The dark art of producing

Like most actors who 'move over to the dark side', I started producing by accident. I was playing Martha in 'Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?' at the Lichfield Garrick when the production was offered a transfer to Trafalgar Studios in London. No established producer was available or willing to take the show in, and so the director Andrew Hall and I decided to do it ourselves. What could possibly go wrong? Beginner’s luck or not, very little did go wrong. It was a ludicrously steep learning curve and I know there are many things I would do differently today, but the combination of the strong title, Matthew Kelly's moving performance as George and a sheaf of five-star reviews for the production meant that we sold out in 24 hours and didn't lose our shirts.

Stage One can help get you on to the first rung of your career ladder and turn your entrepreneurial ideas and ambitions into reality

However, Andrew and I were both aware that we had got away with it at Trafalgar Studios. Between us we had spent more than six decades in the business, so we had a great deal of experience to draw on but also enough to realise just how much we didn't know. If we were going to do this seriously then we needed help. Enter Stage One, the new producers charity set up by the Society of London Theatres (SOLT). It supports new UK theatre producers and productions and is committed to securing the future of commercial theatre through educational and investment schemes. Stage One can help get you on to the first rung of your career ladder and turn your entrepreneurial ideas and ambitions into reality. Being an inclusive charity, my age (then late forties) was no barrier, and in 2010 I spent three of the most exhilarating days of my life at their new producers workshop, learning the intricacies of rights, budgets and royalty pools.

Since then there have been countless networking events and 'Stage Two' advanced workshops. I have been introduced to one of the most supportive communities imaginable, where the words “I'm a Stage One new producer” opens doors and gets phone calls answered. Commercial producers have been generous with their time and wisdom – everything apart from their investor lists.

In October last year I joined Colchester Mercury Theatre as a full-time producer. My department has just doubled in size as I have been joined by Nathan Brine, a Stage One apprentice producer. Thanks to a grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Stage One funds two 12-month apprenticeships in regional subsidised theatres across the UK, meeting the full costs of both salaries. The competition is fierce, previous host venues include Chichester Festival Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, so the Mercury was delighted to be chosen, alongside Southampton Nuffield, as one of the two host venues for 2015/16.

The host organisations must expose apprentices to high-quality, potentially commercial work or allow them to help develop the commercial aspirations of the organisation across co-productions, touring or transfers. The theatre will train a new entrepreneurial producer by providing them with hands-on experience. The apprentice producer learns about budgeting, negotiation, contracts, West End and regional theatre agreements, casting, touring, marketing, investment and PR. Nathan will spend a year with us, witnessing us mount 26 weeks of 'Made In Colchester' shows that range from Shakespeare to pantomime, from an intimate, gritty two-hander to launch our newly refurbished studio, to a brand new musical co-production with a SOLT producer. He will help programme one-nighters – ballet, opera, music and magic – and oversee schools tours. Maybe we can even help him launch a project of his own.

The competition was strong and Nathan has already proved himself to get this far. After a year under our wing he should have the knowledge, confidence and the invaluable hands-on experience to carve out his own path. In return, we will benefit from his dedication, energy and enthusiasm.

Tracey Childs is Producer at the Colchester Mercury Theatre.
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/