First Production Meeting: Budget

Monday, February 16. With a few spare minutes together after dinner, the production team—Mandy, Tim and I—laid out a rough budget, and consulted on collective “belt-tightening” fiscal measures (“chub night” was proposed, but quickly rejected.) Basically, this production will require the sacrifice of our time, money (especially $$$), and our energy. Initial considerations include: security deposit to the theatre (refundable); the price of costuming and props, and their various sources; stipends for the actor, director (one of highest priorities), and sound designer; the going hourly rate for a Manhattan rehearsal space (necessary for auditions, as well as rehearsals) and the cost of printing postcards; and there was even mention of the spiraling travel expenses.

Examining the budget and ephemera, such as how to acquire an helmet, or how the programs are to be formatted, or whether we would make any money off the box office (no, we will not), we arrived at two fund raising measures: one, soliciting city bike shops for sponsorship in return for advertisement space on our program, and second, hitting up every family member who can’t attend the performance for the $20 they would have spent on tickets. Needless to say, it’s crunch time. We need to adjust our priorities, get focused, and let our desperate will to succeed carry us through the next ten weeks. Oh, man … only ten weeks.