The administrative (admin) producer, in collaboration with the technical (tech) producer, is responsible for overseeing the work of the show's production team at Firehall Theatre Society of Medicine Hat. The roles within the production team include:
- Bar Manager
- Final Night Party Coordinator
- Foyer Design Coordinator
- Front of House Manager
- Marketing Coordinator
- Opening Night Reception
- Photographer
- Preview Night Coordinator
- Program Coordinator
Planning
The admin and tech producers should meet to review their respective job descriptions, discuss lines of communication with the production team, and confirm their division of labor. They should also decide who will handle the following tasks:
- Managing the budget provided by the treasurer.
- Coordinating purchasing requirements and cash advances with the bookkeeper.
- Downloading audition forms and coordinating audition advertising with the director and marketing team.
A master contact list should be created for all admin production team members, and updates should be shared with the program coordinator as new crew members join.
The admin producer should become familiar with the play and select committee heads, providing them with job descriptions and budget information. All positions that involve artistic or design elements must be approved by the director. The admin producer should ensure that committee heads understand their responsibilities and deadlines on the production schedule.
Meetings with the director, marketing, program, poster, and foyer teams should be arranged to discuss the director's vision for the production. The admin producer should also familiarize themselves with theatre policies and clarify any uncertainties with the VP of productions.
Working
A first read-through should be organized for the cast and crew, followed by a social gathering. Board members should also be invited to clarify their roles in the production. The admin producer should attend all production team meetings and monitor expenditures to ensure they remain within budget. Prompt reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses should be arranged, and complimentary ticket requests should be directed to the marketing director.
Headshots and production photo sessions should be scheduled with the director, photographer, cast, and crew. The admin producer should ensure that the photographer provides photos on a USB drive for archiving and future use. Thank you notes for committee heads should be prepared and distributed as needed.
Strike
After the production, all admin keys should be collected and returned to the key master. The producer responsible for managing finances should finalize the budget, complete production spreadsheets, float reconciliation, and forward this information to the bookkeeper.
Post Production Review
The admin producer should gather notes from all production heads for the post-mortem and attend a debriefing meeting arranged by the VP of productions. Input regarding successes, challenges, and lessons learned should be shared for the benefit of future productions.
