Going to Grad School to Start a Theatre Company?

[maeda]

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, and I'm sure my situation is a little unusual. I just graduated last month with a Bachelor's Degree in "Japanese Language, Literature and Culture," because I had initially planned to become a literary translator; but for a few years now, I've had this idea of starting a performance company specifically

Comments

[tisiphone]

Why do you want this to be for-profit? Second question, do you have any experience in theater arts management?

[maeda]

I don't want it to be, say, something the actors pay me to be able to take part in; I'd rather it be something the performers get paid for. I don't think it's going to be so successful that we'll make a living on performance alone, but at least it'll be a fun part-time job for them. As a performer with a "developmental disorder," I've slowly realized that while actual treatment is important, being able to do something that makes you happy can make a huge difference in how you cope with even simple day-to-day activities. I don't want it to take the place of treatment for people, but I want it to be a rewarding job for them in many ways

[tisiphone]

As a non-profit you can pay actors to take part in the plays, and you can also draw a salary, as can any other member of your cast, crew, or anyone else. Just because you're a non-profit doesn't mean you can't make money! The main difference between not for profit and profit businesses is that at non-profits, any excess earnings (i.e. what you have left after paying everyone's salaries) go back to the organization's main purpose, such as providing treatment grants, say. At a for-profit, it would either be reinvested in operations or would go in the owner's pocket. There are a lot of advantages to being a non-profit as a theater group, too, like limited tax liability, the ability to compete for community funding and grants, take donations, and so on. You personally won't get rich doing it, but let's face it, anyone that aims to get rich in community theater is smoking something funny anyhow. My best suggestion? Seek out an internship with your local community theater group. See how things are run, find out how much you can

[maeda]

Hahahah, I never expected to get rich. But I definitely haven't looked at it from that perspective! You're right, maybe it is better for me to think of my company as a non-profit. It doesn't really matter what goes into my pocket; I already knew I'd be working another job on the side. But I feel better knowing something will go to my actors! And I don't just want actors, since I'm sure there'll be people who want to help out but don't want to be on stage. I'd like it to be open to anyone with any artistic ability, or at least the passion for it. Whether it's music or set or costumes, there'll be a place for all of them!

I've been eyeing a fellowship at a theatre downtown, but the deadline had already passed when I found out about it, so I have to wait. But I'll give it a shot! Thanks for your help!

[piccali]

Check out http://www.artsadministration.org/ and then "Find a program." ladykathryn is right, you don't have to be a for-profit model to pay anyone, including yourself. Most theatre companies are non-profit, except the big ones on Broadway and in the West End.

[maeda]

Oh, wow. Thanks so much for the link!!

[brittdreams]

Before going back to school, I recommend getting an internship on the administrative side of theater. The experience you get will be invaluable when it comes to finding a program and making the most of it since you will have already seen the skillsets you need. And, honestly, many of the better arts admin programs require related experience for admissions.

ETA: And, if as you've said, you don't have the skills to start up or run such a theater company, why not gain some experience by working for an existing theater company? You've already said that there are some that work with people with disabilities. Why not get an internship, apprenticeship, fellowship, or job with one of those organizations so you can gain experience and make sure this is really the right career path for you?

If you want to get experience, check out Backstage Jobs and Playbill's Job listings for postings. Playbill often has things that are more actor-oriented and New York City based while Backstage has a lot of administrative and production positions all over

[maeda]

Thank you for both of the links! I'll look into them and try to find a job that's right for me. Even before I decided on this, I didn't plan on going to graduate school for at least another year; that's plenty of time for me to try this on as a job before I try it as a business!

[shetheliving]

Late here, but I have a BFA in Theatre Management. Everyone's right; you can definitely be a non-profit with the model you're interested in, and your project would certainly be fundable. I would recommend a Master's in Arts Management over a Business Admin degree. A Business Admin degree won't teach you the things you'll need to know to run a non-profit business, i.e. grant writing, legal issues, etc.