What is a Theatre Producer?

0:00 [Music] so what is a producer I think Oscar Hammerstein said it the best I think only people in the theater know what a producer is the public does not know it knows a writer writes and an actor acts and a director tells them what to do a producer raises money well he does and in some cases that's all he does but the workers in the theater know that this is not the real thing a producer is a rare paradoxical genius hard-headed soft-hearted cautious Reckless a hopeful innocent in fair weather a Stern pilot in Stormy Weather a mathematician who prefers to ignore the laws of mathematics and Trust intuition an idealist a realist a practical dreamer a

0:46 sophisticated Gambler a stag struck child that's a producer a theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theater production the independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process the producer finds the director and then Begins the primary goal which is to balance and coordinate the business and financial aspects of mounting the show in the service of the creative realization of the playwright's vision this may or may not include the casting process although typically it does include approval overcasting the producer may be responsible for securing funds for the production either through his or her own company or by taking on investors in the production via a limited partnership agreement because of this he often brings board other General partners and other co-producers then

1:32 comes the time to work with theatrical agents negotiate with the unions find other staff secure the theater and rehearsal Hall obtain liability and Workers Compensation Insurance and posting bonds with the Union producer also hires the production team including the general manager production manager house manager stage manager Etc usually at the producers own discretion in many cases The Producers is required to use the front- of house staff such as the house manager box office ushers and so on and the backstage Personnel like stage hands electricians Carpenters that are supplied by the theater owner the producer is responsible for creating and overseeing the budget he or she sets ticket prices performance dates and times and develops the marketing and advertising strategy for the production

2:18 hiring of a publicist and marketing team is one of the most important responsibilities the producer takes on these teams are generally in place well before the show is cast the producer hires accountants and perhaps already has legal representation the theater owner provides box office services and will turn over the net result of ticket sales if the results are not good and fall under a set minimum level the show may have to close hopefully that won't happen and the producer will make about half of the net profit from the show with the other half going to investors there may also be income from a tour or a film based on the material if the producers obtained those rights statistically highly successful shows and therefore big profits are the exception rather than the rule independent commercial production is a high-risk business in the commercial

3:04 world of Broadway and West End and touring producers are usually expected to be more than just a money person but also an active member of the team their names sometimes even appear above the title of the show but there are many producers who are really investors or perhaps a theater owner and they don't have much say in how the production is run so what is a producer a producer is sort of a sorcerer an alchemist who casts a spell over all of the other person know bringing together the financing the creative the business the talent and even the audience and combines them into something that's really greater than the sum of its parts that is a producer [Music]