly 2 years later, I am braving the storm yet again because I know that what we do at MFT is worth it! I am confident that we'll be able to stay afloat by having a large cast (that will help sell tons of tickets), having performances at a time when people have (hopefully) yet to take off for the summer (June 21-23), and by doing a lot of fundraising!
I hope you'll read on to learn more about what it takes to produce these large scale shows and the benefits of participating in these exciting musicals! I hope this blog will encourage you to help us raise funds or get involved behind the scenes or on stage!
THE JOY OF BEING IN AN MFT SHOW!
Being involved in an MFT show is really a spectacular experience. It gives both novice and experienced performers a chance to work together in a creative, meaningful way. We have such a blast from start to finish and by the final bow, everyone feels like family. We are fortunate to be able to cast people of all ages and abilities. We have a knack for casting and are able to put performers where they need to be to maintain a busy environment for all while producing a high quality piece of theater. There are no limits as to who can participate in our show - as long as you meet the minimum age requirement we welcome all to audition. Our production team is made up of professionals in the field, from expert lighting design to innovative choreography to an incredible live orchestra. It's a professional, organized, and fun environment from start to finish. Rehearsals are structured so that our cast stays busy. You'll work closely with the director, choreographer, and musical director to help create an amazing show. Camaraderie is a huge part of what we cultivate at MFT and we want everyone to feel like part of the team. Young children and novice performers learn a tremendous amount of skills along the way and are immersed in a challenging environment. Advanced, seasoned stage veterans are given superb guidance in a fast-paced, professional atmosphere. Everyone in OOTI will have the opportunity to perform at one of Boston's premier theatrical venues: Arsenal Center for the Arts. We are so fortunate to have a great working relationship with such an outstanding venue! Participating in an MFT show is both memorable and rewarding, and it is my pleasure to be able to offer this to the community once again.
THE #1 CHALLENGE OF OUR COMMUNITY THEATER
If these shows are so gosh darn fun and educational, why don't we do more of them?! Sadly, the only thing holding us back is money. For starters, I take a financial risk every time I decide to do a show because the royalties must be paid before I can even announce the show - or auditions! That means that over $2,000 of my own money is spent before we even know if we'll get enough actors to audition for the show! Other major expenses include theater rental, which accounts for nearly 1/3 of our $30,000 budget, costuming over 40 performers, scenery design and truck rentals to transport everything, printing costs (programs, posters), publicity, and lighting and sound rentals, to name a few. Stipends are another major expense because 80% of the production team is (minimally) compensated. It is important to understand that given the amount of hours and effort that the production team puts into a show, they might as well be working for free! These hard working individuals are generously giving us their time and expertise for a mere fraction of what they are truly worth, all in addition to their day jobs! They do it because they love it and because they are able to be a part of something really special. While we solicit parent volunteers for various jobs and are so grateful to them, in the world of community theater there are just some people that absolutely require and deserve even the smallest stipend.
FUNDRAISING - HOW DO WE RAISE $30,000?
One way I've been able to save money is to direct and produce all my shows on a strictly volunteer basis. My job includes managing every single aspect of the production from rentals, staffing, printing, designing, financing, budgeting, publicity, directing, producing, casting, scheduling, and more. If the show loses money, I have to find ways to cover the costs. More often than not, I am left with a tremendous bill that comes out of my own pocket. I do it because I love it and because I believe it is a wonderful contribution to our community, but it is no longer possible for me to cover the costs of these shows by myself. In terms of fundraising, this year we were able to raise $925 from the "Jam with SAMM", a sleepover that I host at the studio. Also, every penny from the June session of TPAC's Broadway Babies, with the exception of choreography fees, will be donated to OOTI. We are hoping to raise $2400 from that program. We are able to save on rehearsal hall expenses as I donate The Performing Arts Connection studio space to MFT (unfortunately leaving TPAC to absorb hefty A/C and other electric expenses during the hot months of May and June). Production fees and ad sales aren't fun for anyone but are a necessity and will hopefully account for about $9,000 towards our $30,000 goal. Because we have generally lost money on ticket sales in the past, we have to be very conservative about how much ticket revenue we anticipate generating - we are hoping for at least $7,000. That leaves us with a $10,000 deficit which I am hoping will be covered with the funds earned from our March 10 fundraiser Gala! In the unlikely event that we generate more than $30,000 when it's all said and done we will be thrilled! Those funds would go to the repair of our sound system (each microphone we have acquired over the past twelve years costs about $1,000 each and some of our pieces are in desperate need of being replaced/fixed). Any additional funding would be saved for future productions, the scholarship program, and will help keep MFT alive.
I hope you'll consider donating to MFT - whether it be by attending our March 10 Gala or by donating an item or two. Perhaps you'll audition for "Once On This Island" or come and support the cast in June! Maybe you'll pass the audition information, or gala info, off to a friend who might be interested. We'd love donations to our scholarship program or you can buy an ad in our program and promote your business, too! Maybe you have a service you could donate, like hanging posters or working backstage. Every little bit helps, and I thank you for taking the time to read this!
All the best,
Samm Bower
Director
Metrowest Family Theater
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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