Producer

The Producer works very closely with the Director, coordinating all aspects of the production. It's a behind-the-scenes role with very little recognition, but is absolutely critical to the success of the production.

General Responsibilities:
-Obtains the rights for the production, ensures royalties are paid
-Generate a Budget with the assistance of the treasurer, Director, and other production personnel.
-Select facility and reserve it
-Coordinate meal planning with Director and kitchen manager
-Obtain liquor license for dinner theatre productions and recruit bartenders
-Recruit a house manager who will be responsible for making sure the building is ready, including setting up chairs, obtaining paper products for bathrooms, etc.
-Notify Community Relations Chair about auditions and production dates, show ads, poster distribution, press releases, and design for the print ads and posters.
-Duplicate the Audition Form and bring to auditions; help conduct a smooth audition process by gathering forms, provide pencils and answering questions.
-Recruit a Technical Director
-Appoint a 'Set Building and Painting Recruitment Coordinator' to assist with recruiting and contacting volunteers. (Obtain list of volunteers from the President, Vice-President or Secretary, along with the 'Audition Forms')
-Recruit additional production team
-Set up a Production Staff Meeting and notify all volunteers in advance
-Create a show contact list of actors and production crew
-Attend rehearsals; although attending every rehearsal is not necessary, the initial read-through is critical, and being accessible by the cast is important
-Gather cast biographies for the program and provide them to the Program Editor
-Make sure everyone knows who they should report to
-Have tickets printed
-Mail a program immediately following the final show to: The Daily Press, Community Relations Division, Attn: 7505 Warwick Blvd. (MP 3101), Newport News, VA 23607. (grant requirement)
-AED (Automated External Defibulator) and First Aid Kit are to be on site at all rehearsals and performances, with a qualified technician present

Budget & Recordkeeping
The Producer and Director shall meet with the Production Committee Chair to determine a budget for the show. The Production Committee Chair will provide an approximate figure as a starting point. The Producer will work out a rough budget and negotiate with the Production Committee Chair until a final budget is agreed upon. A previous budget, received from the treasurer on a similar show, should serve as a guideline in determining specific amounts.

Once the individual budgets have been determined and the Production Budget form is completed, the Producer should notify each staff member of the amount available to him/her. The Producer should require receipts from purchases when available and keep a detailed record of all monetary transactions.

e importance of recordkeeping cannot be overemphasized. Following the close of the show, the Producer, in cooperation with the Treasurer and Production Committee Chair, is expected to present the Executive Board a complete written report of show expenditures, including money allocated and spent, and total revenue from ticket sales.

Production Staff
The production staff should be in place prior to the start of rehearsals. Obtain a current Membership List from the Membership Committee Chairperson. Notify the Newsletter Editor to submit an article requesting volunteers. Word of mouth is the best source for recruiting production staff. Encourage new members to get involved, even if they are inexperienced. If they are assigned an apprenticeship position, it will provide a larger pool of people to draw from in the future. The cast should not be overlooked as potential production staff members; many of them have valuable knowledge or experience to bring to the process, especially if they are not cast in a large role.

During the initial production staff meeting review roles and responsibilities and make sure the volunteers understand their parts in the production. Be sure to discuss their individual budgets and how to submit expenses for reimbursement. Expenses must be submitted no later than 30 days after the show closes, unless those expenses have been approved by the CHP treasurer.

The Producer must maintain close communication with the Executive Board through the Production Committee Chair, Director and production staff at all times, and ensure that relevant information is relayed to those who have a direct role. He/she should attempt to attend as many rehearsals as possible. The Production Committee Chair should be notified of any incidents, questions, or concerns, as well as the progress of the show.