How to Book a Longer Run as an Emerging Company

How to Book a Longer Run as an Emerging Company

Jennifer Kidd, 4 October 2012

I wanted to ask for advice and ideas on the possibility of booking a longer run as a new company. Flying Cloud's debut show, NAPOLI played at WYP, Hull Truck, Stephen Joseph, The Maltings and Darlington Arts Centre this year. We had an amazing response from the audience as the show grew and believe the work merits another outing. Our intention is to develop the writing and production further based on responses and feedback from venues, audiences and outreach work. We feel longer runs in venues, (over 3 or 4 shows per venue) may be an important part of growing the piece but understandably it's very difficult for programmers to trust audience numbers will support a relatively unknown company. I wanted to talk around this and hear other people's ideas. Really helpful. Came away with clearer understanding that genuine, two-way relationships are needed for venues to be able to trust their booking of new writing with a new company for more than a few days. Venues need to be part of the development process of the work helping to shape the work which also suggests it would end up being relevant and vital for that venue and community. You need to manage expectations and be realistic in a difficult climate across the board, yet keep daring despite that climate. Encouraging to hear programmers talking with passion about the kind of work they want to programme and will try to balance their books for. Maybe Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton or a straight hire would be the places for a longer run of this kind. Or maybe you have audacious, exciting ideas of another model! Ideas very welcome, thank you.

Tags:

venues, devoted and disgruntled, Venues, Venue relationships, Emerging Company, Longer Run, Napoli, Devoted and Disgruntled, NAPOLI, Flying Cloud