After completing their certificate, diploma, or degree courses in acting, all aspiring actors have different work opportunities. Some of them get an opportunity in the film or television industry while some opt for performing at stages. And some of them join one of the best theatre groups in Delhi or any other city across the world. If you are among the aspirants who want to have a theatre group, you need to work from the scratch and move ahead to make your career better. Here are some useful steps to facilitate you:
1. Think of having a social enterprise
For having a theatre group, you need funds. And in the name of establishing a theatre, you are not going to get the requisite funds. On the other hand, setting up a social enterprise will give you an opportunity to get in touch with corporate houses that produce funds to raise awareness or social changes. You can make companies comprehend that you are going to bring changes or awareness in the society through your theatrical performances.
2. Have strong partnerships
Usually, no one can do a big thing without taking the support of others. And in performing and visual arts such as stage performances, having the requisite support from all allied people is crucial. To establish a theatre, you need someone who can help you in the execution of the essential jobs and suggest to you what can be done better. So, have a partner with making everything clear and transparent.
3. Don’t stay just focused on the theatre
Staying focused on the theatre alone will not work for you. Instead you need to comprehend what a theatre is and make others know the objectives of your theatre. Market your theatre group and let people know that it is a place to be socialised, a voice for them, and a vehicle for bringing changes in the society. It will assist you spread the name of your theatre group and get funds for it.
4. Do not need to leave your current job
Setting up a theatre and making it functional takes time. Any theatre such as the Globe – Shakespeare’s theatre in London – doesn’t have constant dramatical performances. Usually, a theatre has shows or performances 5-10 times a month. So, in the beginning days, you should continue your job in a production house or elsewhere if you have.
5. Comprehend the current market
As you plan to set up a theatre group and start moving towards it, you should ask a few questions to yourself. The questions could be on the charges of your competitors, what they are doing, audition feedback on their performances, etc. And after answering these questions, you should make your theatrical performance plan and the charge for a show or per hour.
6. Find a suitable and inexpensive space
For setting up a theatre group, you need a space where you can construct a stage, store the requisite items and let actors dress and rehearse. As funds are low in the initial days so you should look for the space that could be available at a lower cost or free of cost. However, you should get the one that is connected with roads to make audiences have easy access to it.
7. Have fun while doing things for setting up a theatre group
Generally, people have no success in what they don’t enjoy or in which they have no interest. While working on the establishment of your theatre group, you should love and enjoy everything that you do for it. Have a good team and make each team member responsible for a particular job. Let stress not be over and the circumstances or challenges drain you and your team members. Have fun all the time and keep stress at a bay.
8. Value the paperwork
Leave not all things on your people in the administrative department. You should avoid thinking that the admin will do their requisite jobs. Yeah, they can. However, you should know whether the documentation work such as registration and licence issuance is completed or not. If not, get it done as soon as possible.
9. Avoid having repeated mistakes
Having mistakes in setting up your theatre company and starting performances for it is usual. However, you must avoid making the same mistake again & again. Repeated mistakes will ruin your dream, damage your image, and create huge challenges in your way. You will find moving ahead and letting it to be a brand tough. Instead of making a mistake, you should learn from your last one and make your efforts not to have it again.
Conclusion
Setting up a theatre group or company is a challenging task. You can do it by having a proper plan and sticking to it. Tips like having a social enterprise, creating a strong partnership, comprehending the market and allied others mentioned above can help you a lot. With time, you will run it successfully and make it a brand in stage performances.
