Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Spaces Part I (shoot me now)

This weekend I wrote to performance/rehearsal spaces asking about pricing and availability for a 2 week 8 performance run at the beginning of May/End of April.
Most of the spaces I found here (in accordance with James suggestions).

This seemingly simple act, raised many questions and concerns I had never considered...
All of which, James gladly gave of his time and expertise to help answer, and I'm really working on trying to tackle them one by one. For someone like me with NO business sense whatsoever, this process can be kind of confusing. So, I really do appreciate all of you out there who have written and/or are writing about it. I promise it's incredibly helpful.



Anyway, back to spaces...

My criteria for which spaces to write to, and which ones to not was pretty basic:
(I'm like the desperate guy at the bar here just trying to pick up anything I can)

I only looked at spaces in Manhattan.
I only looked at spaces that could seat between 25-150 in the house.
If they listed their theatre as a proscenium non flexible space then I didn't write to them.
If they actually had prices listed (which many don't) and it far exceeded my budget, then I didn't write to them.
If, for some random reason I already knew about their space and it had a negative connotation attached to it at all, then, I didn't write to them.

The rest, I did.
This totaled 77 spaces.

Maybe not the best move...
My inbox has been flooded for days now,
my voicemail is full,
and I have the sinking suspicion that I've been signed up for a couple of dozen mailing lists.
However, I did get a lot of info out of all of this, namely:

Most of these places are WAAAAYYY out of my price range.
Some of them are barely out of my price range if I change up the schedule
A very few won't look at me because of my non-union status
but there are those perfect little possibilities out there...
Maybe.


The following is a list of those who have responded, and seem halfway feasible. (there were many many more, but most were just 1000's and 1000's of dollars more than I wanted or am able to spend)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Where Eagles Dare Studios – Rehearsal from $9-$37/hr

Performance space - $190-$240/ Night (4hr block)

Cino Theatre – Only available at the end of April - $2500/wk - performance space

Playwrights Horizons – $35/hr – rehearsal space $750/day – performance space

Theatre Row Studio Theatre - $650/day - performance space

Classic Stage Company - $55/hr performance space, but there's a catch:

$55.00/performance fee for house manager for up to 4 hours,
then $14.00/hour for extra hours

$75.00/perfomance fee or $200.00/week fee for use of in-house lighting

Helen Mills Theatre – Requires an Application $800/2 hrs - Performance space

36 St. Studio – Rehearsal Space – $12-30/hr

Cherry Lane Theatre – Only available in April, 2 spaces, $425/Night or $3500/wk

Actors Theatre Workshop – Rates are nightly not weekly willing to work out deal for rehearsal space as well – BUT, I think they're still out of my price range. They require an application as well.

The Monkey – Haven't gotten a quote yet but the guy seems interesting...

Richmond Shepard – Still need to visit the website to get more info.

Paradise Factory - $2500/wk 24/7 access. Could go down to $15/hr for rehearsal space if we go with them for performance space

Theatre Lab – $1k/wk performance space. Rehearsal space is negotiable.

Space On White – Rehearsal space for $12/hr - $30/hr

SoHo Playhouse – Huron Club - $2k/wk

Stage Left Studio – No space available at that time – rates: $65/hr – performance $35/hr – Rehearsal

Abingdon Theatre – No space available at that time for performance, may have rehearsal space

59e59 – No space available at that time

Puffin Room – Closed for Renovation

Rattlestick – No space available at that time

Shelter Studios – No space available at that time

Vital Theatre – No space available at that time

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



I'm working on actually organizing all this data now,
but I think with a little bit of tinkering on the schedule and a whole lot of adjusting of my budget, I may be able to swing this thing.
Maybe?
Once I narrow it down, I'm hoping to go visit spaces by the end of the week.

As always, if ANYBODY has any advice, insight, or anything at all, I would love to hear it!


Oh, and in case you're wondering, THIS sight: not helpful.








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