VENUES: rehearsal spaces

[mizi5620]

Hello
   We are having a hard time securing a rehearsal space for a non profit company. What are your creative ideas for types of places to try?

Edited to add topic tag - Maribeth

[JustinJanke]

Some of the smaller theaters in my city try to bum rehearsal space form local colleges. It's nice if you have a student employed on the show or if any full time employees serve as faculty at the school.

[Maribeth]

Larger theatres, universities, churches, community centers, high schools (particularly if you rehearse in the evenings/weekends). If you have some way of being mutually beneficial to each other that can help- donate theater tickets to a school auction, advertise a business in your program, etc.

Sometimes putting out into the community that you are having trouble finding affordable space will yield results. Ask other small companies in the area where they rehearse!

[MarcieA]

I spent the summer rehearsing in the community room of a local firehouse. They had no real understanding of what we did, but they were so nice and accommodating. We left our stuff out all the time, except for 2 Saturday nights (our day off was Sunday) because there were parties on those days off in the room.

I've also rehearsed in the theatre of a community college that was open but had no theatre happening during the summer session.

[Mac Calder]

I don't know how ubiquitous they are in the US, but in Australia, Lawn Bowls club houses are often times a good place to get a space. Also, scout halls/club rooms, churches and sporting club rooms are often good options too.

You may not be able to get it for free... but you may be able to get it for a tiny fee. If you are the sort that has the potential to engage sponsors for advertising, another option which I have used before is to talk to find a hotel/motel to sponsor your rehearsal space... quite often they have meeting rooms that are unused after about 5pm - and there are always staff on hand - so they don't need to ask someone to stay back to lock up, or deal with the issues of key pickup and drop off.