Self-Producing VII: Production Timeline

Let’s get back to the discussion of self-producing your one-person show in a theater. As a self-producer, you’ll be juggling many many details, which can be daunting and stressful. Your most important ally will be TIME. Time to find your funding, time to hire your personnel, time to rehearse, time to plan and execute publicity – in short, you’ll want as much time as possible to take care of the myriad details that make a successful theater show. Here is a loose production timeline that starts six months before opening night. The more you can get done early, the more breathing room you’ll have when it really counts: in the final production weeks and on opening night. By getting as many of your producing duties done as early as possible, you’ll have more time to focus on your performing, which is your whole point in the first place!

Six months before opening:

Initial planning: Answer the W questions (what are you doing, who with, where, when, etc.)
Create a budget
Book Rehearsal Space
Begin Fundraising
Book Theater

Five months before opening:

Create Production Timeline
Continue Fundraising
Create Job Descriptions
Find your key people
Write Contracts

Four months before opening:

Continue Fundraising
Hire Designers (Production & Publicity)
Hire other important staff
Begin Design of sets, costumes, etc.
Begin Design of flyers/posters
- Photo shoot for poster/publicity photos
Gather Publicity Information
- Who/where to publicize
Write Press Release
Work on Mailing List
Build your Rehearsal Schedule

Three months before opening:

Continue Fundraising
Complete Flyer Design
Print Flyer
Send Calendar Listings/PR to monthly publications
Follow-up phone calls to monthly publications (one week after mailing)
Phone Calls for Possible Advance Publicity
Get Mailing Lists Together
Bi-Monthly Design Meetings/ Final Set Design
Create Production Schedule
Plan/Begin building Show Website
Hire Running Crew
Auditions (if needed)
Begin Rehearsal Process

Two months before opening:

Plan/Send Flyer Mailing (Bulk mail – about 5 wks before opening)
Plan/Begin Online campaign/Emailing
Final costume & lighting design deadline
Weekly Production Meetings
Plan Front-of-House Procedure/Concessions
Begin Set construction or assembly of set elements to be installed
Contact VIPs. Send Personal Invitations
Continue Rehearsal Process
Plan for Video Documentation
Complete Show Website
Begin Program Design

Final month before opening:

Continue Email campaign
Continue online publicity
Complete and print program
Create Press Kits for attending press/reviewers
Send First Class Flyer Mailing (three weeks before opening)
Send PR to Weekly and Daily publications (three weeks before opening)
Send PR to radio and TV stations (two weeks before opening)
Follow-up calls to Weekly and Daily publications (two weeks before opening)
Prepare for Production Week
- Equip rentals, set pieces, schedule final personnel/help (ushers, concessions, parking)
- Begin your RSVP list
Costumes, Lighting, Sound Plan Finished
Follow-up Phone Calls to radio and TV stations (one week before opening)
Final Rehearsals
Tech Week
Production Week
- Manage every last detail
- Probably handle some surprise issues
- Fast run-up to opening night!!!!!!!!