Be moved, be bold, be theatre - Starting A Professional Theatre Company in Rural America

Thesis (M.A.) , 2008 , 100 Pages , Grade: 2,0

American Studies - Miscellaneous

In general, American theatre is often equated with theatre produced and staged on Broadway in New York City. Yet, the American theatre scene is much more diverse and widespread than commonly believed.
While the following work is focusing primarily on founding a professional theatre company in South Dakota, it follows and analyzes the voyage of an evolving theatre endeavor called Bühnenkunst Theatre Company and also gives an inside glimpse into the fascinating and mysterious world behind the curtain of contemporary performing arts, especially in the United States.
In this paper, descriptive, theoretical facts and explanations are being intertwined with concrete, practical implementations on the process of founding a professional theatre company in rural America.
Along the way, this paper does not only emphasize the artistic and creative segment of theatre, but also the technical as well as the business, legal and of course human element.
Furthermore, the significance of choosing Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as a market for the new company will be explained and its history, demographics and location investigated. In order to analyze the professional theatre market in the South Dakota, two online surveys were conducted among theatre artists as well as the general public. The range of data, figures and statements captured the genuine essence of not only the multiplicity of different communities in the Midwest, but also the mixture of its theatre landscape.
Beyond the study of the locale, the paper will demonstrate all issues that emerged during the formation process of the new company, like filing the articles of incorporation, getting support from the community, forming a board of directors and raising money, as well as choosing the right play for the debut production.
The paper continues to elucidate the development of that production from a conceptual, aesthetical, technical, financial and promotional point of view. It will clarify the relevance that the selected play, Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind, has for the Sioux Falls audience.
Finally, the paper will take a look into a possible future of the company and what might be achievable within the next few years.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Summary
• Foreword
• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER 1: Corn, Kettle and the Prairie – Introducing the State of South Dakota
• CHAPTER 2: Broadway. Regional. Community. Theatre in the United States
• CHAPTER 3: Stage Art for the Prairie – Building Bühnenkunst Theatre
  • 3.1. Prelude: The Preconditions For A Theatre Company in Rural America
    • 3.1.1. The Sioux Falls Theatre Market – An Analysis
    • 3.1.2. The Audience in the Midwest
    • 3.1.3. Theatre Artists in the Midwest and Sioux Falls
  • 3.2. Rising Action: Starting the Company
    • 3.2.1. Creating a Legal Entity
    • 3.2.2. Getting on Board – The Company and its Structure
    • 3.2.3. Starting the Theatre Company as a Business
    • 3.2.4. Bühnenkunst Theatre as a Performance Arts Institution
• CHAPTER 4: Debut Production – Spring Awakening
  • 4.1. The Play and its Appeal to the Sioux Falls Audience
  • 4.2. Gathering A Team
  • 4.3. The Production Design
  • 4.4. Marketing The Show
  • 4.5. Practice Makes Perfect – Rehearsals
  • 4.6. ‘Breaking a Leg’ – The Show’s Run
  • 4.7. Wrapped up and Archived – Spring Awakening on Record
  • 4.8. Post-Production

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master's thesis observes and analyzes the founding of a professional theatre company in rural America, specifically focusing on the legal, business, and artistic processes leading up to the founder's debut production of Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening. It also examines the preconditions for the creation of Bühnenkunst Theatre through a market analysis of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Empirical data was collected and analyzed using online surveys of theatre artists and audience members.

• Establishing a professional theatre company in rural America.
• Analyzing the Sioux Falls theatre market and audience.
• The legal and business aspects of founding a theatre company.
• The artistic process of mounting a production, including design and marketing.
• The potential for future growth and sustainability of the company.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 introduces South Dakota, its history, geography, and demographics, establishing the context for the new theatre company. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the diverse American theatre landscape, contrasting Broadway with regional and community theatre, and the role of Actors' Equity Association. Chapter 3 details the preconditions for establishing a theatre company in Sioux Falls, including market analysis, audience surveys, and the characteristics of the existing theatre community and artists. This chapter also covers the legal aspects of forming a corporation and securing sponsorship from the Sioux Empire Arts Council. Chapter 4 focuses on the selection and production of Spring Awakening, covering casting, design elements, marketing strategies, and rehearsals.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts explored in this thesis include the establishment of a professional theatre company, the rural Midwest theatre market (specifically Sioux Falls, South Dakota), legal and business structures for non-profit organizations, the production process of Spring Awakening, audience analysis, and the role of marketing and community engagement in the success of a performing arts institution.

• College: University of Potsdam (Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 2,0
• Author: Janek Liebetruth (Author)
• Publication Year: 2008
• Pages: 100
• Catalog Number: V119580
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640231522
• ISBN (Book): 9783640231690
• Language: English
• Tags: Starting, Professional, Theatre, Company, Rural, America