Hi Guys, Sorry, I don't get onto this site as often as might need be... Yes, the concept (and that's what it is at this
stage, no pun intended) goes like this: I have a show that I'm working to produce... now, what I'm working toward doing is to
build a management team for this show. Vested individuals, who might become general partners (when the Limited Partnership is formed). So the Academic aspect of it is to create a parallel aprenticeship program in (Bryn Athyn) College, in Pennsylvania. This comes about because the college has a usable
theatre, but I think a four wall is insufficient to justify the effort (it's only 480+/- seats and it's a limited run scenario). So why not use the production of this show as an educational tool as well as a professional endeavor? It's become
clear that there is not a large enough student
base to implement a program like this with Bryn Athyn College alone, so... the idea needs to include surrounding (or a
network of) colleges as well. Just as the professional goal is to put the show up (and in fact, to tour it around the world), the academic program is intended to develop a
circuit of college performing arts departments, whereby the participating organizations, contribute both students & resources toward the goal of mentoring the apprentices to teach production management and use the participating college facilities as the touring objective. A professional endeavor, implemented and managed by students (in a somewhat more forgiving creative environment) The larger goal is to develop networking abilities and to establish a modus operendi for producing new works and taking them the full nine yards. The advantage of this process is that the professional team who is mentoring the student team will be working to develop the business of producing
theatre. Of course, I'm using my show as a test case (why not since I'm designing the concept) Ultimately, if this show is to go around the world, then the students who are working on the academic effort will be functioning in parallel with the professionals, but... they will also be trained to move into that job once they exit school. With this plan, producing "new works" is from the
ground up, not in a sheltered environment where the budget is provided by the school. The students and their mentors must raise the needed capital and provide sufficient funds to pay all staff members, just as they would need to do in a professional environment. This will ultimately mean that they will have to learn about ancillary markets and how to exploit them to the benefit of the production. Marketing and all the rest is part of this plan. Since the talents required are quite
broad, this effort would include many departments within the collegiate environment. The idea is to train professionals, not simply get kids excited about the
theatre and then
throw them out into the business without thorough training. I've seen that happen too many times. It happened to me. Anyway. That's the idea. So far I'm getting good responce, but it's something that will take time. I appreciate your thoughts.