Arts and the Burg: What’s the Season? : The Critograph || Lynchburg College’s Student Run

Sierra Spicer, Staff Writer – Choosing shows for a theatre season can be a very difficult thing to do. You have to decide between putting on your dream shows and realistically looking at what shows you can do with the budget you are allocated, with the performers you think you may have and the space where you will be performing. This may sound pretty easy, but this process needs to be taken seriously if a theatre company wants to have a successful theatrical season. As an actress, I have always thought that choosing shows should be extremely easy for a selection committee to decide. All they have to do is look at the talent they have in their company and choose shows that they know they can do with these performers. I never thought about the financial aspect of this selection process and how they have to take that into consideration when choosing shows because if they do not work within their budget, then they may risk failing as a company. I think that if a company is honest with themselves about what they can and cannot afford, they can have a successful season, which will allow them to do seasons in the future as well. Once a selection committee narrows down their choices of shows, they can finally make the fun decisions that will lead to a great line up for their season. When they get to this part of the process, they have already decided the shows that can be done within their budget with the talent they have and in their theatrical space. Now they can re-read these shows and think about which shows will be the most relevant for their company to produce for the audience they have. This is when they start talking to directors and producers, so that they can help with this final step of selection. The directors pitch their ideas for their artistic route for the show and they come together to select and form the season. The last phase is announcing the season and every theatre company does this differently. My favorite way to hear about a season announcement is on their website. I like to read about the shows and the specifics about who are the directors for the shows, the dates of the shows and audition information. Some companies announce their season in playbills or through an email distribution. Announcing a theatre season is very exciting for the company, the audiences and the performers because it is something for everyone to look forward to.