JAN
28

10 Ways to Fund Your Theatre Production

By Jennifer Lade 

Jennifer Lade is a drama teacher and community theatre enthusiast.  She teaches and directs plays at a program for homeschooled students in Massachusetts.  She loves acting and singing in community theatre productions.  Some of her favorite past roles are Morticia in The Addams Family and The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical.  She earned a BA in English from Providence College. 

Face it, you’re not in education or theatre for the money.  And yet there is the pesky problem of having to pay for your theatre production!  Costumes, sets, royalties, and maybe venue rental all require funding.  Here are ten ways to pay for what you need:

1. Program fees
   If you are working with young actors, it is reasonable to ask parents to pay tuition to have their child attend.  In addition to having a fun time learning a skill, a theatre class or club provides childcare.  Sports, dance classes, and STEM programs all have fees for participation, so it makes sense for theatre to charge as well.  But what to charge?  A good starting point is figuring out the hourly rate for daycare in your area and ask for half that rate per hour in which you will be responsible for the children.  Use your best estimate of the number of hours the student actors will be under your care so you can charge a one-time fee upfront.
   
   
2. Ticket sales
   Charging admission to your show is another obvious way to fund your program.  Again, people pay to attend a school football game, so why not a theatre production?  But you’ll want to strike a balance between charging enough to actually come out ahead and charging so much that you drive away potential audience members.  I highly recommend you use a platform for online ticket sales — they’re easier than you think!  (Pioneer Drama recommends the easy-to-use BookTix.)  Of course, you’ll also need people to sell tickets at the door.
   
   
3. Ads and shout-outs
   Tap into the generosity of local businesses and actors’ friends and family as you sell ads to be included in your program.  You could ask the cast to sell a certain number of ads, or you could form a sales team to reach out to businesses — or both!  Typically, ads are sold by the quarter, half, or whole page, and often the back cover of the program is sold at a premium.
   
   Similarly, you can sell short, actor-specific messages, or shout-outs to your student body if you’re at a school.  Shout-outs are generally sold by line of text and are also included in the program.
   
   
4. Merchandise
   What actor doesn’t want to remember their show with a cast t-shirt or sweatshirt?  Pioneer sells them at a reasonable enough price that you can slap on an extra couple of dollars to the cost to help fund your program.
   
   Or, get Pioneer’s graphics package for the show’s art work and slap it on whatever piece of merchandise would appeal to your cast’s family and friends.  Commemorative mug, anyone?
   
   
5. Concessions
   Sell popcorn, candy, drinks, and more, along with the aforementioned merch.  If you buy items in bulk, even a small markup makes a big difference!  Make note of what sells the best and buy more of that for the next show.
   
   
6. Raffle
   Ask for donations of raffle items from cast members and/or local businesses, then sell raffle tickets for the prizes, perhaps offering a discount for large quantity purchases.  Draw the raffle winners at intermission, or just tape the winning ticket to each prize, then have winners pick up their items after the show.
   
   If possible, have the items relate to the theme of your show.  Even if you don’t have control over what the prizes are, using your imagination with a label can help keep the theme.  A basket of self-care items could belong to a princess in your show; a potted plant might come straight from the natural setting referenced in the play; a gift card might have been found in a rich character’s vest pocket.
   
   
7. Grants
   Oftentimes, governments and nonprofit organizations have earmarked money for the arts.  These funds are distributed in the form of grants, which is exciting, since it’s usually a significant chunk of change and you don’t have to pay it back!  Your location and the type of theatre program will determine which grants you are eligible for.  A web search will give you lots of places to investigate further.  In the U.S., a good place to start is the National Endowment for the Arts.  But be sure to check locally as well — a local cultural council (if your area has one) will have less competition for funding.
   
   If you’re at a school, don’t forget to also check if your PTO has funds available to help you out.  You won’t know if you don’t ask!
   
   
8. Fundraisers
   All the traditional ways for organizations to raise money also apply to your theatre production, from bake sales to car washes to peddling candles or candy bars.  Choose what will work with the season and the age of your volunteers.  For more theatre-themed fundraisers, consider organizing a haunted house, having character appearances at events, or hosting Christmas photos at your theatre with a Santa and a winter backdrop.
   
   
9. Volunteers
   Lowering your expenses is the inverse way to think about fundraising, but should never be overlooked!  Start by harnessing the power of those who are willing to donate their time and talent.  Upperclassmen could need volunteer hours for graduation or National Honor Society.  Parents of actors might be happy to come together on a Saturday to help build a set, even donating some of the supplies needed, and an art class might be willing to paint the sets for you.  Senior citizens make perfect ushers and can sell tickets at the door to watch the show for free.
   
   You won’t know what people are willing to do if you don’t ask!  At the same time, it is important to acknowledge volunteers — publicly when possible — and be truly grateful for their efforts.  Taking advantage of their generosity without properly thanking them is the quickest way to lose loyal helpers.
   
   
10. Save money
    Delving further into this oft overlooked strategy for funding a theatre production by keeping costs low in the first place, be realistic about your budget and spend within your means.  One of the best ways to save money is to choose a show with lower licensing fees than Broadway shows.  The shows at Pioneer Drama Service all fit the bill!
    
    Beyond that, ask yourself, “What is my biggest expense?”  Attack that first if you can.  A fledgling theatre group close to me has an arrangement with a church, allowing them to use the space on certain days if the theatre group will put on a fundraiser for the church once a year.  Is hiring tech help getting you down?  Maybe you don’t have money, but you have time.  Could you trade with another local theatre group, offering to run tech for their show at a different time if they do the same for your show?
    
    You can also cut down on spending by taking donations of items whenever you can, and/or trying to rent rather than buy.  Ask actors to bring in some commonly-owned costume pieces, like black pants, for example.  Depending on the show, you might even have actors be responsible for pulling together their own costumes...  with your final approval, of course!
    
    

Just as creativity on the stage can lead to a thriving theatre program, so too can some behind-the-scenes creativity help to stretch your dollars — or help bring in more.