In the first part of Daniel Ingram-Brown’s blog series on adapting books for the stage, he looked at transforming a book into a theatre script. Now he takes us through the process of putting on a performance. If you missed the first part of his From the Page to the Stage blog, you can catch up here.
So, once you have a script, what else do you need? A company of actors, a space to perform it and some money to fund it all. Here are Daniel’s tips for securing all three:
1.Nothing can happen without funding. It can be tough to gather enough money to make the project a success, but don’t let it get to you. If an application fails, use it as an opportunity to re-evaluate your approach and keep trying;
2.Build your team. Don’t forget, you won’t just need actors. The hard work of many people go into a successful performance, from stage and set designers, a stage manager and, possibly, someone to manage all the admin!
3.Look for rehearsal and performance space. Don’t be afraid of approaching large venues for space as venues often see this as a way of supporting local projects in-kind and their support can also be invaluable when applying for funding.
So why not give it a go? If you have an idea, why not approach a local production company to see if they would be keen to work with you.
For more tips on turning your book into a stage production and other writing tips, head over to Daniel’s blog now. You can also catch the first performance of a 15-minute segment from Rise of the Shadow Stealers at the Leeds Big Bookend Children’s Festival, at the Carriageworks Theatre on 19th November.
Photos by Tom Jackson from rehearsals of Rise of the Shadow Stealers; author portrait by Raj Passy.
You can catch the first performance of a 15-minute segment from Rise of the Shadow Stealers at the Leeds Big Bookend Children’s Festival, at the Carriageworks Theatre on Saturday 19th November. It’s followed by a workshop where kids can explore some of the themes, try some of the drama techniques and feedback on the performance.
