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The producer is to the production as the chair is to the Ensemble. The producer is responsible for all non-artistic decisions for the production. More specifically, s/he selects a production staff according to Ensemble guidelines, facilitates all logistical matters, and runs all production meetings. The producer can be thought of as the "last line of defence"; if a production team member becomes unable to complete their position, the producer must either replace them or complete the position him/herself. The producer is also the final authority on the production- if something makes you uncomfortable for safety or other reasons, you are well within your right to veto it. Additionally, you are responsible for handling interpersonal conflicts between anyone involved in the production.
General Comments
Make sure people are doing their jobs. Get them to do their jobs. This does not mean that you should be doing the work for them when they slack.
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Performance
Assist as needed. While it is not necessary for the producer to attend all performances, it is recommended, as a) it makes everyone feel better and b) you can be around if an extra pair of hands are needed in an emergencyIn the past it has been required that the person who registers the event with Cambridge/CAC be present at all performances. If this is not the case, you should probably be present anyway in case of major emergency and/or just because it makes everyone else feel better.
After Closing
Ensure that all prod staff have fulfilled all their obligations (i.e., returned borrowed equipment). Set a deadline for all receipts to be turned in. Submit a final budget (based on receipts turned in). Schedule and run the post-production meeting to discuss the production (what went wrong, what went right, etc.).
Miscellaneous
Interpersonal Stuff
You get to deal with all of the drama that might effect the show, lucky you. From conflicts between designers to angry actors to broken up couples to the inevitable conflagration between the SM and the director, you need to get the parties back into a state where they can work together and fulfill their responsibilities. Remember, especially as the show approaches, everyone is hosed, everyone is tired, everyone is looking for an excuse to start screaming, and much of the time squabbles are born more of general frustration than of real interpersonal problems. You should make it very clear to the actors, prod staff, and director at read through/the first prod meeting/routinely throughout the production that you are there to be a shoulder to cry on, to mediate, and to make sure no one dies or kills anyone until after strike.
Buying/Renting Weapons
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For Romeo and Juliet in Spring 2011 we required the use of Rapiers. The ensemble owns both bastard swords and foil-type swords, neither of which was perfect. We therefore rented rapiers from \[\[http://www.weaponsofchoicetheatrical.com/\|Weapons of Choice\]\]. If they are no longer around, contacting either MIT theatre arts or perhaps Ted Eaton (our R&J director) to find another place. Prices can get expensive - it's probably around $30 to $40 for each weapon for the run of the show, but that have a quite good selection. For R&J our director found a contact who gave us money to pay for the renting, but if we were willing to skimp on other areas we should be able to rent 2 or 3 ourselves. Shipping will take about 5 days, so rent them a bit before you want them to show up. |
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