In reality the choice of a Producer is not something that takes place in isolation.  It is something that is very much linked to the selection of the play itself.  Although no guarantee of high artistic standards, it makes life a lot more interesting for the selection committee  if there is a number of shows and producers to consider.
 
In my opinion the best method of producer selection  is on the basis of “one producer, one play”.  That way you are limiting the number of scripts that
have to be reviewed and at the same time getting a play that the producer will be enthusiastic about producing.
 
The process of selecting a play and producer may seem a little convoluted but the reality for most amateur societies is that only one producer is available  and he / she is only prepared to produce one play.  It is basically a take it or leave it situation. This is no better or worse than the other methods  of selection and there are many amateur dramatic societies that have a long tradition of producing plays in such a manner. In many cases there is   a talented, energetic individual who acts as the focus for the entire group. The only danger in such a situation is that the group as a whole may become  too dependant on that individual and neglect the task of encouraging successors.

Many people  interchange the term Director and Producer and indeed for smaller societies they are normally one and the same person.  Larger groups
on the other hand may have the resources to appoint both a Producer and a Director.

In professional theatre the person responsible for the financial and logistical elements of the play / musical is called the Producer whereas the Director is responsible for the artistic side of the production namely interpreting the script and organising rehearsals.

Whoever is choosen  will need to be able to manage people. Taking a firm line when necessary and having the sense to understand when to go a little easier.

No matter how a Drama Society is formed or run the core reason for their existence is the staging of plays and dramas.  Most societies are small and produce one main production a year. The same applies to schools. The fact that most  groups stage a limited amount of productions means that the choice of play or musical is a significant decision.

It may seem like a straight forward process but having worked with theatre groups the following are some of the  criteria used when choosing what to perform.

1. A piece of theatre based on artistic merit
2. Possible box office receipts, ie popularity
3. A play with a high female cast element
4. A play with a large number of non speaking parts thereby  encouraging greater community articipation
5. Something that has good acting parts for committe members (no joke)

Having said that, the primary factor that will influenec the selection is the view of the producer / director. Unless a society has a reputation for excellence and can dictate terms to producers most societies have to
accept the preference of the producer, expecially if one is been hired on a professional basis. Producers are seldom two a penny and amateur ones will almost always want to have a say in the play that they will be directing.

For most societes, appointing a Producer first is a far more practical option. Once a play is decided upon that both the producer and committee like then the show will go ahead.

For those societies that are a couple of steps above the average Dramatic society but not yet regarded as “top leaguers” there is also the option of inviting applicants. The producers approached will probably have a list of possible  plays or musicals. The committe or person in charge of the society then selects a producer and they both then choose a piece to be performed from the list presenter by the Producer.

No matter what play or musical is selected there will be a need for fancy dress costumes and make up. That is where Moulin Rouge Fancy dress can help so please click through to our site for more information on how we can help.