How can amateur theatre companies commission new work?
How can amateur theatre companies commission new work?
If you're involved in amateur theatre and would really like to commission a new play, then this guide is for you. With clear guidance on how amateur theatre companies can benefit from working directly with playwrights, how you can start to build relationships that flourish, and advice for companies and writers on how to get what they need from the process, a clear path is outlined towards true collaboration and creative achievement.
For an increasing number of playwrights, the distinction between ‘professional’ and ‘amateur’ theatre is unimportant. They realise that amateur theatre offers the opportunity to get the play on the stage, often with fewer practical restrictions on the imagination. Working with an amateur company can give a playwright the chance to write different kinds of plays for larger casts and new audiences. At the same time, the commissioning of new work can meet a company’s specific needs and those of the community they are drawn from.
Specifically, the guide is aimed at: the amateur theatre company wishing to work with a writer an individual within an amateur theatre company who wishes to drive change the writer, new or experienced, who would like to work within amateur theatre
Make sure there is maximum communication between you both. Discuss the project thoroughly in advance, leaving as little room for misunderstanding as possible. Do not expect a synopsis to define everything; there has to be some room for spontaneity.
