Inside Production Team

How to start a theatre group

Tai couldn't find a group of actors to perform improvisations, so he started one.

Tai Ling is the acting Artistic Director for the Improsarios, a theatre group who specialise in creating improvised plays. He spoke about starting up a theatrical enterprise.

Casting directors have only become a big part of acting over the last twenty years.

Casting director for theatre

Stuart Burt is associate casting director at The Ambassador Theatre Group, one of the UK’s leading West End theatre producers.

Wind Shadow performed by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. Photo by LIU Chen-hsiang.

Admin producer at The Barbican

Malin Forbes works for Barbican International Theatre Events (BITE). When first trying to break into theatre, she spent two years living hand-to-mouth.

Despite advances in theatre technology, brushes and a basic spray gun remain tools of choice for a scenic artist.

Theatre scenic artist

Scenic artists are responsible for painting sets, scenery backdrops and large props, bringing colour to a theatre production. Leila Kalbassi is the Design Assistant/Scenic Artist for the Dundee Repertory Theatre.

The Little Mermaid was one of The Rep's theatre productions.

Lighting up the stage

Lighting technicians set up and operate lighting equipment during theatre productions. Both creative and technical, they can use lights to achieve a variety of effects to dramatically alter the mood and shape of a performance.

News & views

Three leaders in the creative sector shared advice on how to run a business in a grim financial climate.

Advice for business survival

Three leaders in the creative sector shared their thoughts about recession, with advice on how to run a business in a grim financial climate.

Manick Govinda works at ArtsAdmin as an artist producer and runs the advice and information service for up-and-coming artists in the UK.

Bringing foreign artists to the UK

Manick Govinda works at ArtsAdmin as an artist producer. He also runs the advice and information service for up-and-coming artists in the UK.

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Career article

Most of the successful West End producers started small and have spent their lives deep in theatre.

Producing musical theatre

Anyone can be a producer – all you need is absolute determination to get a show on stage, a source of money to back you, a network of the best possible creative talent, access to a theatre, skills in budgeting and marketing, and the luck of being in the right place with the right show at the right time.

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Career Templates

Tools & Resources