How to Choose the Right Plays for Church, School or Theatre Groups

Choosing the right play for your church, school or theatre group is the first, most important decision in putting on a successful show. You want to make sure you select plays that your audiences will enjoy. And you want your actors and crew to have fun working on them together. After all, nobody is going to be getting the "big bucks!" So, whether the goal of your production is to raise money or just to provide free entertainment for others, here are some tips to help your church, school or theatre group choose the right plays.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Choose a play that your audience will enjoy.

   KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Ask yourself, who is going to be coming to see the play? If your audience will be mainly teenagers, you should look for a show that will speak to them, in their language, and be about something that is relevant to their lives and experiences. If your audience will be mostly parents and older folks, think about what their tastes and comfort level might be, especially with regard to language and sexuality.

2. 
    
   Comedies are popular during hard times.

   CONSIDER WHY THEY'LL BE ATTENDING. Will your audience be coming to see your play for a light evening of fun? Often during tough economic times, people will seek entertainment that makes them laugh and forget their troubles for a while. That's why recently, Broadway theaters have had successful revivals of "classic" comedies, like "Blithe Spirit" and "Boeing, Boeing." Remember, audiences can forgive a lot of mistakes in a production if it still makes them laugh!
   
   Or will they be coming to the theater learn about and explore an issue that is important to them? There are many wonderful dramas that present the issues of our time, and of times past, with insight and a new perspective. These kinds of plays may prompt a "talk back" session afterward where actors and audience members share their thoughts and questions about the show. These kinds of shows work best as fund-raisers for special causes.

3. 
    
   Make sure you can cast your play.

   TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR CASTING POOL. If your church or school is very large and you have a lot of talented people available to you, you'll have an easier job choosing the right play. But if you are limited in the number of people who are able and willing to step onto the stage, make sure you select a play that has a small cast. Also keep in mind that, generally, there are more women and girls interested in performing, compared to men and boys. You may love the musical, "1776," but unless you know you can find 24 men who can sing, you should keep looking for the right play! Choose a play that, in your mind, you can cast several different ways, depending on who and how many people show up to audition.

4. 
    
   Think creatively when it comes to sets.

   ANALYZE THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. With some creativity and imagination, most plays can be mounted without extravagant sound and light effects. But stage sets, props and costumes are still very important factors in choosing the right play for your church, school or theatre group's production. If you have a limited budget or a space that doesn't lend itself to a permanent stage set, choose a play that can be done in a "black box" style. That means one that uses minimal set pieces and props, leaving the audience to use its imagination to envision the play's environment. For instance, the play "Our Town" is said to be running somewhere in the world every day. In part, that's because it is such an easy show to stage with practically no set or props. On the other hand, it would be very difficult to stage a show like "Arsenic and Old Lace" without a set, props and costumes that evoke the Victorian era house of two elderly sisters.

5. 
    
   Always keep your budget in mind.

   BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET! It is possible to find plays that are inexpensive to produce. But it's difficult! There are plays that are "royalty-free," meaning that you may not need to pay a royalty fee for every time you perform it. Older plays, those published before 1923, are in the public domain and are free to perform and adapt as you want. But aside from royalties, you will need to budget for a variety of expenses such as: scripts, set building materials, set pieces and furniture, costumes and any special make-up or wigs, props and any food used in the show, programs, advertising, lights, sound effects, music (which also may require royalty fees), tickets, administrative supplies, and rentals of any type for the auditorium or chairs or risers.
   
   Truth is, the reality of choosing the right play for your church, school or theatre group is a lot more complicated than in those old movies where a teen-age Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland declare, "let's put on a show!" But it can be worth every minute of effort and every drop of sweat when your audience applauds, whistles and yells, "Bravo!"

Tips & Warnings

• Make a point of seeing a lot of plays and you'll have a better idea of how many ways you can take what's in the script and adapt it to the stage creatively.
• Ask your audience, in formal surveys or in informal conversations, what kinds of plays they would like to see.
• Remember that you and your cast and crew are doing this for fun. Don't get so caught up in making it "professional" that it takes the joy out of it!
• There will almost always be someone in your audience who doesn't like what they see. Listen to them, but try not to take their criticism personally. Remember you can't please everyone!
• Remember, the only scripts you may change legally, without the playwright's permission are those in the public domain. All other plays are protected by copyright, including the words (every single one, including profanity), setting and time period, and cannot be altered legally without permission of the playwright or publisher holding the copyright. This information is clearly stated in the front of all published scripts.

[goodselfme]

on 4/9/2009 Good points to consider when choosing the correct play for church, school or theater groups.

[Upon-Request]

on 4/6/2009 These are very good suggestions to consider when finding a play that's suitable for your particular venue.