The Complete Idiot's Guide to 
Amateur Theatricals
by John Kenrick

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART I: MAKING THE DECISION
“REVIEWING THE SITUATION”

Chapter 1
DOING A SHOW: “Why Must the Show Go On?”

• How Did You Get Into This?
• What Is Amateur Theatre?
• “Amateur” Does Not Mean “Amateurish”!
• Typical Reasons for Disaster
• Key Steps To Putting On A Successful Show
• The Worst Possible Reasons
• The Good Reasons

Chapter 2
PEOPLE POWER: “Getting to Know You”

• Taking Stock
• Putting Out a Feeler
• Finding People 
• Potential Cast (Age groups, etc.)
• Potential Staff & Crew
• Likely Audience
• Assess Yourself (Talents, time, etc.)
• Commitment: Don’t Kid Yourself
• A Kind of Family

Chapter 3
FACILITIES: “What've We Got?”

• Key Questions: Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
• Rehearsal Space
• Likely Audience
• Performance Space
• Insurance
• Equipment (Lights & Sound)
• “Touring?”
• Other Resources
• Local Theatre Groups
• A Sense of Time and Place

PART II: PICKING YOUR PROJECT
“THE PLAY’S THE THING”

Chapter 4
GREAT SHOWS FOR BEGINNERS: “We Can Do It!”

• Picking the Right Show
• Plays
• Musicals 
• Children’s Theatre
• Accompaniment: Live or Pre-Recorded?
• Keeping It Legal: The Only Option (Yes, You Can Afford It!)

Chapter 5
WRITING ORIGINAL SHOWS: “It's Our Time”

• Why Write Your Own?
• The "New" Basic Rules of Playwriting
• Premise
• Characters
• Conflict
• Plot
• Revues & Concerts
• Original Plays
• Book Musicals
• Children’s Theatre
• Adaptations
• Copyright Protection

Chapter 6
FINANCIAL REALITIES: “A Mark, a Yen, A Buck or a Pound"”

• Where’s the Money Coming From?
• Sponsors
• Your Pocket
• Ticket Sales
• Fundraising
• Other Sources
• Creating a Budget
• A Model Budget
• Budget Busters

PART III: BUILDING YOUR TEAM
“SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE”

Chapter 7
SELECTING PRODUCTION STAFF: “You For Me and Me For You”

• Building a Strong Team
• Finding People
• Organizational Chart
• Team Planning: Do You Really Need ALL These People?
• Ability and Personality Both Count
• Contracts for Paid Staff
• Background Checks

Chapter 8
EXECUTIVE TEAM: “You Gotta Have Heart”

• Producer
• Director
• Choreographer
• Musical Director
• Production Stage Manager
• Stage Crew
• Business Manager

Chapter 9
DESIGN TEAM: “The Colors of My Life”

• The Right Designers For Your Project
• Set Designer
• Costume Designer/Coordinator
• Lighting Designer
• Lighting Crew
• Sound Designer
• Sound Operator
• Prop Manager

Chapter 10
SUPPORT TEAM & VOLUNTEERS: “All You Need Is a Hand”

• Publicity Coordinator
• Program Coordinator
• Box Office/Ticket Sales Manager
• House Manager
• Ushers
• Concessions
• Security
• Volunteers & Friends
• Finding Great Volunteers
• As Strong As Your Weakest Link
• Contracts for Volunteers
• Community Allies: Keeping In Touch

PART IV: GOING INTO PRODUCTION
“PUTTING IT TOGETHER”

Chapter 11
PRODUCTION CALENDAR: “One Brick at a Time”

• Giving Yourself Time
• “Just No Time At All?”
• Scheduling Rehearsals: When & Who
• Avoiding Burnout
• A Model Timeline 
• Tailoring Your Timeline

Chapter 12
AUDITIONS & CASTING: “I Hope I Get It”

• Scheduling and Staffing
• Precasting
• Getting The Word Out
• Audition Material
• Pre-Audition Rehearsal
• By Appointment or All Together?
• “I’ve Got to Get This Show”
• Performer Information Forms
• Evaluating Performers
• Callbacks
• Casting Children
• Casting Critters
• Double Casting
• Making Choices: Diplomacy vs. Practicality
• When Many Are Called But Few Have Shown Up

Chapter 13
BASIC STAGECRAFT: “We've Got Magic To Do”

• The Production Concept
• Stage Geography
• Blocking
• The Prompt Book: Your Production Bible
• Staging Musical Numbers
• Fights and Battles
• Treat Crews With Care

Chapter 14
WORKING WITH ACTORS: “Playing Hide and Ego Seek”

• Handle With Care
• The Actor’s Art
• The Method 
• Technical Basics
• Divas and Tantrums – Part I
• Never Argue, Never Humiliate

Chapter 15
REHEARSALS: “One Mo’ Time”

• First Rehearsal: “Getting to Know You”
• Ground Rules
• Types of Rehearsals
• Giving Notes
• Record With Care
• Surprise Problems
• Private Lives: Where To Draw the Line
• When to Hold, When to Fold
• The Point of Despair

Chapter 16
SETS: “Take Me To the World”

• A Quick History
• What Does the Material Require?
• TMS Syndrome
• Basic Set Elements
• Construction Requirements
• Construction Techniques
• The Bare Minimum
• Safety

Chapter 17
COSTUMES AND PROPS: “Give Me My Colored Coat”

• The Why and Wherefore
• Start With The Script
• Consistency
• Color
• Durability, Comfort and Safety
• Creating Costumes
• Costume Rentals
• Borrowed Glory
• Care & Storage
• Wardrobe Inventory 
• Props
• Changing Time and/or Place
• The Not So Bare Necessities

Chapter 18
MAKE-UP: “Put On a Happy Face”

• Changing Faces
• The Stage is Not The Big Screen
• Facial Features
• Assistance & Training
• Essential Tools
• Basic Techniques
• Make-up Removal
• False Additions
• Beards, Wigs, etc

Chapter 19
LIGHT: “Show Me!”

• A Quick History
• The Purposes of Stage Lighting
• Lighting Instruments (Hard & Soft Edged)
• Lighting Positions
• Angles, Shaping and Coverage
• Control Boards
• Color
• Making Do
• Safety Concerns

Chapter 20
SOUND: “Make Them Hear You”

• Sound in Theatre
• Amplification
• Basic Sound Equipment
• Sound Effects
• Playback Equipment
• Sound Plot
• Projection
• The Secret Sound System

PART V: MARKETING
“SING OUT, LOUISE!”

Chapter 21
PUBLICITY: I Gotta Crow!"

• Creating a Publicity Plan
• Maintain a Professional Appearance
• Pick a Logo and Use It Everywhere
• Advertising: Aim Every Dollar
• “No Money” Is No Excuse!
• PR Basics
• Advanced PR

• Open vs. Assigned Seating
• Seating Plans
• Pricing
• Planning & Printing Tickets
• Ticket Sales: Coordination Is Crucial
• Where and When To Sell Tix
• Group Sales
• House Seats
• Complimentary Tickets
• Ushers
• Pre-Performance Prep

Chapter 23
PROGRAMS: “Giving Credit Where It's Due”

• Get With the Program
• Not Quite A Gold Mine
• Required Content
• Types of Advertising 
• Budgeting: How Much Will Your Program Cost?
• Ad Pricing
• Selling Ads: Blow Your Horn!

PART VI: SHOWTIME & AFTERWARDS
“ANOTHER OPENING, ANOTHER SHOW”

Chapter 24
FINAL REHEARSALS: “Will It Ever Be Right?”

• You Want It When?: Keep Priorities Clear
• Avoid Marathons
• When Marathons Happen Anyway
• Backstage Space
• Orchestra Rehearsal
• Costume & Prop Parades: Pickles Are Not Pickled Eggs
• Tech Rehearsals: More Is Less
• Dress Rehearsals
• A Day Off: The Non-Optional Option

Chapter 25
SHOW TIME: “Cross Your Fingers & Hold Your Heart”

• From Taskmaster To Cheerleader
• Setting Up
• Superstitions and Traditions
• Curtain Time
• The Speech
• Pre-Show Announcements
• “That’s My Barney!” Syndrome
• When Murphy Comes to Call
• Curtain Speeches
• Post-Performance Clean Up

Chapter 26
WHAT’S NEXT?: “After the Ball Is Over”

• Surviving A Run
• Strike Set: Clean Up Time
• Cast Parties
• Postmortem: What Worked & What Did Not
• Dollars And Cents: The Bottom Line
• “What Have You Learned, Dorothy?”
• Start Planning Your Next Show
• When to Call It Quits
• Exit Music: A Final Thought

APPENDICES

• Glossary of Theatrical Terms Resources and References:
• Books, Websites and Useful Retailers

Amateur Theatricals Guide Start Page