As a theatre director, producer, or actor, the infamous “what’s the budget?” is the question you’ll find yourself asking over and over again. But if you can be confident and creative with your choices, the amount of money you spend (or don’t spend) won’t be an issue.
In this quick guide, we’re sharing with you insider tips from expert directors, compiled into a three-step process that will help you figure out what you have, what you need, and how to create the show you envision.
The most logical place to start when planning your budget is what you already have to work with. This doesn’t just mean the readily available cash you have to spend, but also any projected income and existing tangible assets that can be put to use for your upcoming production.
Resources to consider include:
If you have an overall budget for the year or season, work with your team—ideally during the programming stage—to decide how to divide the money. The most important thing is to make sure you can provide appropriate resources for each production. So, if different directors are involved, ask each one of them to present a production plan and preliminary budget as a jumping-off point.
It’s important to look at this number conservatively! Instead of basing your budget on the maximum number of tickets you hope to sell, come up with an average number of tickets you usually sell to determine income from this source.
Pro-Tip: It’s helpful to also brainstorm other ideas for income! This might include program ad sales, sponsorships, grants, merchandise sales, fundraisers, concessions, and more.
Mounting a production of Little Shop? Why not ask a local florist to order wholesale for you or, better yet, provide live set dressing in exchange for an ad in your program. Need wigs styled elaborately for a period piece? Ask around at cosmetology schools in your area to see if there are students who need to log hours or complete portfolio projects.
Your bookkeeper might raise an eyebrow, but it’s important to categorize repurposeable resources you might already own. It’s unconventional, but the logic behind it is simple: they save you from costs!
Include anything you have in stock that can be used for your current production:
Pro Tip: It’s especially helpful to take these items into account before choosing your shows!
Separate your projected expenditures into two categories: Hard Costs and Soft Costs. In other words, items you can’t negotiate or do without and areas where you can get creative to save money.
It’s important for each Company member to have their own script. If it’s too expensive to buy new scripts for everyone and you plan to make copies, be sure to do this legally!
More and more, publishers simply request that you shred any copies you make once you finish the production, but check to make sure you’re honoring the copyright and, if you’re a theatre educator, teach your students to do the same.
You may be able to negotiate a deal with your printer in exchange for ad space, but for the most part, programs are a fairly fixed-budget item. If you do consider cutting corners here by handling collation, folding, and stapling in-house, just remember to factor in staff hours and payroll to make sure you really are saving money and not just creating extra work.
If you’re operating a traditional box office, costs might include everything from the printing of physical tickets to elaborate software, depending on the size of your organization.
Online ticketing services can offer much more efficient solutions, but can also come along with up-front costs.
However, with On the Stage’s efficient and easy-to-use Box Office Portal, you can present a sophisticated look to your patrons, without stressing about the costs of a traditional box office.
If you are producing virtually or streaming your performance to a remote audience, your costs will vary greatly depending on your setup and specific goals. Be sure to consider all relevant steps in your production and streaming process, including:
Video capture & editing software
Hosting & streaming service
File storage
Or, skip the complicated and costly steps with On The Stage’s complete streaming solution, which provides all the tools and services you need to create, promote, sell virtual tickets, and securely stream your show to a remote audience, all in one easy-to-use platform. And the best part? There’s no cost to your organization- you can pass the extremely low fees onto your patrons if you’re tight on budgeting.
After you’ve budgeted for unavoidable costs, you’ll have a rough idea of how much money is left to spend on everything else (i.e. your creative expenses).
Meet with your production team, if you have one, or take time to think about what this specific show most needs to successfully deliver the theatrical experience you envision.
Here are some items to consider:
If you need professional help to execute your vision for the show, then this needs to be a priority when planning your budget. Payroll expenses might include:
Pro-Tip! If you want a jump start on your show art check out our directory of over 100 design options.
As with staff, skilled support is often necessary for the successful staging of any production. Such line items might include:
Any items that your organization doesn’t already own, such as:
We highly suggest making your life easier and cultivating great opportunities for your students with a student marketing team.
But whether you delegate your marketing or do it to yourself, there are many ways to effectively promote your show without spending a lot of money. When doing this, you’ll want to consider:
On the Stage has some of the lowest convenience fees in the industry- check out how you can promote your show by booking a demo with us today.
If, after working through the first two steps in this process, you find that your budget still falls short of your vision, then it’s time to start thinking outside the box.
If the line item that’s outside your budget is crucial to your artistic vision, it may be possible to close the financial gap without having to compromise creatively. Consider:
Check Out Our Blog on How to Repurpose Expensive Stage Pieces
Sometimes, the solution to a shortfall of resources is to look for more general options and then reallocate to specific line items accordingly. Remember, resources here don’t have to be just monetary. Think in terms of goods and services you might be able to scare up, too! Ask yourself:
If all else fails, it is sometimes necessary to revisit your goals and priorities. If you find yourself in this situation, begin the re-visioning process by identifying what specifically stood out about the piece you had hoped to produce or your original concept for how it should be staged.
Was it the theme or topic that spoke to you? The style or era in which the story is set? Perhaps there is a certain type of character you are looking to portray, or your programming decision was made to suit the talent pool you’re drawing upon for casting. Whatever qualities informed your original choices, think about how you might achieve those same general goals while building a new vision.
There’s no doubt that the process of creating a production budget can involve some difficult decisions. The most important consideration should always be: what choice will have the most impact on the telling of the story? Depending on your show and your artistic goals, this might mean any number of different things, but it will always come down to what will best support your actors in bringing the script to life.
Never confuse the amount of money you have to spend with the potential for a production’s success. Even if your budget is $0.00 after you pay your royalties, there’s no reason why you can’t produce a wonderful show that will delight your audience and create meaningful opportunities for engagement.
At On the Stage, we’re passionate about helping you focus on your art while we take care of the rest. Book a demo with us today to see how we can help this season!