nymf 2013 developmental readings producers guide v2 042213

250 West 49th Street, Suite 601 • New York, NY 10019

tel: (212) 664-0979 • fax: (212) 664-0978 • www.nymf.org

*All information accurate as of April 22, 2013, but subject to change NYMF 2013 Developmental Readings Producer’s Guide /

NYMF 2013 DEVELOPMENTAL READING PRODUCER’S GUIDE

WELCOME TO NYMF 2013! Congratulations, and welcome!

This is the DEVELOPMENTAL READING PRODUCER’S GUIDE for the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival. This guide

contains information about critical deadlines, guidelines, and procedures you’ll need to know as you prepare for

the Festival, along with advice and resources to help you make the most of your experience.

Please be sure to read all the sections, even if you are an experienced producer or have worked at NYMF in the

past. There are changes and updates to festival procedures and rules, and you are responsible for knowing them

and adhering to them. You may also want to forward sections of this document to other members of your

production team so that everyone’s on the same page.

All information in this document is correct as of April 22, 2013, but we reserve the right to amend or supplement this

information between now and the festival. We will notify you whenever we make an update, and will provide you

with separate dated updates on your participant page of our website, but please be sure to check the website

regularly – and make sure your whole team is kept up-to-date as well!

Our goal at NYMF is to provide a supportive, professional, and efficient platform for independent writers and

producers to empower them to effectively showcase their new musicals. NYMF’s strength is its network of support

— some of which comes from us, some of which comes from your fellow participants, and some of which comes

from you. Ultimately, NYMF 2013 will be as good as you make it. We encourage you to treat your fellow

participants as partners and to bring as many of your own resources to the table as you can.

Take the time to consider what your strengths are, and what you may need particular help with. If you know folks

who want to support you – now is the time they can. NYMF is a fantastic opportunity for you, and people (including

us!) will want to help you make the most of it. Be realistic about your expectations – but be particular about your

goals. Now open the producer’s guide: it is time to start planning.

Once again, congratulations and good luck!

Isaac Robert Hurwitz

Executive Director & Producer

Note: At the end of this guide is an acknowledgement form, which you must

sign and return to us, stating that you have read the guide and understand its

contents.




TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. WHO’S WHO AT NYMF ............................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. IMPORTANT DATES ................................................................................................................................................................... 5

3. YOUR NYMF PLANNING TIMELINE ...................................................................................................................................... 8-9

4. SHOW RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................................................................. 10-11

Responsibilities During Your Run ........................................................................................................................... 13

Responsibilities After Your Run .............................................................................................................................. 15

5. VENUES & TECH ............................................................................................................................................................... 16-19

Your Venue ............................................................................................................................................................. 16

Venue Guidelines………………………………………………………………………………………….... ................. 16

NYMF 2013 Venue and NYMF HUB ………………………………… ………………………………… ................... 16

Venue Walk-Throughs/Site Visits ........................................................................................................................... 17

Additional Rehearsal and Tech Time .................................................................................................................. 18

Performance Setup and Strike ............................................................................................................................. 18

Loading-in and Loading-out Your Show ............................................................................................................. 18

Storage .................................................................................................................................................................... 19

6. NYMF PROVIDED VENUE STAFF ........................................................................................................................................... 20

7. NYMF PROVIDED VENUE EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................................................. 22

Sound Equipment ................................................................................................................................................... 22

Backline and Band Equipment ............................................................................................................................ 22

Projection Equipment ............................................................................................................................................ 23

Lighting Equipment ................................................................................................................................................ 23

8. INTERSHOW COMMUNICATION & WORKING TOGETHER ............................................................................................... 25

Performance Schedule ........................................................................................................................................ 25

Email Forums ........................................................................................................................................................... 25

9. BUDGETING & FINANCING YOUR SHOW .................................................................................................................... 27-29

Budgeting ................................................................................................................................................................ 27

Fiscal Sponsorship ................................................................................................................................................... 27

Tracking Your Budget .......................................................................................................................................28-29

10. STAFFING YOUR TEAM ....................................................................................................................................................... 31

Production Team .................................................................................................................................................... 31

Creative Team ...................................................................................................................................................31-32

11. CASTING ...................................................................................................................................................................... 33-34

NYMF-Sponsored Equity Auditions ....................................................................................................................... 33

12. UNION AGREEMENTS AT NYMF ....................................................................................................................................... 35

Actors Equity Association (AEA) ........................................................................................................................... 35

Stage Director’s and Choreographers Society (SDC) ...................................................................................... 36

American Federation of Musicians (Local 802) ................................................................................................. 36

13. INSURANCE ....................................................................................................................................................................... 41

Additional Insurance Requirements .................................................................................................................... 42

14. MARKETING, PRESS & PROMOTION……………………………………...…………………………….43

Marketing Concepts .............................................................................................................................................. 43

Marketing Materials ............................................................................................................................................... 43

The Marketing Blurb ............................................................................................................................................... 43

The Artwork .............................................................................................................................................................. 43

NYMF Billing Requirements .................................................................................................................................... 44

The Press Release ................................................................................................................................................... 44

Photos ...................................................................................................................................................................... 45

Musical Demos ....................................................................................................................................................... 46

Video ........................................................................................................................................................................ 47

Press Agents ............................................................................................................................................................ 47

15. TICKETING AT NYMF ......................................................................................................................................................... 48

Ticket Types ........................................................................................................................................................48-49

Ticketing Fees .......................................................................................................................................................... 50

E-Ticketing and Will Call ........................................................................................................................................ 50

Ticket Holds ............................................................................................................................................................. 50

Press Tickets ............................................................................................................................................................. 51

Industry Tickets ........................................................................................................................................................ 51

Keeping NYMF Notified of Industry Attendance…………………………………………………………52

16. YOUR SHOW AFTER NYMF…………………………………………………………………………………...53

Where do You Want to Go? ................................................................................................................................. 53

Approaching the Industry ..................................................................................................................................... 53

Industry Members Approach You ....................................................................................................................... 53

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..................................................................................................................................................... 54




WHO’S WHO AT NYMF Got questions? Here’s who to call for what:

NYMF STAFF

Executive Director and Producer

Isaac Robert Hurwitz [email protected]

o Contract questions (212) 664-0979 x 11

o Fees / Payments / Budgeting

General Management Office

Jeremy Youett Festival General Manager [email protected]

(212) 664-0979 x14

Jacob Harvey Associate General Manager [email protected]

(212) 664-0979 x 21

Paige Reinis Assistant General Manager [email protected] o Contract questions (212) 664-0979 x 20

o Fees / Payments / Budgeting

o Fiscal Sponsorship

o Scheduling

o Ticketing

o Union questions

o Settlements

o Website assistance, including Google

Group forum issues

Production Manager Office - Tinc Productions

Mandy Berry Festival Production Manager [email protected]

(646) 202-3015

o Production Related questions

o Venue related questions

o Technical questions

Director of Programming

Mary Kate Burke [email protected]

o Creative team assistance & Dramaturgs (212) 664-0979 x13

Director of Development

Scott Pyne [email protected]

o Industry Liaison (212) 664-0979 x12

o Member / Patron / Donation questions

Marketing Manager

Matt Britten [email protected]

o Advertising and marketing opportunities (212) 664-0979 x 15

Audience Services Manager

TBA (212) 664-0979 x 17

o Ticketing

Festival Press Office - Keith Sherman & Associates

Keith Sherman and Scott Klein [email protected]

[email protected]

o Press ticket requests (212) 764-7900

o Coordination, approvals and notification of press inquiries

mailto:[email protected]






*All information accurate as April 22, 2013, but subject to change NYMF 2013 Developmental Readings Producer’s Guide /

IMPORTANT DATES

IN BOLD = Mandatory

As soon as possible Arrange AEA requirements (at least 14 days before rehearsals)

& Deadline for Date Conflicts

Monday, April 1st or ASAP Deadline for submission of logo and blurb

Monday, April 15th Shows notified of venue and schedule assignment

Monday, April 22nd Deadline for booking NYMF program ads

April 17_________________________________EPA Auditions Day 1

April 26_________________________________EPA Auditions Day 2

May 1 Non Equity Auditions-Open Call

May 3 EPA Auditions #3

Wednesday, May 15th Members/patrons begin booking tickets

(Insider tickets available)

Monday, June 10th – Friday, June 14th Site Visits (Exact date TBA)

Friday, May 31st

Monday, June 17th Single tickets on sale

Friday, June 21st Deadline for postcards to be delivered to NYMF

Final show designs/tech needs due to NYMF

Saturday, June 22nd Final Production Meeting

Monday 1st or Tuesday 2nd July Festival Press Conference

Monday 1st – Sunday 7th July Festival Load-in

Monday, July 8th – Sunday, July 28th Festival Dates

Monday, July 29th Festival Load-out

Monday, August 12th ALL SHOWS Final Reports DUE




YOUR NYMF PLANNING TIMELINE This section will take you through the life of the production of your reading from start to finish in a timeline format. Please

refer to the corresponding pages as indicated in the preceding index for more information on how to accomplish each

task and suggested resources.

As soon as your musical is invited to participate in NYMF:

□ Make sure that you have secured the necessary rights for your musical.

□ Inform NYMF of any blackout dates for potential scheduling issues as soon as possible.

□ Make sure that you have the funding to produce your reading [How To Raise Money]

Three months prior to opening – APRIL

□ Create your budget and develop a system for tracking it. [Budgeting]

□ Identify and hire a General Manager or Line Producer, if needed. [Staffing]

□ Identify and hire a director and music director, if needed. [Staffing]

□ Hire an attorney, if needed. [Staffing]

□ Arrange for insurance, if needed. [Insurance]

Two months prior to opening – MAY

□ Identify and hire a stage manager if needed. [Staffing]

□ Identify and reserve a rehearsal space. [Production Process]

□ Hire a casting director, if needed. [Casting]

□ Apply for permission from Actors’ Equity Association to produce your musical under the NYMF Reading Guideline

at least 14 days before your first rehearsal, and prior to announcing or conducting any auditions [Casting]

□ Create a rehearsal schedule. [Production Process]

One month prior to opening – JUNE

□ Identify and hire musicians, if needed. [Staffing]

□ Create production meeting schedule, if needed. [Production Process]

□ Liaise with NYMF about your reading’s production needs. [Tech]

□ Create and send out press release. Be sure to liaise with NYMF regarding requirements. [Press]

□ Develop complimentary ticket list. [Tickets]

One week prior to opening – JULY

□ Begin rehearsals. [Production Process]

□ Submit your playbill to Equity. [Equity Requirements ]

□ Make a plan for your tech / load-in time.

During run

□ Develop plan for strike. [Show Responsibilities]

□ Track your industry attendance etc. [Ticketing]

□ Prepare to create your final report. [Show Responsibilities ]

After your run

□ Send your final report to NYMF no later than two (2) weeks following end of the Festival. [Show Responsibilities]

□ Follow up and capitalize on all of the attention your show has received. [Life After NYMF]

□ Send copies of any production photos and/or b-roll footage to NYMF [Press]




SHOW RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibilities Before the Festival

□ Make sure that you have secured the necessary rights for your musical.

□ Inform NYMF of any critical blackout dates for scheduling your show as soon as possible.

The Festival will attempt to meet the specific needs of each show in assigning times, dates, and venues (based

upon the information you provide us). Because the Festival is juggling many shows, NYMF will be fairly inflexible

about changing schedules once established, unless our staff believes such a change is critical — in which case

NYMF maintains the right to change the dates that have been offered.

□ Make sure that you have the funding to produce the reading of your musical!

You are responsible for covering the costs for your reading outside of what NYMF provides in its repertory systems.

□ Apply for use of the AEA / NYMF Stage Reading Guideline if you’re planning to use Equity actors or

stage managers.

Before you can hold auditions or do just about anything, you’ll need to apply to Actors’ Equity for permission to

present your show using the NYMF Stage Readings Guidelines, which allow union performers to participate. The

application (a questionnaire) and guidelines themselves are available as a single PDF on the AEA website, in the

“Codes” section” of the Document Library. The questionnaire must be submitted to AEA at least 14 days prior to

your first rehearsal. You must keep NYMF informed regarding all union matters, including providing copies of the

application and any other reports required by Actors’ Equity.

□ Make sure you have fulfilled your billing requirements in all publicity and promotional materials

The billing required by your contract applies to all press releases, playbill title pages, postcards, posters, and all

other publicity materials. For all Festival events housed in NYMF venues, that is:

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and [your producing entity] present [Your Show]

Or, in cases where producer billing follows the title, either of the following:

[Your show], produced by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and [your producing entity]

[Your Show], presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and [your producing entity]

You must use the festival’s FULL NAME in official billing such as this. (Also, when you DO use our acronym in any

context, please do not misspell it. We are not NYMTF. We are not NYFM. NYMF is the correct title.)

□ Create a playbill or program for your show.

Printing of playbills is the responsibility of each show. You are required to use the NYMF playbill template for your

production. This is necessary because inclusion of NYMF’s official biography, venue staff credits, and Festival

sponsor logos are contractually required. The playbill format will be available on the NYMF participant website

after all seasonal NYMF hiring has been completed; please make sure to double-check that you have the most

up-to-date version when you’re creating your playbill. If you have Equity cast members, you must also include the

AEA logo and bio in the playbill. If other personnel are members of other unions, you may also need to include

logos for those unions (e.g. SDC or AFM). That information is also available on the NYMF website.




Responsibilities During Your Run

□ Make sure that you’re ready to open!

Your stage manager should have already ascertained whether all technical aspects of the show are ready to go,

what the call time is, where personal property can be stored, etc. Remain as calm as possible because, besides

ensuring that everyone is ready, it is also your responsibility to make them feel as if they are ready. Since you are

the leader, it is your job to inspire confidence.

□ Take care of your venue.

You will be sharing your venue with several other companies, so please leave the venue clean when you leave.

Your production is responsible for:

Clearing the Front of House of discarded programs and other trash (and recycling as appropriate).

Cleaning the backstage area after every show.

The NYMF Venue staff is not responsible for any of these tasks. Your Producer’s Representative must confirm with

the House Manager that all of the above is approved before you leave the facility. If you fail to properly strike

your show after performances and ignore your responsibility to clean the venue and store your show’s materials,

NYMF will have the right to charge your company up to $500 per incident.

Responsibilities After Your Run

□ Load out your show completely.

Remove all of your property in the allotted changeover time following your final performance in the Festival. Any

items that are left behind after your final strike will be discarded, and NYMF will charge your show for any disposal

costs.

□ Provide final reports to NYMF

Each company is contractually required to provide NYMF with a final report at the conclusion of your run. These

reports, which should be provided within two weeks following the close of the Festival, should include:

Projected budget versus actual expenses of the production

Copies of AEA New York Musical Theatre Festival Stage Reading Guideline application and signature

page (if you are producing under the AEA NYMF Stage Reading Guideline), and all other AEA filings in

relation to the production

A copy of the production program and any other artwork and promotional materials used in promoting

the production or generated during the run

Digital copies of any production photos and video footage of the production (these should be full

quality, should have NO obstructive watermark, and should be accompanied by any relevant credit and

caption information)

A final contact sheet for all production personnel and cast

A fiscal sponsorship expenditure report (if applicable)




VENUES & PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Your Venue

Your show will be scheduled into one of NYMF’s performance venues for all of its performances. Most free staged

readings will be scheduled in a single dedicated venue with between 40 and 90 seats, but NYMF may place individual

projects into other venues to accommodate scheduling needs of the Festival.

For 2013, the NYMF venues are:

The FESTIVAL HUB Lobby of the Pershing Square Signature Center

The ALICE GRIFFIN 480 W 42nd Street, (Between 9th and 10th Ave )

The ROMULUS LINNEY 480 W 42nd Street, (Between 9th and 10th Ave )

The STUDIO 480 W 42nd Street, (Between 9th and 10th Ave )

The PEARL THEATRE (PTC) 555 W. 42nd Street, (Between 10th and 11th Ave)

Developmental Reading Venue TBA

Performance Schedule for Readings

Free staged readings will be scheduled for three (3) performances spread across a window of between two (2) and

seven (7) days. Usually, NYMF schedules two (2) performances on one day, with a third performance two to three days

later. We expect to be able to give all productions their venue assignments and exact performance schedule on, or

around the end of April..

In planning your show’s technical aspects, bear in mind:

you will have a single window of two (2) hours in your venue to prepare the show prior to the first reading

you will then have 60 minutes to set up your show (including 15 minutes for the house to open) immediately

before each performance

you will have only 30 minutes to strike your show completely following each performance

Venue Walk-Throughs / Site Visits

One (1) site visit will be scheduled for the staged reading venue. This site visit will be the only time when you will have an

opportunity to see your venue before the Festival, so we recommend each show have its director and producer or

general manager present. Attendance by at least one member of your team at the site visit is mandatory.

Due to the large number of participants, shows may not individually or directly contact the venue(s). If a member of your

team contacts one of our venues directly or attempts an individual site visit, you will be subject to a fine up to $500 per

occurrence.

Setting Up and Striking Your Show

You are responsible for loading in and loading out any items specific to your show (e.g. anything not provided by NYMF as

part of the repertory system) immediately following your show’s presentation. There is limited time between performances

at the Festival, so you must be able to set up and strike in under 30 minutes.

Discuss any special needs with your venue’s Associate Production Manager prior to your load-in to insure that this work

goes as smoothly as possible. NYMF reserves the right to impose fines of up to $500 per incident if your load-in or load-out

runs overtime due to negligence or understaffing.

Storage

Generally speaking, we do not have the ability to store items related to your reading. If your reading requires items not

provided by NYMF or the Venue, you will need to remove them after each performance and bring them with you when it

is time to set up for your next show.




Securing Extra Rehearsal and Tech Time in the Venue

Additional time for technical and other rehearsals (“buy-back time”) may be available in some venues, either before the

official start of the Festival after the repertory systems have been installed, or at unscheduled times during the Festival.

After determining the load-in and performance schedules in each venue, NYMF will inform participants if and when buy-

back time is available to book, and what the hourly costs are for such bookings.

You may not contact NYMF venues independently to set up individual rentals. If a member of your team contacts one of

our venues directly or attempts an individual site visit, you will be subject to a fine up to $500 per occurrence.

VENUE STAFF PROVIDED BY NYMF

NYMF will provide a number of staff members to assist you in your venue. Please direct your questions and concerns to the

appropriate staff member.

PRODUCTION STAFF:

Associate Production Manager

This person will oversee both the front-of-house and technical aspects of your production in the venue. He or she will

manage changeovers, storage and the movement of personnel in and out of the venue.

FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF:

House Manager

The main front-of-house point-person in your venue, this individual will be responsible for opening the house, relaying

announcements to the house, maintaining an orderly front-of-house, coordinating ushers (if any), liaising with the

Producer’s Representative, monitoring the lobby/bathrooms, coordinating lobby display and signage, reserved seating,

NYMF programs (not show specific programs), and all other aspects of the front-of-house operations.

Box Office Manager

This person will be responsible for ticket selling, including walk-up tickets and advance orders. He or she will also distribute

will-call tickets and sell merchandise and concessions (when available).

Neither the Box Office Manager nor the House Manager is responsible for handing out your show’s press packets or

handling your show’s own front-of-house duties. These, and some other things, are the responsibility of your show’s

Producer’s Representative (more about this later).

EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY NYMF

The venue for developmental readings will have a single lighting “look” and will have extremely limited sound capability.

The focus of the developmental readings series is to showcase and work on the script; if you absolutely need additional

technical support, you must discuss your needs with the Festival production management team as soon as possible.

Requests for additional gear will be reviewed by the Festival production management team and supplied by the

Festival’s technical providers. Using outside (third-party) lighting, sound, and/or projection equipment is not permitted.

The basic band equipment package provided by NYMF for readings consists of:

Acoustic piano and piano stool

2 additional musician chairs

music stands




INTERSHOW COMMUNICATION / WORKING TOGETHER

Email Forums

To make it easier for shows to share information with each other, the Festival has created forums using Google Groups. It’s

a great way to discuss your show’s needs and pool tech and staffing resources. All shows are grouped by venue.

To join your group:

Go to http://groups.google.com/group/nymf[yourvenue]13 (if you are in St. Clement’s, for example, the last part

would become “/nymfstclements13”)

If you already have a Gmail address or Google account:

o On the right hand side, click “Join this group”

o Log-in using your email and password

o Create a “nickname” – this is the name that will display when you add to the forum.

o If necessary, enter the same “nickname” again, and click “Join This Group.”

If you do not already have a Gmail address or Google account:

o Create a Google account by entering the email you would like to use, and filling out the rest of the

sign-up form

o Create a “nickname”

o Click “I accept” and create your account

o Click through the confirmation link you receive in your email to confirm your Google account

o Join the Group by clicking the link to your group when it shows up, and then click “join group”.

o Fill out the information to sign up, and you should be all set.

Please note:

ALL group names will end in "13". NYMF often books the same venues year after year, and as such we have

corresponding groups for those years. For example, NYMFSTCLEMENTS13 will put you in touch with everyone in

your venue for this year, but NYMFSTCLEMENTS may take you back to older information/groups.

You MUST be a member of the group in order to read or post messages. Simply sending an email to

"[email protected]" will not be sufficient. All producer’s reps should receive an invitation to join

the group shortly after venue assignments are made – if you have not, please contact Paige Reinis at NYMF

([email protected]) and she can assist you with setting up access to your forum.

Members of your production team can join by searching the group name on the Google Groups homepage.

Alternatively, please email Paige with a list of team members whom you would like to have signed up for the

group, and she will send them all invitations.





BUDGETING & FINANCING YOUR SHOW

Budgeting

Each show’s producer is responsible for covering all costs outside of what NYMF provides for your production as part of

the repertory system. It is crucial that you clearly establish a working budget as early as possible. Please see the 2013

NYMF Helpful Handbook for sample budgets with suggested budget line items and hints on how to raise money for your

production.

Don’t forget to also create a contingency to cover any unexpected expenses! A good rule of thumb is to leave 5-10% of

your total budget as your reserve.

Tracking Your Budget

Track all expenditures as you go. Update your ledger as often as possible because you’ll need to file a final financial

report shortly after the Festival is over.

Fiscal Sponsorship Accounts

Not-for-profit status can make it easier to raise money from many potential supporters, because your supporters will be

able to claim a charitable contribution deduction on their income taxes for their donation to your show. If you don’t

already have a producing organization with not-for-profit status, the easiest way to raise charitable contributions is via a

fiscal sponsor (also known as a “fiscal conduit” or an “umbrella 501(c)(3)”) like NYMF. Your supporters can make tax-

deductible contributions to NYMF specifically earmarked for your project and then NYMF “re-grants” them to you.

You can solicit both charitable contributions and investments for the same show, but a single contribution cannot be

treated as both a donation (tax-deductible) and as an investment (with possible financial return in the future).

Here’s what you need to do to get tax-deductible status for a contribution:

Sign a fiscal sponsorship contract with NYMF and fill out a W-9 form. This contract is separate from your NYMF

presentation contract; it explains how your production is in keeping with NYMF’s charitable mission and defines

the terms of the re-granting. It is a relatively simple boilerplate document and can be generated very quickly.

We cannot accept any money on your show’s behalf without a signed copy of this agreement.

Solicit funds from pre-approved sources. Foundations and corporations must be vetted by NYMF before you

solicit from them, to avoid conflicts with NYMF’s own funding proposals.

Donors should make checks payable to “The New York Musical Theatre Festival” and earmark them with your

show’s title via a note in the memo section. Bring the checks to the NYMF office. In certain cases, we will grant

prior approval for checks to be directly sent to us from your donor but hand-delivery will both ensure that the

money gets to us and that you are properly credited for it.

Donors will also be able to make online credit card donations earmarked specifically for your show, via a drop-

down menu on the donation page of the NYMF website and your show’s custom donation URL

(https://www.nymf.org/donateto[yourshow]). Please allow up to 7 business days after submitting your signed

paperwork for your custom URL to be generated on the NYMF website so that you can procure credit card

donations.

Tracking your donations

Once your account is active, We will send you an email with a link to an online Google Document which will

enable you to view information about all of the donations that have been received for your show. You will

receive an email titled "Fiscal Sponsorship Tracking NYMF 2013 [your show name]”. Open the email and click on

the link to view the document. You are only able to view this document. NYMF is the only party able to edit it. If

you are not a Gmail user, have no fear! You can still very easily view this document at any time by referring back




to the email with the attached document link. If you ARE a Gmail user, the document will be easily located

anytime in your Drive Tab in the top left panel of your Gmail window.

Within 10 business days, NYMF can re-grant the money to you, upon request. For the first $10,000 raised, NYMF will

retain only a flat fee of $200 to cover our costs in administering this service, plus 4% of any credit card donations

to cover processing fees. (For funds raised beyond the first $10,000, NYMF will retain 4% to cover administrative

costs, not including credit card processing fees.)

If you prefer, NYMF can arrange to cut checks directly to your vendors, but there are additional transaction fees for this

service.

As long as we have the contact details from a donating party, NYMF will provide acknowledgement letters/tax-

deductibility receipts for fiscal sponsorship donations of $100 or more. These letters will be mailed or emailed out on a

rolling basis. Because these donations are from your supporters, you should be sure to thank all your donors individually as

well.

After the Festival, you must provide NYMF with a report showing that all the money NYMF re-granted to you was used

toward the sponsored project; because the funds must legally go toward advancing NYMF’s mission, any unused funds

must be returned to NYMF.

At the end of the year, you will receive a Form 1099 from NYMF for the amount disbursed to you; you will be able to

deduct your production expenses against that income on your tax return. (If you choose to have NYMF cut checks

directly to your vendors, those to whom more than $599 is disbursed by NYMF will also receive Forms 1099 from us.)

Please contact the General Management Office if you think this may be of use to your show, or if you have any questions

about the process.




STAFFING YOUR TEAM

The most successful NYMF productions have a good team behind them including talent. You will need to staff your show

with the following staff members NOT provided by NYMF. Use the Resources page on the website to network and find

possible candidates, or consult the list of schools and organizations in the Helpful Handbook.

PRODUCTION TEAM (detailed descriptions of roles in Helpful Handbook) General Manager/Line Producer

NYMF suggests that you hire a General Manager or Line Producer. He or she will keep you organized and help your

production run smoothly, helping you create and track your budget, file your AEA paperwork, and hire/liaise with your

staff.

Producer’s Representative

The Producer’s Rep will need to be at the venue a full hour before each performance and must be able to stay in the

lobby once the show starts to deal with late-coming VIPs. He or she should also be present at the Venue Site Visit and

Production Meeting, and must have approval authority on behalf of your production. You must notify NYMF in writing who

will be filling this role; unless we hear otherwise, the signatory on the contract will be expected to personally serve this

function.

Stage Manager

Your Stage Manager must be available to call the show during all of your scheduled performances.

Production Assistants, Stage Crew, etc.

NYMF does NOT provide any additional stage crew. You will need to fill these positions on your own, if required.

CREATIVE TEAM (detailed descriptions of roles in Helpful Handbook):

Director

In our experience, having a director who is not the writer of your show will provide significant benefit to your production,

especially if you are a writer producing your own show at the Festival. If you end up working with a director who is a

member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), you’ll need to hire them under SDC’s Special

Contract – which does not mandate a minimum rate of compensation but which includes health and pension

contributions and guarantees the right of first refusal to direct the next production of the show.

Music Director

As with directors, NYMF believes most that shows benefit from having a musical director who is not the composer of the

show, freeing authors to observe and learn from the rehearsal process and the performances of your reading.

Musicians

Most NYMF developmental readings are piano-only, with their musical director serving as their only performance musician.

If you feel additional musicians are necessary to your show, that may be possible within reason. Some readings hire a

drummer for added percussion, a guitar (if your show is more guitar-based), or a specialty instrument to give your show a

particular sensibility (e.g. violin to give that Transylvanian feel for your vampire musical). Know, however, that your

performers will not be amplified and you will have limited time in the space to balance any sound issues. So keep it

simple.




CASTING

Each company is responsible for casting its own show. If you are planning to use members of Actors’ Equity in your cast,

you must use the AEA/New York Musical Theatre Festival Staged Reading Code. If your production does NOT feature

members of AEA, you do not have to adhere to all the terms of the AEA/NYMF Code but you must still conduct your

auditions and casting processes in an appropriately professional manner. A copy of the AEA/NYMF code can be found

on the back end of the NYMF website under Show Resources and Downloads, or by visiting the AEA Website.

All shows will fall into one of three categories in terms of their casting processes:

1. NON-UNION ONLY - If you intend for your show to be cast with entirely non-union performers, you may hold

auditions and cast in any manner you see fit, but you may not audition or hire any performers who are members

of Actors' Equity. You will also need to obtain from your cast and Stage Manager (and provide to NYMF on

request) a waiver declaring that they are NOT enrolled members of AEA.

2. USING UNION ACTORS, CASTING BY AUDITIONS - If you intend to use Equity performers for all or some of your cast

and want to hold auditions of any kind or want to solicit submissions of candidates from agents, you will first need

to hold a union-mandated Equity open call audition session. At a minimum, you will be required to hold a 4-hour

session of Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs). The process for announcing and holding these auditions takes several

weeks, so you’ll need to plan ahead.

NYMF can help you with these requirements by arranging shared audition days for up to 5 shows, reducing the

cost to each show. Even if you’re not initially planning on casting by auditions, it may be worthwhile to participate

in this event as a precaution in case you lose a performer at some point and need to recast quickly. More on this

below...

3. USING UNION ACTORS, CASTING BY OFFER ONLY - If you intend to use Equity performers for all or some of your

cast, and would like to cast your show without an audition process (i.e. only via straight offers to performers whose

work you know), you can do so without holding and EPA auditions. However, you will NOT be able to release any

sort of casting notice whatsoever. Also, in the event that you lose an actor for any reason (even in the middle of

your Festival run) you will still have to go through the multi-week process of announcing and then holding EPAs

before you can post a casting notice or hold any private auditions for Equity performers.

NYMF-Sponsored Equity Auditions

In order to help each individual show fulfill its Equity audition requirement, NYMF sponsors a number of shared EPA days

that take place between late April and early June. Equity has granted us a concession, allowing up to 5 NYMF shows to

share a single 8-hour audition session (with a one-hour break for lunch), drastically reducing the cost to each show.

Participating in one shared EPA day will completely fulfill your (union-mandated) EPA requirement.

To participate, interested shows pay NYMF a flat-rate $300 fee – this covers room rental, accompanist costs, and will also

ensure the EPA notice is submitted to Actors’ Equity (which in turn will get it listed in Backstage and Show Business Weekly

as well as on Playbill.com and BroadwayWorld.com).

Michael Cassara Casting, NYMF’s resident casting office, will coordinate all shared EPA days. Audition dates will be based

upon shows’ schedule availability, but also ideally upon vaguely similar needs (i.e. grouping all rock shows together on

one day, etc.). You will receive further information and instructions at a later date, but if you have any questions about

Shared EPA days, or NYMF casting in general, please contact Michael Cassara Casting at (212) 564-6700 or via email at

[email protected].





UNION AGREEMENTS AT NYMF NYMF currently has agreements in place with Actors Equity Association (AEA), which represents member actors and stage

managers; The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), which represents member directors and

choreographers; and Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), which represents member musicians and

musical directors. None of these agreements require that NYMF productions use union members, but they do provide the

minimum terms under which union members may accept work on a NYMF production.

A summary of the terms of the AEA, SDC and Local 802 agreements is provided below, along with details about where

you can find the full terms and conditions of each agreement.

NOTE: All of the following rulebooks/codes for AEA, SDC & Local 802 can be found on the back end of the NYMF website

under GENERAL MANAGEMENT: http://www.nymf.org/Page.96.Show+Resources+and+Downloads

Actors Equity Association (AEA) If you are planning to have any union actors or stage managers in your reading, you must apply to Actors’ Equity

Association (AEA) to use the New York Musical Theatre Festival Staged Reading Guidelines, a summary of which follows.

The complete guidelines, along with the questionnaire/application and first-day sign-in sheet, is available for download

from the AEA website at http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/codes/NYMF08_stage_reading_guidelines.pdf

It is your contractual obligation to NYMF to comply with all guidelines set by AEA, and to provide NYMF with copies of your

application to AEA and all reporting to and correspondence with the union regarding your production in the Festival. (If

your production does not feature members of AEA, this section will not apply to you, but all non-union companies are still

required to conduct themselves professionally.)

AEA CONTACT:

Melissa Colgan, NYMF Business Rep

TEL (212) 869-8530 x 352 / [email protected]

Summary of the AEA NYMF Staged Readings Guidelines for 2013

Financial Package

$300 stipend (which includes travel reimbursement) per AEA member

Rehearsal

Limited to a maximum of 29 hours (not including performances); such times to be at the Actor’s convenience.

Should the rehearsal hours for the Reading extend beyond 29 then the production must be placed on the New

York Musical Theatre Festival Code (the AEA agreement for full productions at NYMF).

Performances

Maximum of six (6) Readings. All Readings and rehearsals must be within a 14-day period.

Maximum charge for admission is $20.00

Restrictions on Production

No sets, props, wigs, make-up, or costumes.

Book in hand, no memorization, only minimum staging with no choreography permitted.

All rehearsal and presentation spaces must be wheelchair-accessible.

No solicitation for or of backers.

Casting

No non-resident aliens may be used in Readings under these Guidelines

Producer agrees to actively solicit ethnic minorities, women and actors with disabilities (consistent with the

Americans with Disabilities Act) for the current Reading and for all future Readings.

There is no minimum ratio of AEA versus non-AEA actors.

http://www.nymf.org/Page.96.Show+Resources+and+Downloads

http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/codes/NYMF08_stage_reading_guidelines.pdf





Media: Recording and Broadcast

There shall be no televising, broadcasting, visual and/or sound recording, cast album recording, motion picture

filming, videotaping or other mechanical or electronic reproduction, in whole or in part, of any Code production.

This prohibition shall be in effect from the first day of rehearsal under the Code until 26 weeks after the production

has closed.

The only one-time exception to this rule shall be for a NYMF Press Conference. Such filming or taping at this Press

Conference shall not exceed fifteen (15) minutes and no more than two (2) minutes of any filmed or taped

portion of a performance or rehearsal shall be shown on TV news broadcast or community affairs program. The

edited footage shown shall not depict an entire scene or musical number.

Billing Requirements

If Programs are provided, the names of all AEA members in the production are to be designated by an asterisk (*)

with the indication that Actors and Stage Managers so designated are members of Equity

Use of Agreement

Stage Reading Guidelines may be used only once per project within a six-month period, without the express

written permission of Equity.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)

SDC has created a special contract for engaging union directors and/or choreographers on productions at the Festival.

For readings, the appropriate contract is SDC’s Special Contract, which guarantees the director a right of first refusal to

direct the next production of the show produced, co-produced, or licensed by the producer. The Special Contract does

not set a minimum compensation amount, but includes pension and health payments of 8% of any compensation up to

$1,249 (health contributions increase if the compensation to director is $1,250 or greater).

A sample contract is available online at http://www.sdcweb.org/sdc/pdfs/contracts/speck-sample-12-5.pdf

SDC CONTACTS: Adam Levi, Special Contract Administrator

Tel: (212) 391-1070 x245 | [email protected]

Kristy Cummings, NYMF Contract Administrator

Tel (212) 391-1070 x231 | [email protected]

Local 802 – American Federation of Musicians

Per the “Theatrical Show Rules” members of Local 802 should to receive no less than Equity performers receive for doing

your reading. In addition, musicians may negotiate a fair rental of their instruments (including cartage).

The full agreement can also be found on the Local 802 website:

http://www.local802afm.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Theatrical_Showcase_Rules_regulations.pdf

Local 802 CONTACTS:

Theresa Couture 212.245.4802 x. 115 [email protected]

Claudia Copeland 212.245.4802 x. 158 [email protected]

http://www.local802afm.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Theatrical_Showcase_Rules_regulations.pdf

tel:/212.245.4802%20x.%20115


tel:/212.245.4802%20x.%20158





INSURANCE

All productions at NYMF participate in the Festival’s General Liability and Volunteer Accident coverage. This will cover all

the people working on Festival shows who are not salaried employees or paid independent contractors. Provided that

NYMF has received payment of your participation or insurance fee, you will receive your Certificate Of Insurance (COI)

one to two months out from the start of the Festival.

Your Additional Insurance Requirements

If (as is generally the case on NYMF shows) your production engages people as employees or independent contractors

(rather than just volunteers), you will likely have additional obligations.

1. You will need to carry Workers’ Compensation insurance to cover your employees, if you have them – and NYMF

will require proof of such insurance. If your producing entity is a corporation or LLC operating in New York State,

you will need to have Workers’ Compensation Insurance even if you only engage independent contractors. You

should consult the New York Workers Compensation Board for a competitive quote or for more information.

(http://www.wcb.ny.gov/)

2. If you’re employing people, you will also be legally required to withhold and pay taxes related to their salaries,

including disability, social security, Medicare, unemployment, and other payments. If you’ve structured your

production in this manner, you should consult a lawyer or the New York State Department of Taxation

(http://www.tax.state.ny.us/), as well as the IRS (http://www.irs.gov/) for more information.

NOTE: NYMF is not the employer of anyone associated with your production, cannot provide you with Workers’

Compensation coverage, and will not have any liability for your insurance or tax obligations relating to your production’s

employees. NYMF can refer you to payroll companies who can serve as paymasters and/or employers-of-record for a

per-check fee if necessary. This is usually an effective method of ensuring all of your workers compensation and Federal,

State, and City withholding taxes are collected, reported, and paid to the appropriate bodies without your having to

undertake it of your own accord.

Insurance For Unusual Risk or Production Elements

If NYMF determines that your production involves equipment or risk factors requiring additional insurance, we reserve the

right to require you to obtain additional insurance, to pay additional monies to NYMF to enable NYMF to increase its

insurance levels, and/or to modify your production plans.

http://www.wcb.ny.gov/

http://www.tax.state.ny.us/

http://www.irs.gov/




MARKETING, PRESS & PROMOTION One of the benefits of being in NYMF is the ability to take advantage of the hundreds of thousands of dollars of media

exposure that a festival of this scale can bring.

Much of the work that NYMF does is focused on the Festival as a whole: online and print advertising, outdoor media, and

press and publicity efforts aimed at maximizing awareness across the board. A rising tide lifts all ships!

In addition to creating an array of marketing materials and coordinating press coverage of the festival as a whole, NYMF

works to create opportunities for individual shows to promote themselves within the festival as cost-effectively as possible.

But it’s important that you take responsibility for marketing your own show and for effectively using the opportunities

created by the Festival. Whether you are seeking reviews, industry attention, or ticket sales, promotion is a critical part of a

successful festival experience – so be proactive about spreading the word.

Your Marketing Blurb To promote your show, we require a one-sentence promotional “slug line” and a 50-to-75-word blurb, which will be used

in the NYMF program guide and on the NYMF and ticketing websites. This blurb will be a kind of teaser that will entice

anyone reading it to immediately want to know more about your show, to pique interest and get them to come see it. 75

words is more than enough for a concise overview of what an audience member can expect.

NYMF retains the right to edit your blurb for use in any of our materials (including the website), and will make best efforts to

work with you on any changes that may be required.

Your Logo and Artwork

NYMF requires a logo to be provided for use in the program guide, on our website, and elsewhere. Your logo can be

anything from a title treatment to more in-depth artwork, but it should catch the eye and give the viewer a sense of your

show. This logo will be your show’s brand in all festival materials – so it needs to be legible and effective in both small and

large formats.

We need your logo in a SQUARE FORMAT, in two versions:

A hi-res version suitable for print (300 dpi, CMYK) that is no smaller than 5”x5”

A lower-resolution version for web use (72 dpi, RGB)

You may design artwork that is more horizontal or vertical in nature, but the square design will be used in NYMF materials.

Please note that your web artwork may be re-sized by the website automatically when it is displayed to fit into the NYMF

show page template.

Other Marketing Materials

NYMF will provide opportunity for you to distribute marketing materials (e.g. postcards) at promotional booths, in NYMF

industry and press packs, and wherever Festival tickets can be sold!

NYMF will also create its own marketing materials including various direct mail pieces and e-blasts promoting ticket sales,

and the program guide distributed to everyone who attends the Festival. We will rely on your approved blurb and logo for

use in these materials.

NYMF Billing Requirements

Any postcards, posters, and other promotional materials you use must include:

1. The NYMF logo (available for download on the Show Resources and Downloads section of the NYMF site).

2. NYMF’s web address: www.nymf.org

3. The phrase, “[Title of Show] is an Official Selection of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival.”

(“[Title of Show]” refers here to the title of your show, not the show “[title of show].” You see how these

things get started?)

http://www.nymf.org/




If any producer of your show is credited on your materials, you must also credit NYMF per the terms listed your contract.

Note that NYMF’s contractual billing is in first position, with the festival’s full name spelled out (e.g. “The New York Musical

Theatre Festival and [other producer] present…” or “presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and [other

producer]”.

Always (and only) include www.nymf.org as the site for more information or for tickets.

The Press Release

Your press release should be on one side of paper and run about 300-400 words. Give a brief synopsis; introducing the

performers, director, and writers, with brief biographical details of each; describing the target audience; and including

some nice, short quotes from any reviews, if available. The press release also needs to give details about the venue, ticket

prices, box office times or on-sale dates, dates and times of performances, etc.

When creating your press release, please follow these NYMF guidelines:

1. Before sending out a release, please check the SHOW RESOURCES AND DOWNLOADS page on the NYMF website

for an up-to-date boilerplate about the Festival and its sponsors, which must be used at the conclusion of your

press release. If you send out multiple press releases, be sure to check the page for updates each time.

2. Your release should include the phrase “[Your Show] is an official selection of the 2013 New York Musical Theatre

Festival.” If your show is a Next Link Project selection, this phrase should be “[Your Show] is an official selection of

the New York Musical Theatre Festival’s 2013 Next Link Project.”

3. Make sure that in the header and text of your release, you provide the proper billing for the Festival per your

contract. You must use the festival’s FULL NAME in official billing such as this, and you must use the billing

provided in your contract. It is NOT sufficient to note that [your producing entity] is producing [your show] as part

of NYMF.

4. Always include www.nymf.org as the site for more information or for tickets.

5. All press releases MUST first be approved by our press office.

Send an advance copy to [email protected] and [email protected], as well as [email protected]

For an example of a press release, please refer to the press release template in the 2013 NYMF Helpful Handbook.

Press Agents

If you need extra help, you may hire a Press Agent of your own to assist in selling your show to both industry and the

general public. Be up front about what you are seeking from a press agent and make certain you know what you are

getting for your money.

Your press agent will need to coordinate their efforts with our press team at Keith Sherman & Associates (KSA). Because

they will have a sense of what everyone in the festival is doing, they will be able to maximize the impact of your team.

Also, all requests for press tickets go through KSA.

Music Demos

Listening to music samples on the NYMF.org show pages is one of the most popular ways audience members choose their

shows. If the demo you have provided NYMF is not cleared for public use or is not of a quality you feel comfortable

sharing, you should create at least a few representative tracks to share.

As the NYMF site is about to undergo an overhaul, information about uploading music files to the NYMF site will be

provided shortly.

Photography and Video

Under the terms of the AEA NYMF Stage Reading Guidelines, you may not video or audio record your reading or

rehearsals.

http://www.nymf.org/







TICKETING FOR DEVELOPMENTAL READINGS

OvationTix is NYMF’s official ticketing partner and handles all online and telephone sales of Festival tickets.

On or about June 17 (when single tickets go on sale), you will receive a unique login name and password to view your

show’s ticket sales on the OvationTix system. You won't be able to adjust anything, but you will be able to print reports and

see the names of anyone who has booked tickets.

All tickets to the Developmental Reading Series are free of charge. The allocation of seats in the venue will be split 50/50

(per performance). Meaning if there are 50 seats in the venue, we will issue 25 seats to you and your team to use as you

see fit and NYMF will maintain the other 25 for our members and patrons. You will receive the allocation of tickets per

performance in advance.

How to utilize your allocation of 25 tickets per performance -- General Directions:

You will submit a list of First Name, Last Name, Affiliation and Email address of each of your guests. Submit your list

to NYMF’s Audience Services Manager no later than 48 hours prior to each reading (they will liaise with you

about your actual allocation of tickets and guest lists in advance). We will not fulfill any further ticket requests

after this time. The earlier you submit, the better we are able to assist you in filling any of your unused seats.

NYMF will then fulfill your order, and your guests will pick up his/her ticket at Will Call from 1 hour prior to curtain.

Tickets will be held under their individual names as per the information you provide.

Additional Information and Advice:

48 hour priors to your reading, NYMF’s Audience Services Manager will check how many tickets you have left.

Your unused tickets will be released to the NYMF Website and/or box office so that the general public is able to

reserve unused tickets on a first-come first-serve basis.

Therefore, if someone tells you less than 48 hours prior to curtain that s/he wants to attend your reading -- you

must direct them to the NYMF website of box office.

Press Tickets Even though developmental readings are not open to review, NYMF provides legitimate members of the press with

complimentary admission from a limited pool of tickets set aside for that purpose. It is unlikely that a developmental

reading will require many tickets for press over its run (we generally provide only single tickets to press outlets), so we will

release some remaining seats to the general public once the majority of press reservations have been made.

All requests for press tickets must be forwarded to Scott Klein at Keith Sherman & Associates: [email protected]

As NYMF’s primary press rep in that office, Scott monitors press attendance across the Festival and the availability of press

tickets for specific performances. Any press tickets booked by Scott will not be counted against your own allotment of

comps. Because tickets are limited, we strive to ensure that only bonafide members of the media are using these tickets.

If you would like to seat a press member whose credentials seem irrelevant (e.g. a writer for a bridal magazine, when your

piece has nothing to do with brides), be sure to clearly communicate the rationale to Scott so that he can effectively

evaluate whether we can accommodate the request.

Keeping NYMF Notified of Industry Attendance

If you book tickets for industry members directly in OvationTix using your Production Code, please note their industry status

by writing "(INDUSTRY)" after their first name. This will enable the box office manager to identify them when they pick up

their tickets and to collect their contact information (per AEA guidelines, a complete record of “comped” industry

attendance, including contact information, must be generated and provided to the actors within 24 hours after each

performance). To be sure, please also keep track of such reservations on your own and bring this information to the box

office before each show.

NYMF's Box Office Manager will combine the information provided by you with the information entered into OvationTix

and information held by NYMF for its industry patrons, to prepare a comprehensive industry list for distribution to your

company.

Please note that providing such information to the Equity members performing in your shows is REQUIRED.





Please read, sign and return this page to:

The New York Musical Theatre Festival OR FAX: 212-664-0978

250 West 49th Street, Suite 601 EMAIL: [email protected] (scan)

New York, NY, 10019

2013 DEVELOPMENTAL READING PRODUCER’S GUIDE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have received and read the 2013 NYMF Producer’s Guide. This guide outlines the procedures I must follow as

the producer of a NYMF event and (in combination with the NYMF contract) describes my privileges and

obligations as a NYMF participant.

I understand that NYMF may amend, rescind, or add to any policies, benefits, or practices from time to time

in its sole discretion. NYMF will communicate policy changes through the NYMF website or other means as

appropriate. I understand that I am responsible for reading any updates provided to me by NYMF and for

adhering to any policies as revised therein. I understand that it is my responsibility to become familiar with the information contained in this booklet, the

NYMF contract and the applicable AEA Code if utilizing AEA members in my production.

_______________________ Primary Contact Signature Author Signature Author Signature

Primary Contact (Please Print) Author (Please Print) Author (Please Print)

Date Date Date

Author Signature

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