Over the past 40 years Stage One have supported and invested in West End and Number 1 tours across the UK and overseas. Now Stage One can offer to invest in smaller scale productions (not West End Venues1) that fit the guidelines below. The aim is to be able to support a wider range of productions and to help producers create more commercially viable work and increase their pool of investors. For investment in West End productions please see our Commercial Investment Guidelines.
Please note that we are not able to invest in Edinburgh Fringe Shows or shows performing internationally and Producers who have received Stage One Investment for a West End production are precluded from applying.
The maximum investment Stage One can offer is £10,000 and capped at 20% of the capitalisation – all applications must be received 4 weeks before the first rehearsal.
The decision whether to invest in a production is made by a committee made up of active producers, at their discretion the guidelines may be varied depending on the individual circumstances of any production.
Stage One will normally give a commitment to invest (or not) within four weeks of the receipt of the papers. In the event that an offer to invest is made, Stage One will provide one session with a production accountant to ensure all figures are accurate. The producer must then show that they have the balance of the capital in hand, at which point the Stage One monies can be sent. This should normally be by the first day of rehearsals, but in any event should be no later than one week prior to the first paid public performance. No funds can be sent beyond this date.
Investment Criteria:
Figures presented to Stage One must be clear and unambiguous (in particular, accurate costings and detailed estimates of how long until recoupment may be reached at varying levels of box office are required).
- Producers must have taken part in the 3 day New Producer’s Workshop.
- The production must be contracted for a minimum of 4 weeks (32 performances), and be able to recoup the estimated production costs plus a 10% contingency at 75% of Net Box Office Capacity2 within this period.
- The cast and creatives must be paid (at least) National Minimum Wage and the production will adhere to the Equity Fringe Agreement. If the production is contracted under other union guidelines then please do provide details of this in your application.
- Stage One should receive no less than 60% of the profits.
- The total weekly management fee 3 should be no greater than 10% of the weekly running costs and capped at £2,250.
- Management fees should not be claimed for more than 2 weeks prior to the first paid performance.
- Producer’s Royalty should not exceed 2.5% if royalties are being calculated on Net Weekly Box Office (‘TheGross’) and if being calculated in a pool the producer’s royalty should not exceed 5% weekly operating profit pre-recoupment.
- Stage One will receive full accounts within 3 months of the close of the production. If your production is within 10% of the guidelines please do seek advice from the Stage One team onenquiries@stageone.uk.com / 0207 5576700