At Alchymy 2018’s first panel, From Concept To Creation: Producing New Plays, six theatre professionals shared their most valuable piece of advice.
Desara Bosnja (Independent Theatre Producer): Trust your gut. You’ll get through, even if that means making a lot of difficult decisions. Be honest with yourself. You know when something’s right and when its wrong.
Jessica Edwards (director): As a freelancer, for the first ten years you will need a second career that doesn’t make you want to kill yourself but will pay your bills.
Luke Barnes (playwright): Have a shared vision. Think about is as fun. It’s supposed to be fun. If it stops being enjoyable, then stop. There are more valuable things you could do. Don’t base your success on other people’s values. There is no hierarchy. You’ll never win if you think there is.
Aidan Grounds (senior producer, Nuffield Southampton Theatres): It’s fine to make a mistake, but make sure you learn from it. Stuff will go wrong but it’s all about how you react to it.
Gabby Vautier (independent producer): Make sure you say thank-you. At a tech rehearsal, I bring a big box of sweets for everyone. They need to know their loved
Ellie Keel (independent producer): Always ask yourself why you’re doing it. There will be days when it doesn’t feel great, but there will be days when it feels amazing.
