TheatreCraft 2016: Putting on your play with Paines Plough

Paines Plough, being the national theatre of new plays, took the time to tell us novice playwrights and theatre makers what makes a play.

TheatreCraft 2016: Putting on your play with Paines Plough

Take a moment to think of all the steps you need to consider, then compare yours to what Paines Plough consider. Thank you to TheatreCraft for joining us together!

On Monday, the creative madness of TheatreCraft immersed itself throughout a rather posh room in the Waldorf Hilton in Aldwych. TheatreCraft being the biggest non-performance careers event in London, whereby many theatre practitioners and arts venues took to the stage to engage young people, aged 16 to 25, into theatre careers. Workshops included every possible career or art form under the umbrella term 'Theatre' including casting, scenic art and playwriting and there was the chance to speak to so many experts from RADA, LAMDA, the Young Vic and National Theatre to name but a few. There was something for everyone to explore and I managed to attend a talk led by Paines Plough, who are frankly very genuinely nice people open to talking to anyone interested in putting on a play.

As creative as the team at Paines Plough are, they tasked us with how to put on a play. They provided a long list of steps of everything to consider when putting on a play. Would you have placed these in this order, or what would you have done differently? Is there anything you would have not considered?

1. Decide to make a play
2. Find a writer
3. Apply for funding
4. Find co-producers for the play
5. Make the writer a commission
6. Finalise the writer's contract to agent
7. Write numerous drafts of the play
8. Secure tour venues
9. Source the core team and finalise their payments
10. Creative preparation begins
11. Secure insurance
12. Begin creating a marketing pack
13. Auditions begin
14. Source stage management team
15. Finalise wages contracts

16. Finalise rehearsal copy of the script
17. Press receive marketing pack and cast is announced
18. Designer presents their vision
19. Rehearsals begin
20. Interviews with the cast and photo calls
21. Playtext is printed
22. Technical run commences
23. Dress run commences
24. Preview night
25. Press night
26. Tour begins its run
27. Budget updates
28. Collate tour data of the audience statistics
29. Royalties are distributed
30. Debrief

Still interested in putting on your own play? Join Hiive, the professional network for creative people.

Want to find out more about tours of new writing near you? Follow Paines Plough on Twitter.

Author

Kheira Bey

Kheira Bey Contributor

A very busy bee in the arts world. Kheira is an actress, living and working in London and loves anything fresh in the world of theatre, film and art. She works across theatre and film, and is trying to get better at watering her plant collection. She has previously contributed to: Voice Magazine, The Everyday, The Sun and Good Morning Britain; and is passionate about championing female narratives and new work. Arts Award Activist 2016/17 and Vaults Festival fanatic.

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