Community Theaters
Table of Contents
Objectives & Goals
- To provide an opportunity for community members to both participate in and experience the arts
- To help promote the arts in the community
- To educate the community on the importance of the arts and provide them with opportunities to learn more about and interact with the arts.
Libraries and community theaters can work together to promote the arts, as well as literature in the community. The two organizations can also work together to create programming that engages and educates the community on the arts.
Where do They Operate?
Community theaters operate in virtually every community and can range in size from small neighborhood theaters to large metropolitan theater leagues
Services Offered
Community theaters offer a wide array of productions ranging from classic dramas to newly developed works looking to get some traction before heading to Broadway. In addition to putting on productions, some community theaters put on programming that educates children and young adults on the importance of the arts and literature through attendance at productions and discussions with the cast and production team about arts and literature. Additionally, many theaters offer acting workshops for those who are interested in theater and want to engage in it firsthand.
There is large potential for partnerships between community theaters and public libraries in serving the community through a variety of programming. The library can work with the local community theater to promote pieces of literature, especially ones that the theater is planning on producing in the future. Additionally, the public library and Community Theater could partner on fun and engaging children’s programming on drama and acting.
Constituents & Clients
- Community theaters tend to have a consisted, devoted base who will often buy tickets for an entire season.
- Their customer base is diverse and varies by theater, performance, and show.
- Community theaters and other arts organizations tend to attract an educated, upper-middle class, white population that consists largely of older individuals
The library can help work with the community theater to help spread interest in the arts and make the arts more accessible amongst the underserved population that the library serves.
Funding and/or Sources of Revenue
- Community theaters are primarily funded through ticket sales and private donations
- Additional foundation and government grants are available for community theaters.
While libraries and theaters may compete for some private funding, their leadership may overlap. Additionally, partnerships that show a collaborative effort around expanding the arts, especially to underserved populations, are likely to be very successful.
Staff
- Theaters are typically led by an executive director, CEO, or similar title who oversees much of the business side of the theater and works closely with the board of directors
- Theaters employ a variety of production staff ranging from actors and actresses to set designers and production managers
- Much of the business side of the theater is handled by an individual or individuals who oversee such tasks as marketing and publicity.
- Learn more about the positions often found in the theater and their descriptions here.
Leadership Structure
- The theater is governed by the board of directors
- The board members may or may not be involved in the arts community, but at the very least are avid supporters, if not funders of the theater.
Leadership Structure
- The theater is governed by the board of directors
- The board members may or may not be involved in the arts community, but at the very least are avid supporters, if not funders of the theater.
National Organizational Structure
- The American Association of Community Theatre is the primary national association for theaters. The AACT puts on educational programming, provides resources, and serves as an advocacy organization for c0ommunity theaters.
- The League of Resident Theatres is the national organization that works with actors’ unions to develop collective bargaining agreements and to advocate for theaters.
- The Theatre Communications Group is a national organization that represents community theaters, as well as university, non-profit, and international theaters. It provides resources, such as publications and education materials, grants, and advocacy for its members.
Key Terms
See the AACT Theatre Glossary
Potential Partnership Ideas
- Your library could work with your local theatre to research the upcoming productions and provide them with useful background information.
- Potential programming might include acting or drama workshops for children and young adults.
- Theaters are looking to expand and diversify their customer base and the library can be huge partner in helping them to attract the library‘s constituency.
- The library and theater might work together to promote literature and drama together through programming that involves reading about the play and then seeing it.
Find Your Local Theater
Take a Colleague to Coffee
Reach out to the CEO/Executive Director or Producer of a local community theater and invite them to coffee. Here are five questions you might ask your colleague who works at a community theater to inspire conversation about how the public library and the community theater might partner.
- What types of no-production programming, such as workshops and other events do you put on? Are you looking to reach a larger audience with these?
- What audience do your productions tend to attract? Are you looking to expand and diversify this audience?
- What do you offer for children and young adults? Is this a demographic you’d like to work with?
- What types of research is required to put on a production? How does your theater typically go about this research?
- What type of work do you do that focuses on underserved and minority populations?
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