Guidelines for Submissions to Direct a Hawthorne Players Production

Non-paid positions

Background:  Hawthorne Players is a 64-year old community theater group, based in Florissant's Civic Center Theater, now called the James J. Eagan Civic Center.  Hawthorne typically produces three plays/musicals annually. All shows are scheduled for five performances. Those include a spring play (April), a summer musical (end of July-first weekend in August), and a fall play (November).  Each year the company also produces a fund-raising production for the Duckie DeMere Scholarship Fund.  

Hawthorne has a season ticket base of 500 patrons. You should be aware that over 90% of season ticket holders are seniors. The fact that the facility is owned by the City of Florissant forces some censorship guidelines upon us. The City is very responsive to complaints about language and content. This should help guide you in selecting an appropriate script.

Hawthorne Players is a not-for-profit group. Directors, as well as most all involved, are volunteers. Budgets can be very tight from year to year. The Board's general philosophy is to produce musicals that will draw an audience for the season. The non-musicals are, generally, less well-attended but more profitable, allowing the group to continue to produce shows the following year. Budgets will be reviewed later.

The group expects that when you submit a script to direct that your submission demonstrates that you have not only read it, but also studied it.  You should be willing to meet with the Play Reading Committee and be able to answer questions about language, accents, length, number of characters, their gender and ages, music, etc. You will also be expected to identify the period of the show as you intend to direct it and how your choices impact the set design, costuming requirements, and any special needs of the show.

Though directors who have worked with the group before, especially as a director or assistant director, will be given special consideration, we are always looking for new directing talents. Hawthorne needs to establish the reliability of anyone who supervises a large endeavor of this type. You may use your own support staff, but you should expect that if they are unknown to the Board of Directors, the Board might assign additional supervision.

Hawthorne has a warehouse in which we store a variety of platforms, doors, flats, lumber, tools, and costumes. If you are selected as a director, you will have access to these materials. You should know that Hawthorne does not maintain a space for set construction, though there is a small area at the warehouse. All sets are normally built or assembled on the stage of the Civic Center beginning the weekend prior to the show opening. We have arranged to move in and construct earlier, especially musicals, but this requires special arrangements with the Civic Center facility. Only the Board is authorized to make those kinds of requests, and if desired, you will have to request early move in through the Board.

Though we have a volunteer technical supervisor, we do not have a resident staff for set construction or technical jobs. If you have a need for personnel to handle technical responsibilities, you should make the Board aware of that as soon as possible so we can assist in that search.

If you are selected to direct, you will be required to join the group because of insurance requirements of the Civic Center. Membership dues are $20 per person or $30 for a family. This covers both insurance and mailings to keep you abreast of developments within the group. Your privileges as a member include access to available seating at all Hawthorne productions for the season at no charge. Also, you will be included in the mailing of our monthly newsletter. It is considered good etiquette to assist with the productions for the season which you are not directing, if at all possible. Your commitment to those shows does not have to be extensive, but your presence as an usher will allow members to get to know you and stay in touch with your needs.

Hawthorne's Current Board of Directors

President     Ray Shea

Vice President    Tina Schneider

Treasurer    Tony Bertolino

Season Ticket Manager    Dottie Bertolino

House Manager    Doug Lane

Publicity Manager    Larry Marsh

Technical Director    Steve Batzer

Recording Secretary    Erica Marks

Corresponding Secretary    Jennifer Strathman

Membership Manager    Ryan Cooper

Anyone on the Board can accept a submission. Most can answer questions immediately about show selection criteria or other subjects.

The Theater: The Florissant Civic Center Theater has approximately 570 seats, a proscenium stage, a computerized light board, integrated sound system, separate men's and ladies' dressing rooms, a green room and large wing spaces. An orchestra pit is available under the removable stage apron. The house is deeper and narrower than many community theaters. The sound system is fully functional and body microphones, floor microphones and a cloud microphone are always available for your use. If you decline to use them, you should emphasize clear enunciation and vocal projection during your rehearsal process as the house layout and our many senior patrons make being understood a challenge.  A shop area is available through prior arrangements with the Civic Center.

Budgets:  The Board controls some items included in the budget exclusively. For example, a figure for administrative overhead will be apportioned to your show. The amount of season ticket moneys received and apportioned to your show will be identified for you. Projections on other sales will be provided based on historical data.

The Publicity Manager submits promotional expenses to the Board for review. Hawthorne has one of the more aggressive promotional approaches for a community theater, using radio and print advertising, innovative pricing and advance purchase discounts to create interest. Publicity photographs can be arranged through the Publicity Manager (see Board positions mentioned earlier) but are generally used at the discretion of the publisher (Post Dispatch, Riverfront Times, etc).

Hawthorne pays the Civic Center for the use of their facility for move-in, building time, tech rehearsals and performances. Those figures will also be provided based on historical data. Your budget should be realistic and certainly break even. Sample budgets can be obtained from the group's Treasurer.

Budget items provided for you include:

Revenues apportioned/projected for the show

Theater rental expenses

Administrative overhead

Advertising/promotions

Program expenses

Move-in/Move out expenses

Anticipated budget items you will be expected to provide include:

Royalties, scripts, musical scores

Sets and set decoration

Costumes

Lighting and Sound

Rehearsal rental (we have a list of nearby providers if you require them)

Musicians (Hawthorne discourages the use of paid musicians, but have occasionally paid a Musical Director and some musicians a modest sum. You should discuss this with the Board before committing to pay anyone, since it could affect Hawthorne's IRS reporting)

Printing, copying and mailing expenses (schedules, cast lists, audition notices, etc)

Props

Any other expenses you may anticipate

Submissions:  Submissions for shows are due by July 31, 2009. Your submission(s) should be provided in the form of a letter identifying yourself and the show(s) you are submitting. A form is attached that outlines additional information required and it must be returned with the letter.

Show Selection Process: A Play Reading Committee reads submissions. The responsibility of the committee is to confirm the material that has been provided by submitters and to read each play in its entirety. Each member of the Play Reading Committee independently offers a review of each show and assesses its content in written form. These are summarized by the Play Reading chairman and submitted to the Board for review. Prospective directors may be asked or request the opportunity to present the show directly to the Board at the August meeting. The Play Reading Committee may submit a non-binding proposal of a season.

Items that are considered by the Board:

Season Balance

Audience Appeal

Marketing Prospects

Director's Experience and Reputation

Director's Proposal

Probable Cost of the Production

Production Requirements and Challenges

Script Quality

The Board may choose any submitted shows. The Board may also determine that the submissions are insufficient, and seek additional submissions from the group of directors who have submitted or other directors who have submitted in the past.  Once a season has been determined, all directors will be contacted to advise them of their submission status, normally during the month of September.  Our season is officially announced in October at the Wine and Cheese gathering of Hawthorne members and season ticket holders at the Civic Center.

Hawthorne values all members or prospective directors who willingly volunteer to involve themselves in the process. In fact, we encourage non-members to join our group and develop a sense of our group while we get to know you. Contributions of time and talent never go unnoticed, and would naturally affect the selection process in subsequent years.