Playhouses taking one step forward, two back

It’s not official, but it looks as if anywhere from one to four local theater troupes have shut down. Seems for every playhouse we gain, we lose two. So, in the spirit of saving heartache to those who may be thinking of starting a performing arts group in 2008, I humbly offer this advice:

Don’t even bother if you are not absolutely obsessed with theater. You will encounter tons of unforeseen problems, and only your love of the art is likely to encourage you to put up with all the nonsense.

Don’t think a love of acting is going to be enough. You (or your partners) must love the administrative side as well. Without effective marketing, planning and fundraising, you might as well just put on a show for family and friends.

Hone your collaboration skills. Mounting a production is not like writing a novel. You can’t do it alone. Sure, you may be talented, but getting people to want to work with you is just as important; maybe more so.

As soon as you are able, announce a season of shows, rather than doing one show whenever the mood strikes you. A lineup of four or five productions will give audiences some idea of who you are, and you’ll more likely stay in the public’s memory.

Don’t count on the local press for all your publicity needs.

On the other hand, make sure the press is kept well-informed of what you’re up to. Don’t be shy about pitching story ideas. Even if you get turned down nine times out of 10, that one time may result in page space worth thousands of dollars in publicity costs.

Before you start a new troupe, make sure you are acquainted with the local theater scene. Find out what’s out there, so that you can reasonably assess what your unique contributions might be.

If you are from out of town, don’t tell the press you’re going to bring culture to Vegas. We have culture, thank you, and the last thing we need are outsiders coming to save us. (These people are often gifted, but so arrogant that they don’t take the time to learn how to build a Vegas audience. And when their playhouse quickly folds, they tell people we hicks don’t appreciate good theater.)

When you finally start doing shows, and get reviewed, don’t write e-mails to critics telling them what they can do with certain parts of your anatomy. Even negative reviews help keep you in the public eye. Being ignored is the enemy.

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.