The Third Scene: A Quick Guide to Producing a Musical

It’s no secret I have a passion for theatre, and especially musical theatre. It’s really the ultimate platform for a performer producer or director to excel in every aspect. You’re not only dealing with the acting of a play, you’re dealing with vocals, orchestra and band, set changes, scene direction, etc. It really does require the best possible team to put on a great show. But, before the curtains go up, there is much planning to be done in order to produce a musical. I decided to make a “quick guide” or checklist to help those starting out in musical production.

Step 1: Choose the musical

The first thing you have to do is choosing what musical you want to produce or if you want to put on and original piece. Either way you have to take some general considerations when choosing what will be showing.

Audience: Think about the public you want to reach, what type of musical would they be most likely go to see.
Venue: Consider the theatre you want to produce in, their technical capabilities, the sound, the technicians available, and even the prestige of the venue.
Budget: Most musicals will vary greatly in costs depending on (mainly), size of the cast, set design requirements, and size of orchestra (or band). Be aware of the seating capacity of the theatre and your ability to contact sponsors.

Step 2: Choose your team

As a producer you must choose the initial production team. There are six important roles you must fill: Stage Manager, Director, Vocal Director, Music Director, Choreographer, and Set Designer. More than a team this will be a support system of sorts. One thing you need to remember is that creative decisions taken by one, affects the work of another. For example, if the Set Designer decides to add a step to the stairs, the Choreographer needs to adjust; the Stage Manager must make sure the lighting is correct, etc. Strive to maintain a positive work environment, and be aware of industry gossip (some of these people have already worked together). Last, but certainly not least, sponsors! The more the merrier and be sure to build relationships with each and everyone. Draft a proposal as soon as you can, and start distributing as soon as you finish Step 3.

Step 3: License the work

To produce and perform a musical on stage, you must obtain a dramatic performance license. If the title is available, a dramatic licensing agency, such as MTI, will sell a license to perform the musical in exchange for royalty fees (per performance), and a rental fee (for copies of the score, script and libretto). These agencies are very strict. I advise to red the agreement carefully and comply with every step, to ensure a good relationship for the future.

Step 4: Cast the show

This step is a team process. You’ll mainly need the Choreographer, Vocal Director, and Director to cast the show. Whether closed or open call, there are different tasks to be made to ensure attendance to the casting.

Find a big space with the needed equipment.
Set up a communications plan to make the call, and specify what you’re looking for.
Prepare a form for participants to fill out when they get there.
Coordinate a cycle system in which participants go from acting, to singing, to dancing (which ever order you choose).
Don’t make hasty decisions and only give constructive criticism.

From personal experience I would advice to have a small interview before going into the cycle. This helps you get a sense of whom the participants are and it also calms them before they perform. Also, evaluate your options along with your team and announce to the participants when you will be contacting them if they are chosen. It’s common courtesy in Puerto Rico to send out a thank you letter or email, to the participants that were not selected, for attending the audition.

Step 5: Market and promote

Just as you would a new product, marketing a musical needs to have all the components of a traditional marketing plan. As Randall Ringer says, “A general rule of thumb on Broadway is that only 30% of shows actually make back their original investment.” So there’s a lot of pressure on marketing and selling the show. What you want to do is hire a Public Relations firm and have them work the communications plan. Why a PR firm and not an Ad Agency? Because PR is what’s going to drive ‘buzz’ around the production and that’s key to building a fan base. You’ll definitely need to place some ads in trade magazines, newspaper, and maybe even a billboard or two, but shows mostly sell on ‘buzz’ and hype created on the web. Be sure to have a photography session with the cast and also during previews so you can later use for the ads, to send to media, and basically build a word of mouth. From experience I can say, that the week before opening night is crucial to selling the bulk of the show, so plan your communication accordingly. Remember to always target your communication! You want the message to get to the right people, the ones who’ll come to the show.

Step 6: Raise the curtain!

If you’re thinking the work is over on opening night, think again. This is theatre! Be prepared to deal with technical difficulties, in-show mishaps, staffing dilemmas, and box office nightmares. It’s going to be very difficult, there are going to be long days and sleepless nights, but it’s worth it. You’ll love every second of it, and once it’s done you’re going to want to do it all over again.

I hope this quick guide gives you a some sort of direction on producing musical theatre, and although I’m not an expert I’m available to offer advice if you have some doubts. Break a leg!