#1
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:14pm
what are the differences? just curious... thanks
community theater vs. regional theater
#2
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:15pm
Regional's more professional.
#3
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:24pm
Community THINKS they're professional.
I was just at auditions at one near me. The resident "diva" made me laugh.
I was just at auditions at one near me. The resident "diva" made me laugh.
#4
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:26pm
Oh please elaborate. This sounds amusing.
#5
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:28pm
Community Theatres are usually less professional, they're talent from the local comunity, and they have lesser budgets, usually...
Regional usually has some equity actors, bigger budgets, is a lot more professional, and has more Union workers. They usually pay too.
Regional usually has some equity actors, bigger budgets, is a lot more professional, and has more Union workers. They usually pay too.
that's a really big mic...
#6
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:34pm
Regional: Paid
Community: Not
both offer great experiences and funny stories
Community: Not
both offer great experiences and funny stories
#7
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:42pm
Let's not knock community theatre..that's where the majority of performers get their start.
#8
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:43pm
community theatre: (usually) you pay them, crappy theatres
regional: they pay you, contracts, nicer houses
regional: they pay you, contracts, nicer houses
#9
Posted: 9/19/05 at 10:49pm
Regional is not MORE professional. Regional IS professional. Regiaonal theatres pay, they use professionals in all aspects of the productions.
Community Theatres are people doing theatre just for the fun of it. They are not people who make their living from acting. There are good community theatres, but rarely is the budget as big, or the commitment as high.
Community Theatres are people doing theatre just for the fun of it. They are not people who make their living from acting. There are good community theatres, but rarely is the budget as big, or the commitment as high.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#10
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:04pm
Yea, I don't like the generalizations being made about community theater. I was lucky enough to have an amazing one right near me who had a gorgeous facility, great directors and techicians (who regularly work for all the professional theaters in Cleveland), and a decent budget to put on shows. I got my start there and learned the craft of theater from those who I worked with there, and have moved onto professional shows. The girl who played Peter Pan and Dorothy in "Peter Pan" and the "Wizard of Oz" respectively, is now in "Fiddler" on Broadway.
I am forever greatful to this wonderful theater, because they gave me alot of the background I will need to succeed in college and beyond as I plan to pursue musical theater. Even though I am now doing professional shows, I will always come back to work in a show or usher or whatever, because I love it there and the people there are like family. I <3 the Fine Arts Association.
God bless community theater for doing its thing.
*End of rant*
I am forever greatful to this wonderful theater, because they gave me alot of the background I will need to succeed in college and beyond as I plan to pursue musical theater. Even though I am now doing professional shows, I will always come back to work in a show or usher or whatever, because I love it there and the people there are like family. I <3 the Fine Arts Association.
God bless community theater for doing its thing.
*End of rant*
"I seem to have wandered into the BRAIN load-out thread... "
-best12bars
"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290
-best12bars
"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290
#11
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:15pm
Yes. God Bless community theatre.
The community theatre that I am involved with is VERY nice and we have had at least one equity actor in our shows before (that I can think of). I wonder if we pay them to come...
MANY college students majoring in musical theatre become involved in our shows and I know of one who is working (naked
) off broadway right now.
The community theatre that I am involved with is VERY nice and we have had at least one equity actor in our shows before (that I can think of). I wonder if we pay them to come...
MANY college students majoring in musical theatre become involved in our shows and I know of one who is working (naked
) off broadway right now.
"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane
Updated On: 9/19/05 at 11:15 PM
#12
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:19pm
Equity actors can't do community theatre.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#13
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:21pm
I'm not knocking community theatre. It sure can be a great thing. But I'm just saying it's usually quite different from Regional theatre. The main difference being the use of professional actors and designers.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#14
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:25pm
Hm...ok I believe you. But I know that a certain person was equity. Oh well.
"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane
Updated On: 9/19/05 at 11:25 PM
#15
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:28pm
Just kidding. She was not equity at the time. I just asked her.
"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane
#16
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:34pm
Yeah, they could lose their card if Equity found out. That would be bad.... 
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#17
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:37pm
My community theater has brought in equity performers for productions of Missionaries, Anyone Can Whistle, and Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets. While the rest of the actors are not paid many of them ARE making a living doing theater, but do shows at this theater simply because it is a quality, postive place to perform. The chair of the theater department and one of my former directors has joined the Les Miz national tour; the designers (sets, lights, sound, costumes) work at not only some of the top professional theaters in the area, but in some of the top in the nation. I just think that says something about the quality of the people I have had the pleasure to work with there. Don't get me wrong I have worked at some TERRIBLE community theaters, but I hate when people make generalizations about community theater. I hear it all the time, so it's not even necessarily things that have been posted on this thread.
I just don't like it when people assume that just because it is labeled "community" theater that the quality is always subpar to "professional" theaters.
*Edit: I added a little to the above text.
I just don't like it when people assume that just because it is labeled "community" theater that the quality is always subpar to "professional" theaters.
*Edit: I added a little to the above text.
"I seem to have wandered into the BRAIN load-out thread... "
-best12bars
"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290
-best12bars
"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290
Updated On: 9/19/05 at 11:37 PM
#18
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:38pm
"Regional is not MORE professional. Regional IS professional. Regiaonal theatres pay, they use professionals in all aspects of the productions."
Yeah think of the Goodspeed in CT...that's regional. They're pretty much putting on professional performances.
Yeah think of the Goodspeed in CT...that's regional. They're pretty much putting on professional performances.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
#19
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:42pm
yea actually one paticular "community theatre" here in california is really well done, its called the MOUNTAIN PLAY, its an annual thing and they have 1 or 2 equity performers and the performances are always of broadway calliber.
www.mountainplay.org
www.mountainplay.org
Updated On: 9/19/05 at 11:42 PM
#20
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:47pm
"Yeah think of the Goodspeed in CT...that's regional. They're pretty much putting on professional performances. "
Goodspeed isn't 'pretty much' putting on professional performances. They ARE professional performances.
Equity actors can perform in community theatre if the said community theatre pays for an Equity Guest Contract, in which the company must pay in to the actor's health, pension, etc. No more than two equity actors can be employed by a community theatre unless there is also an equity stage manager employed for the production.
Goodspeed isn't 'pretty much' putting on professional performances. They ARE professional performances.
Equity actors can perform in community theatre if the said community theatre pays for an Equity Guest Contract, in which the company must pay in to the actor's health, pension, etc. No more than two equity actors can be employed by a community theatre unless there is also an equity stage manager employed for the production.
#21
Posted: 9/19/05 at 11:49pm
I have also worked in good community theatres. I'm not saying that they are always sub-par. In certain areas they can be very good. The "average" community theatre does not have professional actors though. And any community theatres that bring in equity performers are either doing so without the knowledge of Equity or they are paying those actors Equity Minimum salary, which the "average" community theatre cannot afford.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#22
Posted: 9/20/05 at 12:15am
so then what about theater troupes.... are they considered community or regional... as my other post.. i saw INTO THE WOODS but it was done in a small tiny theater that seats about 99... very intimate... didn't look THAT professional... but there were equity members... it looked like community theater to me but felt very regional...
#23
Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:58am
There is a definate difference. If the actors are all paid, its regional, if not, and it's cast by locals who have actual careers other than acting, then it was community theatre. It's not about how professional it LOOKS. Its about WHO is involved.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#24
Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:59am
There are regional theatre troupes and community theatre troupes. It could have been either one, but if there were equity members involved it better have been regional.
You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.
#25
Posted: 9/20/05 at 7:17am
There are some wonderful community theaters around the country which do use Equity actors in guest contract roles and employ professionals in different jobs. And they are more and more becoming a breeding ground for new musicals. The Spririt of Broadway Theater, and the Curtain Call in CT, and the Starlight Theater in IL are three that have done world premieres that I know of. They're an easy target for ridicule because there are some truly horrible ego-driven theaters. But, then again, I saw Dance of the Vampires, so professional or not, there's no guarantee the show's gonna be good.
Check this out: www.spiritofbroadway.org
Check this out: www.spiritofbroadway.org
Updated On: 9/20/05 at 07:17 AM
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