Interested in directing? You can submit a show to our next season.

There’s a lot of detail on that page about how to submit, but here are some things to consider:

• Look up the licensing details for the production to familiarize yourself with the costs and contractual obligations for producing the show.

• Think about what makes your show a good fit for the Acrosstown and our mission.

• Make sure your your show is suitable for a black box theatre with a small budget.

• Consider how you want the show to look and feel. Pull together some mood boards or list some ideas for how to approach the challenges the show presents.

• Submissions with a visual presentation element will be given greater consideration during the selection process.

• Try to have some production team members in place when you submit - who will be designing your lights? Sound? Set? Costumes? Will you have a stage manager? Having some support in place will give your submission greater weight.

• Show us how you plan to spend your show budget (for more info, see Show Budgets section below). Understanding your limitations and how to work within the resources you have available will ensure you have a smooth production process.

We want to make sure you are set up for success; our handbook is a constant work in progress, but please use it to help answer any questions you have about how to direct a show:

Handbook

Please also note our Safety and Fire Code Requirements. These requirements must be followed at all times, even during rehearsal/build.

Download and edit/use these forms and templates as needed:

• Rehearsal notes

• Line notes

• Actor call and chore sheets

• Curtain announcement script

Additional Resources

• Rehearsal chore/checklist

  • What your cast/crew is responsible for in the Annex and ART while in rehearsals.

• Box Office volunteer training

  • You should not have to train volunteers, but they may have questions the day of.

  • We do not usually have an issue with box office no-shows, but it’s possible. Your bar operator for the night is likely going to be a board member and will help fill in as needed.

• Safety and Fire Code Requirements. These requirements must be followed at all times, even during rehearsal/build.

• Please fill out our Injury Report Form to report all injuries and incidents that occur at the Acrosstown Mainstage, Annex, or when conducting official ART business offsite.

In need of help? Join our volunteer Facebook Group and post about what you’re looking for to get the word out.

Don’t forget to alert the board if you’re having issues - we are here to help support you!

Every show gets the same budget:

Straight Plays - $650

Musicals - $1,150

This budget should cover:

• Set construction

• Set pieces / furniture

• Costumes

• Props

• Specialty makeup or prosthetics

• Wigs

• Etc

Actors are expected to provide their own standard makeup, underwear, and shoes, unless something special or specific is required.

The Acrosstown has set a standard for our productions and we expect all directors to spend their budget and make their show the best it can be.

The ART will pay for show licensing rights, standard marketing materials (design and printing of posters, flyers, programs, window poster), social media and radio promotion, show photos (taken by an ART-selected photographer), and black paint. These items do not need to come out of your budget.

If you wish to pay musicians, pay an outside designer to create marketing materials, or pay for anything else, it must come out of the show budget or out of your personal budget.

In order to be reimbursed for your show expenses, please make sure to complete the Request for Reimbursement

Use your show budget wisely! Borrow, craft, thrift - we have some great resources in our community.

We encourage you to submit to local grant programs when applicable:

Awesome Grant

Satchel’s Grant

Do you know any local businesses who may want to sponsor your show? That’s a great way to get extra budget for your production.

If you have exhausted your resources, you may apply for supplemental funding from the Acrosstown Board here. You may only do this once per production.

Once you know your rehearsal dates, you will need to add them to the official rehearsal calendar to reserve the space.

You will be given access to the calendar via email.

Please add your dates as soon as you’re able, and keep them updated if they change - if the time is not reserved on the calendar, there’s a chance someone else may be using the space when you want to rehearse.

Please do not schedule rehearsal during the board meeting, which is usually held the second Tuesday of every month. If that time is needed, please email board@acrosstown.org with your request.

A paper tech and a dry tech should be on your schedule. A paper tech is when the director and designers/technicians go through the script and write down each cue for lights/sound/other tech activities. A dry tech is a day where all cues are run in the space without actors. These can be done on the same day but must be done prior to a cue to cue which is run with actors present. Be conscious of your cast and crew’s time.

The ART is a unique space. We have 4 movable riser sections that may be placed at various orientations around the space.

Each riser section is made up of a back row on a platform, a separate middle row on a shorter platform, and floor seating. This gives us a total of about 45-50 seats in the space, depending on the orientation.

Risers may be placed in any orientation so long as the paths from the entrance into the space and from inside the performance space to the emergency exit remain clear and wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair (at least 36” of space).

Some schematics and potential orientations are shown in the images below (not perfectly to scale). Please take this into consideration when you propose a show.

Please review our Safety Requirements to ensure your set and audience orientation are in compliance. These requirements must be followed at all times, even during rehearsal/build.

Violations may result in your show being postponed or shut down. If you are notified at any point that an element of your show is not in compliance, you will be required to make an immediate correction.