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How to stage a play
Pick a text: Look for something that is exciting and relevant to your audience. Read several plays and discuss why you want to do them.
Pick a text: Look for something that is exciting and relevant to your audience. Read several plays and discuss why you want to do them.
Look for a suitable venue: Most venues are expensive and booked well in advance. Find alternate spaces — galleries, schools, outdoor venues. If you are selling tickets you will have to pay entertainment tax, unless you are a registered society. Make sure to begin this process early enough as govt. offices are notoriously bureaucratic.
Make a rehearsal schedule: A week of ice-breaking is useful. Make sure you give yourself at least a week of run-throughs before the final show.
Set up a production team: Involve a stage/ set designer, a production assistant or stage manager, a lighting designer and a few stage hands. Getting the material requirements in place early on will save you stress.
Work on the publicity:
A month before your show have your production manager contact all the major media with information on the play.
Chaudhuri is artistic director of a theatre company.
As told to Srishti Jha
