Theater producer
A theater producer (also theatrical producer or theater producer ) is a person who comprehensively plans all aspects of the creation, production and economic evaluation of a theater production and who is responsible for managing them. Theater production in this context means stage productions of all genres, so u. a. also music theater such as opera, musical, show, revue or dance theater. The job profile of the theater producer should not be confused with the job profile of the music producer, but it is similar in some aspects to the job of the film producer .
Historically, the theater producer was also referred to as an impresario . This term is still used today in the English-speaking world.
Activity of theater producer
The theater producer puts together the creative team for the production, including a. Author, director , composer , choreographer , set designer , costume designer , prop master , light designer , sound designer . The producer signs all actors under contract, possibly at a later date also the artists or the ensemble . Should auditions or castings be necessary in advance , the theater producer organizes and manages these together with the director. The theater producer is often also the initiator and source of ideas for the new production - he therefore has a key function in the development of material, the selection of material and the creation of new formats in the theater.
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The creative process, starting with the development of the material through the rehearsals to the performances, is structured, coordinated, controlled and monitored by the theater producer, always accompanied by content. Occasionally, theater producers also act as directors, especially for smaller productions.
The commercial theater producer provides financing for the production, including a. by acquiring investors, it should not work in a publicly subsidized environment or finance through own funds or sponsorship. In England and the USA, outside financing of theater productions by investors is commonplace, for example on New York's Broadway or on London's West End, while this remains the exception in German-speaking countries to this day.
The theater producer is responsible for all economic and financial aspects of a production, including a. for calculating and monitoring production budgets and running costs from the beginning of planning until after the last production run. As a leading key figure and mediator, he always moves in the field of tension between artistic creation and economic necessity. Financial management and controlling also include planning and monitoring the evaluation of production, e.g. B. the pricing policy for tickets individually per venue and the collection of tickets to the ticket sellers. Sales planning for ticket sales in cooperation with ticket systems is another task of the commercial theater producer. Other sources of income for the production, for example in merchandising or sponsoring, are developed, planned, designed and monitored by the theater producer. The theater producer also ensures correct accounting with licensors, theater publishers or collecting societies such as B. GEMA .
The theater producer is also legally responsible for the theater production: Before the start of production, he clarifies any performance rights, other affected rights of third parties and other legal questions in the course of the production, usually in close cooperation with his legal advisor or external lawyers. To this extent, he legally secures the production.
The theater producer is in charge of developing and financing the entire marketing and public relations work for the theater production. After developing a marketing strategy, this then includes the planning and implementation of marketing and communication measures such as B. Production of photos and films, websites, posters and advertising motifs, the design of integrated advertising and promotion campaigns, outdoor advertising , marketing cooperations , press work , etc. In touring, this area of responsibility is expanded to include the design, coordination and monitoring of the national or also international marketing and local press work at the venues.
Depending on the type of production, the theater producer is also responsible for renting the theaters or - when touring - for the contracts with local organizers and service providers as well as for monitoring the local activities of these partners. In particular, renting theaters yourself is a costly and risky undertaking for a new theater production, as the financial success of the new production has to be estimated in advance and the first term of the same has to be adjusted accordingly, which does not always succeed and if a theater production is poorly utilized this does not rarely financially poor quickly.
This also results in another task of the theater producer: the proper closure of a production and the related processing with the partners and actors involved, with whom one has contractual relationships. If the theater production is not financially viable due to a lack of sales or has been played after a long period, the producer must recognize this at an early stage and the production z. B. to be evaluated in a different way or at a different point in time or, if necessary, to be withdrawn entirely. The financial risk is generally high for the theater producer, who has to keep track of all sources of finance and costs.
requirements
Due to the high complexity, specialization and multi-layered work of the theater producer, there is no training path for this profession, at least in German-speaking countries; The work of the commercial and independent theater producer is also fraught with high financial risks, which require personal passion for the profession. Access to the profession of theater producer alone, for example through a business degree, would not be appropriate. Most theater producers come to their profession from work experience at the theater or in the entertainment industry and sometimes have additional special qualifications of artistic, academic, commercial or technical nature. For example, the famous British theater producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh (including Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Oliver !, Miss Saigon, Cats ) his career as a stagehand ( stagehand ) touring productions.
The special position of the theater producer requires not only market knowledge, artistic and psychological sensitivity, superior management skills, negotiation skills and commercial and legal knowledge, but also great expertise in marketing and constant observation of the international theater market and audience development in the home market. In addition, the theater producer also needs knowledge of all technical and logistical aspects of a theater production (stage technology, set design, lighting technology, sound technology, special effects). In particular, the independent theater producer who is not tied to a fixed theater needs a strong network of partners, investors and possibly organizers, which makes it even more difficult for inexperienced or young theater producers to enter this profession.
In Great Britain, on the other hand, the non-profit organization STAGE ONE , an offshoot of the Society of London Theater , provides for the development, training and financial support of the next generation of theater producers. This is justified with the relevance of the theater producer for the continued existence of the British theater landscape and the significant economic importance for Great Britain, also through cultural exports.
Historical role models
William Shakespeare is considered to be a prototype of the theater producer. In addition to his artistic work, which he always geared strategically to market conditions, he was an extremely successful theater entrepreneur. Later this applies primarily to Sergei Pavlovich Djagilew , who, as impresario for the Ballets Russes, redefined dance theater with his productions and exerted great cultural influence. Even Max Reinhardt has an exemplary role as a commercial theater producer through his production of entirely new, ambitious and commercially successful formats in the entertainment theater, where he entered as a producer high economic risks. Max Reinhardt was "the master of the largest, internationally operating theater company of its day" ( DIE ZEIT ). For the commercial Broadway theater, David Merrick is considered formative, whose productivity and profitability as a producer are still unmatched today, as is his creativity in PR for his productions.
In an ironic way, Mel Brooks dealt with the role of the theater producer in the film Spring for Hitler (original title: The Producers ) from 1968 and in his musical The Producers .
See also
Web links
- Society of London Theater / Stage One: Setting up a production ( MS Word ; 258 kB)
- So you want to be a theater producer? in: The Guardian, UK
- Society of London Theater / Stage One: Budgeting for the commercial theater ( MS Word ; 256 kB)
- Theater Producer Academy: What is a Theater Producer? - Youtube video
- Cameron Mackintosh - The Musical is Money to his Ears in: The New York Times
- Investing in stage musicals in: The Economist
- A Business called Show in: British Theater Guide
- What's the producer's role? in: The Guardian, UK
- Theater needs risk-takers now more than ever in: The Guardian, UK
- Society of London Theater / Stage One: Raising finance ( MS Word ; 257 kB)
- Society of London Theater / Stage One: A theater producer's glossary ( MS Word ; 269 kB)
- Society of London Theater
- The Broadway League of American Theaters and Producers
- CTI Commercial Theater Institute, New York