Making a proposal

  The information below is an extract from NWTC's guide for putting on a production:

Proposal: A proposal must be submitted to the NWTC Committee for consideration and approval before any work (other than  research) starts on a production. Once submitted, offer to attend the next Committee meeting to support your application. The more comprehensive your proposal is, the easier it is for the Committee to decide. Submit this at least a year before you hope to perform as the build-up (planning, venues, auditions and rehearsals etc) to a show can take well over a year from the point of proposal.  It may seem extreme, but once rehearsals begin, everyone involved in the production will be very busy dealing with planned, and many unplanned, circumstances. Large and small “crises” are to be expected during rehearsal and performance periods, and dealing with these crises can use up enormous amounts of time, energy, patience and enthusiasm. Your proposal should include:

1. Date of proposal together with the type of production envisgaed (NWTC production or co-production - if co-production then details of NWTC's role)
2. Name and synopsis of the play and cast numbers
3. Copy of script
4. Availability and cost of performance rights
5. Tentative performance dates
6. Preliminary budget including any proposed sponsorships
7. Tentative venue(s)
8. Vision in terms of set, costumes, props, technical requirements, particular concerns
9. List of production team: this is extremely important. No team = no play! The director, stage manager and producer/production manager is essential, but the more information the better.
10. Envisaged Committee and production support required: It is essential from the outset that any expectations a director/production team has of the Committee be discussed with the Committee. Similarly, it is equally essential that the Committee discusses its expectations of a director/production team with them. Communication needs to be open and constant. The aim of the Committee is to facilitate NWTC productions and events. Each year the work plan is full which results in Committee members being very much in demand throughout the whole year. Consequently, even though Committee members may wish to help, it does not automatically follow that they are able to become part of a particular production as merely maintaining NWTC's programme is already highly time-consuming (see Committee's diary). Therefore, if you seek individual support from a member of the Committee please ask the member in question, just as you would any other production team member.