Ready, Set, Launch: Fall Planning Tips for K-12 Theatre Programs

It may only be July, but it’s never too early to start planning your K-12 theatre program for the fall. We know, we know – you wanna relax by the pool, kick your feet up, and forget your stresses this summer. And we get it, trust us. You’ve earned it! But, after your pool day, taking a bit of time to think about the future of your program will be incredibly beneficial in the long run. In fact, with a little forethought and strategic educational theatre planning, you’ll set yourself and your students up for a wildly successful season this fall. 

If you’re looking for planning tips and benchmarks to hit for your K-12 theatre programs this fall and beyond, On The Stage offers a few achievable suggestions. 

Planning Tips to Enact for Your Fall Theatre Program

1. Choose Your Show(s) Early

The most successful theatre teachers – the ones we all strive to be – begin mapping out their fall productions way ahead of time, not the first week of school. Early educational theatre planning, long before the first bells ring on Day One of the quarter, provides a bevy of benefits, including:

• Alleviation of your stress and burnout, which is integral for showing up for your students when it matters most 
• Conflict avoidance with other school events, of which there are many 
• The ability to secure rehearsal spaces and times before other organizations can snag them
• Convenience for parents and students who have to plan around their other obligations and time commitments
• Ample time to begin and secure the licensing for your showcases

2. Pick Programming That Aligns with Your Curriculum

Another perk of giving yourself extra time to choose your fall programming? That you’re able to select the shows that best support your educational goals and classroom learning milestones. Many educational theatre programs choose works that align with school- or district-wide standards, or help kids learn about certain facets of history. As a well-rounded and dynamic theatre educator, you’re now able to produce work that serves both artistic and academic objectives. Win-win! 

3. Schedule Auditions and Rehearsals Early

If you truly want to hit the ground running in your K-12 theatre programs, build your audition and rehearsal schedule over the summer. After all, one of the most overlooked pieces of fall planning for teachers is the complicated building of a rehearsal schedule that fits both the needs of the students and you. The earlier you set dates, the more time you give yourself and your students to plan accordingly. 

Psst: A ticketing platform that allows for scheduling and registration management can help keep everything organized and in one place!

4. Build Engagement and Collaboration into Your Strategy

During your fall planning, you should be curating ways to build a support system around you, whether that support system is filled with enthusiastic parents, other educators, community partners, businesses, or your school’s leadership team. Thus, you can use your fall season to invite parents, community members, and business representatives into the theatre planning process. 

From costume donations to front-of-house volunteers and everything in between, make sure you’re creating space and opportunity for community engagement to thrive. You are not an island, nor is your theatre program your responsibility alone. Make sure to plan to get more folks involved in the process, which encourages collaboration and a shared sense of responsibility.

5. Consider Your Budget 

Ah, budgeting and educational theatre. These are two concepts that are often frustrating when combined, but it’s a reality of being an educator that you’re often going to be working with less money than you’d hoped. Thus, you need to be realistic and smart with your budget – and truly understand how much you have to spend – before the first day of school. While every program is different in its approach, here are a few things you’ll likely need to plan for when creating your budget:

• Licensing fees for scripts and music
• Royalty fees for performances 
• Costuming needs, whether that’s fabric and sewing supplies, labor, cleaning expenses, or accessories
• Set needs, ranging from lumber and hardware to storage, backdrops, and rented elements
• Necessary technical upgrades, ranging from lighting equipment to playback devices, or new microphones and cables 
• Marketing and publicity efforts, whether those are paid digital ads, posters, program printing, or boosted posts
• Any unexpected costs like repairs, emergency rentals, or last-minute purchases 

6. Brainstorm Fundraising Ideas

Reading over that budgeting list may have made you a little nervous. We get it. That’s why the next step in your journey should be brainstorming fun, easily executed, and exciting fundraisers and fundraising strategies for the summer and fall. In fact, one of your main goals for the fall quarter should be boosting your educational theatre budget with tried-and-true fundraising efforts. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are a few suggestions:

• Hosting food-centric events, ranging from ice cream socials to pie baking contests 
• Creating a renewed emphasis on concession sales 
• Producing and marketing unique show merchandise 
• Providing additional programming with students, whether that’s summer camps, student-led workshops, or open mic nights
• Creating your own fundraising team to handle logistics, whether that’s made up of parents, students, or community partners
• Hosting low-budget, high-return events like car washes and garage sales 
• Creating digital “wish lists” where community members can help donate towards a big purchase, like new sound technology or a big set piece
• Offering VIP packages with premium ticket bundles 

7. Review Your Tech Needs 

Don’t wait until the throes of tech week to start worrying about your lighting and sound needs. As part of your summer educational theatre planning, map out exactly what technology you have at your disposal for the fall. Then, decide whether or not this technology is sufficient to nail the shows and programming you’ve chosen to run this fall. A few things to review include:

Sound

• Microphones and mic packs
• Sound board 
• Cables and adapters 
• Sound effect libraries or cues 
• Speakers

Lighting

• Gel filters/LED programming 
• Lighting board 
• Backup bulbs 
• Lighting instruments like spots and floods 
• Working dimmers 

8. Create A Program That Creates Well-Rounded Students

A well-designed K-12 theatre program can go far beyond the classroom and your performances, instead creating well-rounded, thoughtful, intelligent and capable individuals. All you need to do to achieve this is dig a little deeper when curating your curriculum. If you’re looking for ways to diversify your programming this fall while still hitting your other benchmarks, consider:

• Incorporating all aspects of theatre into the production: This means students should be learning about the technical aspects of the show, as well as costume and make-up design, stage management, and marketing/box office operations.
• Tying your productions to curriculum and history: You can use your shows as academic springboards for further enrichment. 
• Using theatre as a tool for social and emotional development: Theatre is an excellent way to help students build empathy and community skills, so consider shows that explore moral dilemmas, historical events, or important conflicts. Then, make sure to facilitate conversations about these topics.

9. Review Your Marketing Strategies 

Lastly, summer is a great time to lay the groundwork for a strong, visible theatre program come the fall. Strategic marketing efforts, even in the summer, help you build momentum, meaning more tickets sold, more engaged families, and more support from your educational leadership. A few ways you can start refreshing your marketing strategies in the summer include:

• Revamping your program’s online presence and show site, with updated information, photos, videos, and visible donation links
• Upgrading your ticketing platform to one that works well for schools, with ample options for donation tiers, season passes, add-ons, or early bird discounts
• Networking with area businesses and creators to forge new partnerships that could lead to sponsorships or other deals 
• Reaching out to local media outlets to spread the word, whether those are community calendars, influencers, news stations, or other arts education networks
• Looking over your marketing results from last year. Ask yourself: Which posts and marketing strategies worked best for my program? Worked worst? Where did I fall short on outreach? Which shows, and which nights, had the best attendance? How can I replicate the successes and diminish the failures? 

How On The Stage Can Help

Planning for your fall season in the summer is a pillar of a successful, enriching, and lucrative K-12 theatre season. By organizing your calendar, budgeting wisely, reviewing your technical needs, and giving your students diverse learning opportunities, you’re setting your program, your students, and yourself up for true success come fall. If you need a partner to make these goals a reality, connect with On The Stage.

With OTS, theatre teachers can streamline their myriad responsibilities – whether that’s ticketing, marketing, fundraising, or increasing audience engagement – all into one easy-to-use, intuitive platform. Let this be the year your theatre program truly thrives from start to finish. Book a personalized demo with On The Stage today.