Scarecrow Press
Pages: 216
Trim: 8½ x 11
978-0-8108-3208-4 • Paperback • May 1997 • $79.00 • (£61.00)
Carolyn Gage is a freelance writer with several degrees, honors, and awards, and a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Part 1 Acknowledgments
Part 2 Preface
Part 3 Introduction
Chapter 4 I: Getting Started
Chapter 5 1. The Bottom Line
Chapter 6 2. Co-Producing with Another Lesbian Organization
Chapter 7 3. Co-Producing with Non-Lesbians
Chapter 8 4. Growing Your Own Organization
Chapter 9 5. Accountability and Sisterhood
Part 10 II: Laying the Foundation
Chapter 11 6. Two Heads are Better Than One
Chapter 12 7. Learning to Lead
Chapter 13 8. Victims and Victimizers
Chapter 14 9. Volunteering, Recruiting, and Boundaries
Chapter 15 10. The Deadly "Isms"
Part 16 III: Setting up Shop
Chapter 17 11. Selecting the Script
Chapter 18 12. The Space
Chapter 19 13. The Money
Chapter 20 14. The Schedule
Chapter 21 15. The Tickets
Part 22 IV: The Folks Behind the Scenes
Chapter 23 16. The Designers
Chapter 24 17. The Assistant Director and the Stage Manager
Chapter 25 18. The Techies
Chapter 26 19. The House Staff
Chapter 27 20. Everyone Else
Part 28 V: Putting out the Word
Chapter 29 21. The Press Kit
Chapter 30 22. Publicizing Auditions
Chapter 31 23. Publicizing the Show
Chapter 32 24. Troubleshooting
Chapter 33 25. The Program
Part 34 VI: On with the Show
Chapter 35 26. Approaching Sacred Ground
Chapter 36 27. Auditioning Lesbians
Chapter 37 28. Production Meetings
Chapter 38 29. The First Rehearsal
Chapter 39 30. Blocking the Show
Part 40 VII: Into the Vortex
Chapter 41 31. Some Notes on Acting
Chapter 42 32. Advice to the Director
Chapter 43 33. After the Third Week
Chapter 44 34. Time Out!
Chapter 45 35. Tech Week and Dress Rehearsal
Part 46 VIII: Opening and Beyond
Chapter 47 36. Opening
Chapter 48 37. Pickup, Strike, and Postproduction
Chapter 49 38. Touring
Chapter 50 39. For Women Only
Chapter 51 40. The Future
Part 52 Appendixes
Part 53 Index
Part 54 About the Author
...a practical, hands-on guide for anyone directing and producing a play by, with, for or about lesbians by a woman who has been involved in every aspect of lesbian theater.
— Feminist Bookstore News
Geared to the fledgling lesbian director and producer, Gage's handbook is chock-full of new ideas and common sense about choosing, mounting, publicizing, and surviving the live theatre experience...crack's open the mysteries of the successful theatrical venture. Most important, the book addresses the complex underpinnings of accountability, leadership, and collaboration in the differently structured world of women-run groups...two chapters on victims and leadership deliver such savvy and sage advice that they should be required reading for all women who work in organizations...even while preoccupied with basics, Gage doesn't neglect the artistic/spiritual aspects of why we do theatre in the first place... Take Stage! really does deliver what it promises: to take the inexperienced director and producer through all stages of production...rejoice that a real resource guide is available, one that is concise, readable, and inspiring.
— The Lesbian Review Of Books