If you run a community theatre group, or work at a local school or college and want to stage a production, chances are that money will be tight, and you will need to stick to a strict budget. Planning a production is never an easy task, but when you have little funding, it can be a complete nightmare. Fortunately, there are many ways you can cut costs without jeopardizing the quality of your play.
Luckily, if you are a community theatre company or a school, you will have an abundance of actors, ready to take their place on the stage. This means that you will not have to spend vast amounts of money on advertising. Simply, draw up a few posters to let people know you are auditioning, and you should get a decent response.
Once you have cast your roles, you will need to start thinking about the set design. Students, family and friends are your best source of help for this task. Draw up a list of all the props and set pieces you will need, and ask for volunteers to work on each. If you are in a school environment, the art department would be a good place to find volunteers. You should be able to get most of the props and sets you need made for you, free of charge, but if you have the need for some more complicated props, hiring is a good idea. At Keeley Hire, we have a vast range of props for hire at low prices. Hiring is much cheaper than buying, so, your budget should survive.
