Starting a Theatre Company

Exploring everything from company incorporation and marketing, to legal, finance and festivals, Starting a Theatre Company is the complete guide to running a low-to-no budget or student theatre company. Written by an experienced theatre practitioner and featuring on-the-ground advice, this book covers all aspects of starting a theatre company with limited resources, including how to become a company, finding talent, defining a style, roles and responsibilities, building an audience, marketing, the logistics of a production, legalities, funding, and productions at festivals and beyond. The book also includes a chapter on being a sustainable company, and how to create a mindset that will lead to positive artistic creation. Each chapter contains a list of further resources, key terms and helpful tasks designed to support the reader through all of the steps necessary to thrive as a new organisation. An eResource page contains links to a wide range of industry created templates, guidance and interviews, making it even easier for you to get up and running as simply as possible. Starting a Theatre Company targets Theatre and Performance students interested in building their own theatre companies. This book will also be invaluable to independent producers and theatre makers.

Karl Falconer is a director and educator and Managing Director of PurpleDoor. His work has been staged and screened across the UK and Ireland, and has been supported by Arts Council England and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. His work has been nominated for a National Lottery Award and he currently serves on the Arts Squad for Northern Broadsides.

1. Introduction 2. Defining your Style and Company Voice 3. Becoming a Company 4. Roles and Responsibilities 5. Building an Audience 6. Marketing and Branding 7. Logistics of Production 8. Legal and Safety 9. Finance 10. Raising Funds 11. Festivals 12. Putting on Work 13. Business Sustainability 14. Failure, Endings and Exit 15.Final Words