Grab some money from your performances

Setting performance fees can be one of the most difficult decisions a company makes. Charge too much and you're priced out of the market; charge too little and you work is undervalued. What to do?

Please charge. I think it is very important that you get income from your performances. I have always quipped that, "When plumbers do their work for nothing, I will do mine for nothing." Well, I've never ever had a plumber say, "Oh, I enjoy plumbing so much that I'll do it for free." Why do we who are in the arts think that our special talents should be FREE? In our culture, if you do not pay for something, you do not value it.

Performance fees vary according to geographic location so set you fees according to how much the market will bear. See what other performing groups in your area are charging and compare your rates.

Take other factors into consideration. Compare your type and complexity of show, size of the cast, and your audience. We've heard of fees ranging from $50 for care home performances to thousands of dollars for fully mounted shows.

Add an amount for transportation, considering the distance and the number of cast members who need to travel.

What about quality. If yours is a new, amateur company, your fees can be lower while you build exposure. If you have very high performance qualities, your rates should reflect it.

Marketing opportunities. If you will get great visibility from a show to your target market, consider negotiating the rates. Take marketing into account when setting fees for events like Senior Expos, conferences for seniors, or for audiences filled with people who work in arts or aging like state gerontology conferences, activity director meetings, or arts festivals.

Donations work well, also. Some companies ask for donations instead of charging performance fees. One such company's shows begin with an announcement from the Artistic Director who tells the audience that they are asking for donations. This method has been so successful that their money jar is overflowing after every show. It's helped them finance a new lighting and sound system, pay royalties, and build some very attractive scenery.

Individual tickets are another option. If you charge for tickets, we have found that ticket prices for Senior Theatre range from $12-30, depending on whether food is served.

So, don't give your talent away for free! Pull in as much as the market will bear in whatever method that works for you. Present a quality show and build up your fees, and thus your credibility. It will help you stabilize your company and increase its success!

Bonnie L. Vorenberg
ArtAge Senior Theatre Resource Center, President

Participants in last year's Performing Arts Camp had a great time!

Stagebridge's very successful Performing Arts Camp for Adults 50+ takes place again this summer for the third year. It'll be held from July 20-24 from 9AM to 4PM in Oakland, CA.

"No experience is necessary" to have fun and let your creative self out of the box. It's five days of acting, clowning, drumming, puppetry, singing, dialects, storytelling, and much more. Enjoy a variety of classes, entertainment, special events, and a final celebration that showcases the week's performing arts adventure.

Internationally acclaimed guest artists include Masankho Banda, Joan Mankin, Julian Lopez-Morillas, Kirk Waller, and Roni Alperin.

Pre-registration is $195 by June 1; $250 after June 1. The first two years sold out early so act now. You'll have the time of your life!

'The Temperance Ladies' featured Ellen Gotto, left.

Heart of the Hills Players, Michigan, will perform Hello Dolly! on May 7, 8 and 9. The memorable musical pulls in their large cast for a toe tapping, fun show. Click here for more information.

Autumn Players, North Carolina, received a grant to produce A Shayna Maidel (A Pretty Girl). The award marks a second grant for the company. Click here for details about the group.

Young at Heart Senior Theatre Group, Kentucky, performed A Shoot-out at Wrinkle Creek Saloon on March 11 at the Arcadia Community Center featuring the 'Temperance Ladies.'

Volunteering has its Moments

This is the season for volunteer recognition events and what better way to entertain your dedicated volunteers but with a show.

This tribute to volunteers can be easily performed by novices who can read the script. It’s a comedy that is fun for both performers and the audience.

The play centers on a televised tribute to volunteers moderated by Megs Abbott, a popular TV personality who is substituting for "Opal" on the show. Her guests are stellar volunteers. They present funny and quirky adventures, “moments,” that have been submitted to the TV show from folks around the nation. The well defined characters clash during the production but in the end, are brought together by the warm spirit of volunteering.

“Delightful, I burst out laughing...wonderful! A hit! says,
Jessica Cunningham, Volunteer Cordinator, Redding CA

Instructor, Buddy Powell instills the joy of character development during his classes and rehearsals

On Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM, you'll find a group of older adults learning theatrical skills--from beginning to advanced. The group meets on the beautiful stage in the Baldwin Park Adult and Career Education (BPACE), a theatre complete with fly loft and cyclorama.

Show business veteran, Buddy Powell, teaches the course and directs the yearly play. He leads his students through acting fundamentals, plus an introduction to show business careers, while exploring creative dramatics and improvisation. At the end of each year, the group stages a production. The shows have included a collection of monologues, dramas, and mysteries. Rehearsals have begun for the backstage/onstage farce, Final Dress Rehearsal to be presented on August 28, 29, & 30. Don't miss it!