Make Musicals: In a recent blog, Ken Davenport noted the severe lack of young commercial theater producers. His figure for “producers under 40” came it at a paltry 8%. As a member of that 8% I’m not in the least surprised by that statistic.
There are a lot of misconceptions floating around about the glamorous lives of theater producers. In reality, producing requires a massive amount of work, risk, and stress, and in the vast majority of cases, yields absolutely zero financial return. Broadway producing is not, I repeat, not a viable day job.
Let’s debunk a few myths together, shall we?
12 comments:
Well, I must admit that my idea of the commercial producer was altered after reading this. Truthfully I was under the impression that they profit a considerable amount more than they actually do. It is interesting to see producers being compared to the crew members and performers, comforting even, because it shows we are not alone in our unending search for work. In fact it shows that everyone involved in a production is working because they love it. It is only when everyone has that attitude that an audience can truly see the enjoyment and quality within a production.
I agree with the observation above. I must admit that I too didn't realize that producers were so frequently fueled by a passionate fire, and not a monetary one. I did know that most producers also have day jobs, as I intend to be a producer myself (although, I don't necessarily see myself going the Broadway route). Another thing I found comforting about this article is that it illustrates the other responsibilities of the producer in addition to the understood primary task of soliciting investors and pulling together funding.
i think its interesting how he notes that its really obvious young producers arent flocking to the market due to college debt and NY rent. I would hope that recent college grads wouldnt be the ones producing the shows anyways. I guess when i think of the producer i think of a figure that has experience and knowledge about putting shows on - and college grads may not have that experience. young producers could offer a new perspective though or a radical new idea on how to do shows. it would be interesting to see how it would play out.
I feel as though being young in the theatrical world is difficult for all of us, outside of actors who are lauded for their youth (if their skills are up to par). So much of what we do is about trust and respect, and as young people it is difficult for, as the author touches on, a young producer to pitch the show to investors when they are perceived as 'new' in the business.
And with trust and respect comes personal financial stability; not something that a lot of us can claim for ourselves in the next five years, let alone in however much time there is between now and turning forty. This seems where the love of the craft seems to overwhelm the logistics of maintaining a solid job.
As a complete aside, can we put the tired "We are the X%" to bed now? There's a statute of limitations on utilizing common cultural references before the use of them is distracting enough to pull away from the point you're attempting to make. Accurate or not, a viable point or not, as soon as I saw the tagline of, "I am the 8%" I tuned out of this article.
I completely agree with Jacquelyn, I find it comforting that producers are struggling with getting paid and work purely for their love of theater the way the rest of us do. I couldn't help but be reminded of something I once heard about what an artist wants most. I was once told that what an artist wants most is to get paid because then they can have the time and resources to work on their art. I've never considered how much a producer has to actually do, i honestly thought it was more like Along Came Bialy from The Producers. I also couldn't help but think of the entire I Want To Be A Producer scene, because this article pretty much disproved every line in that song. I've never considered producing part of the art of theater but after reading this my opinion has certainly changed because i never considered that they actually are the ones who pay for everything.
I think this article is once again, as I said last week, pointing to a change in what it means to be a producer. It is no longer a viable career- I would love to see some statistics on if it ever was (besides the twelve current career producers). Even though it doesn't say this directly, this article just strengthens the argument that the role of producer is changing. We're rethinking the idea of how to fund a production because one person can no longer do it. How this changes is still an important question to be answered, but it needs to change.
Also, very much in agreement with Jake on the "We are the X%" motif.
Well a few minutes ago if asked, I probably would have agreed with all of those myths. Im kind of stunned, I have so much more respect for producers now. I kind of always thought it was a rich mans game, this makes me wonder how theater has persisted so well. if every major show needs a producer and producers lives are such hell I am pleased and amazed that producers continue to suffer through it, it seems they do it mostly for our sake as theater practitioners. I feel as though I was just introduced to a whole new aspect of theater I never really understood before.
When I first opened this article, based purely off the title, I thought it was going to be encouraging younger generations to become producers in an effort to raise the 8% figure. I thought the article would discuss bringing a younger perspective and influence to the theatre when it comes to choosing which shows to produce. I have mixed feelings about what it was actually about: emphasizing how difficult, strenuous, and unrewarding producing theatre can be. Maybe in the original blog post the article refers to, Ken Davenport argued for younger producers. But I think writing an article about how difficult producing is is counterproductive and harmful to the industry. If we scare people away from producing, who is going to fund and support productions of the future? How will new works get developed if everybody is scared of the monetary risk? Yes, this article might have cleared up some misconceptions. But was it responsible?
I'm liking these few articles about producing, because they really have been teaching me a lot more about the profession. A lot of the points brought up in this article were definitely misconceptions I did have about producers. I do agree with Rane that it seems that producers would need to be people with experience, and thus it makes sense that young people wouldn't be so prompt to throw themselves into producing.
I think this article gives an interesting perspective on the lives of producers. It also notes how investors are a necessity. Producers are often thought of as having all the money and not seeking outside funding. I think the article also stresses how working in a particular industry for an extended period of time helps. Producers over 40 will have a much higher chance of knowing people to invest and therefore could have a successful show under their belt. I was amazed that only 20% of shows completely get "out of the hole" in regards to cost. That umber is shows on Broadway meaning the top. That is truly a scary thought.
This was really informative. The article says "There are a lot of misconceptions floating around about the glamorous lives of theater producers." I think there are a lot of misconceptions floating around about anything that is considered 'glamorous.". Hollywood, theatre life, fashion design, all of it.
I don't understand the viewpoint of anyone who thinks producers aren't involved and can sit back and let other people do the work. The producers may not be writing, designing, or acting in the show, but their paycheck, (if it comes at all) depends on the show being a success, and they will be financially accountable in most situations if the show flops. With those stakes, how could anyone not put a ton of time and effort into making the show the best possible?
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