Alt Stages (formerly BAPST)
Welcome to Alt Stages!
Alt Stages is a group of theatre and dance companies(generally with budgets under $100,000) who self-identify as small professional theatres. In June, 2009 Alt Stages chose to create a small, working group of representative theatres that meet monthly to address common issues amongst small, professional theatres in the Bay Area. The group holds two meetings a year that are open to all companies who would like to attend and give the working group feedback and marching orders for the next six months.
Alt Stages exists to raise the profile of small, professional theatre companies in the Bay Area, to advocate for their sustainability and growth, and to provide pathways for companies to reach their individual goals.
In 2010, the primary project of the committee is to offer free workshops that are available to attend either in person or via conference call For more information on these programs (and all of Theatre Bay Area’s workshops), please visit http://www.theatrebayarea.org/programs/spotlight.jsp.
Alt Stages is now on Facebook! Join us there.
Coming Up from Alt Stages
Check out upcoming Alt Stages workshops (and all of Theatre Bay Area’s workshops) at http://www.theatrebayarea.org/programs/spotlight.jsp.
Members of the Alt Stages Steering Committee
Boxcar Theatre, San Francisco
Crowded Fire Theatre Company, San Francisco (Tiffany Cochran, chair)
Custom Made Theatre Company, San Francisco
Impact Theatre, Berkeley
theatre Q, Palo Alto
Services of special interest to Alt Stages Companies:
Postcard Distribution Network
The Postcard Distribution Network is a Theatre Bay Area service that coordinates the pickup and distribution of postcards promoting performance events for display at 70 locations throughout the Bay Area. For information on routes, cost, and drop off dates and locations, please click here to visit our advertising opportunities section.CA$H Grants
CA$H is a grants program designed by artists for artists to support professionally oriented theatre and dance artists and small companies with budgets under $100,000. Find out more about it here.Landisman Fellowship
The Eric Landisman fellowship is a grants program for emerging designers/technicians. Find out more about it here.New Works Fund
Theatre Bay Area’s New Works Fund seeks to provide local playwrights with new ways to establish relationships with local theatres and to encourage Bay Area theatre companies to foster and produce the work of local playwrights. Find out more about it here.Playwrights Showcase
This annual event is an opportunity for theatre companies to be introduced to local playwrights. Find out more about it here.Bay Area Big List
This co-op mailing list program is a great way to reach new audience members. Find out more about it here.DataPoint
This is a one-stop source for all of the information Theatre Bay Area has collected and generated to inform the field and other interested parties. Find out more information at www.theatrebayarea.org/DataPoint.EXPO
Our bi-annual trade show is a great way to get the word out to the theatre community about your programs and services as well as chance to sample the wares of others that might offer services of benefit to you. Find out more information here.General Auditions
A great way to gather new talent. Come to our annual Bay Area General Auditions or one of our annual regional auditions in the South or North Bay. For out more information here.National Arts Marketing Project
Theatre Bay Area presents an ongoing series of workshops focusing on marketing and audience development, thanks to generous funding from Americans for the Arts' National Arts Marketing Project and the Wallace Foundation. Find out more information here.Sample Contracts
Here is a collection of contracts, including ones on venue rentals and for hiring actors.How to Start a Theatre Company
Written by John Warren, this fact-filled document provides a good starting point for all small, professional companies (document written in 1999).
Don’t see something you are looking for? Check out the programs section of www.theatrebayarea.org or contact dale@theatrebayarea.org.
