The Accidental Producer

A practical guide to small-scale theatre producing, focusing on exactly what is required to make your show a success. How do you make your first show a success? And, after that, how can you make your second and third a little bit better?

Written by an experienced theatre producer, who has worked on over 20 small-scale shows across London, Edinburgh, the UK and in New York, this book is for those who want to get their show on, but are coming to it for the first time.

Mirroring in its structure the 3 stages of producing - producing itself, general management and selling the show, the book answers conundrums such as:

How do I find the perfect script?
How will I pay for the production?
Does it matter that I know nothing about company law, VAT and hiring?
How can I get people to come and see the show?

Alongside the author's own experience, it includes input from experts in their field including Jez Bond (Artistic Director of Park Theatre, London) and Chloe Nelkin (founder and director of Chloe Nelkin PR) and from first-time producers, including Kevin Shen (Special Relationship Productions), whose first show on the fringe transferred to the National Theatre.

Fundamentally, this much-needed book doesn't just show how to make it happen: it shows why you should and how to make it the biggest success it can be.

The book's liberating message is that it is perfectly possible for absolutely anyone to produce a show.