Are you an actor, writer or theatre maker who wants to: 

  • bypass the gatekeepers
  • share your work with growing audiences, and
  • earn money for your art?

Do you struggle with imposter syndrome, lack of confidence and overwhelm when it comes to: 

  • pitching your work to venues
  • networking
  • finding and hiring collaborators
  • applying for funding?

Would you love a straightforward, no nonsense, step-by-step system, with checklists and templates, created and tested by a fellow artist, that removes all the guesswork and angst from self-producing? 

You are in the right place.

My Crash Course in Self Producing has been especially designed for you.

A comprehensive intro to self-producing live performance

The Crash Course on Self-Producing helps theatre-artists, solo creator-performers, actors, comedians & writers learn how to tackle the business-side of putting on a show, so they can take control of their careers, become more self-sufficient artists and make mega opportunities for themselves.  

Led by internationally acclaimed solo show creator, performer & longtime self-producer, Haley McGee, this self-directed online workshop offers you a digestible overview of the various elements involved in self-producing, along with easy to follow, step-by-step systems, tools and tips to help you lay they foundation to self-produce your own shows and begin earning money for your art. 

Who is the Crash Course on Self-Producing for?

The Crash Course on Self-Producing is for theatre-artists, actors, writers & performers who...

  • want to self-produce their work but aren't sure how to get started

  • are struggling with imposter syndrome, overwhelm or self doubt

  • are craving a step-by-step system that demystifies the scary, boring & intimidating "business" elements of putting on a show

  • want to by-pass gatekeepers, accelerate their career and create huge opportunities for themselves

  • need templates & checklists that guide them through cold emailing, applying for funding & hiring collaborators

  • are ready to start earning money from their art

Syllabus

The Crash Course gives you an overview of the essentials of Self-Producing

This self-directed workshop allows you to take in the materials at your own pace.

As soon as you sign up, you'll gain immediate access to all course materials, including 3.5hrs of video lessons, PDF worksheets, notes & templates. 

The crash course covers: 

Lesson 1 – Overview
Welcome, what you’ll need & a few recommendations to help you get the most of of this course

Lesson 2 - Self-Producing Basics
The what, why & how of self-producing along with defining & demystifying important terms

Lesson 3 - Laying Your Foundation
Simple actions to put into practice now with tips & checklists to help you cultivate your relationships with artists & venues in a stress-free way

Lesson 4 - How to Email Programmers
Guidance and tips to help you write attention grabbing emails, plus a template to plug your details into to make this task as painless as possible

Lesson 5 - Creating Effective One-Pages
A how-to on putting together your 'calling card' so you can attract the right collaborators & supporters

Lesson 6 - Building Your Team: Part 1
Who to include on your team, roles to consider filling & what their functions are

Lesson 7 - Building Your Team: Part 2
How to find, hire & contract your team (with & without funding) with templates for you to use

Lesson 8 - Building Your Team: Part 3
Tools to help you avoid the pitfalls of working with a team

Lesson 9 - Developing Your Audience
Practical tactics to help you begin to cultivate a loyal audience base

Lesson 10 - Grant Writing Prep & Tips
Actionable steps that will set you on the right path for grant writing success

Lesson 11 - Schmoozing ABCs
Networking dos & don’ts along with a handy mad-lib to help you create your own 'elevator speeches'

Lesson 12 - Taking Care of Yourself While Doing it All
How to make sure you’re prioritising your  health and the health of your art while juggling all the tasks of self-producing 


If you’re ready to do the work and commit to advancing your career as a artist, you’ll leave the workshop with a clear understanding of how to approach self-producing, confident in your ability to tackle it and with the tools and a clear plan to begin sharing your work with the world.

What else can I expect?

  • Practical Exercises

    Practical & simple exercises designed to help you bash out your self-producing materials without any handwringing, so you can get started & feel good.

  • Tips & Shortcuts for Artists

    Loads of tips and shortcuts, to save you time and prevent you from making rookie mistakes.

  • Time Management Hacks

    Time management techniques to help you overcome procrastination & distraction.

  • Email Access to Haley

    Ability to email Haley your questions.

  • Self-Producing Templates

    Templates to help you promote your work to venues, create PDF one-pagers, approach potential collaborators & contract contributing artists.

  • Grant Writing

    Tips & resources to get you started applying for funding.

  • Resources

    Recommendations of organisations, podcasts, books, software & apps to make your self-producing journey easier.

  • Supplementary Reading

    Suggestions & links to additional material by Haley on Self-Producing related topics.

  • 6 Months Access

    You will be able to re-watch the videos for up 6 months after the date you sign up.

About Haley McGee

Why learn about Self-Producing with Haley?

Based in London (UK), Canadian artist Haley McGee has been creating, performing and touring solo shows since 2009, alongside a busy career as an actor, writer and voiceover artist. 

Haley’s solo shows have been described as “defiantly distinctive” (★★★★ The Scotsman), “brilliantly entertaining, witty and poignant” (Lyn Gardner, StageDoor), and “deeply felt, consistently hilarious and hypnotically honest” (Exeunt).  She's won and been nominated for numerous awards and accolades, including “Best Production” at United Solo NYC, the world’s largest solo show festival. 

Playing in over 36 venues in 11 countries, Haley's solo show have been presented at Soulpepper (Toronto), Battersea Arts Centre & Camden People's Theatre (London) and Summerhall (Edinburgh).  Her work has been translated into 4 languages, and there have productions of her solo OH MY IRMA in German and French. 

Her most recent solo show, 'The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale' played to sold out crowds in London and Toronto, before landing Haley a book deal.  A book, based on the show, will be published by Penguin Random House (Canada) and Hodder and Stoughton (UK).

Completely self-taught as a producer, Haley has been self-producing her own solo shows since 2010. Since then she’s received grants from all levels of Canadian funding bodies (municipal, provincial and federal) and Arts Council England, (totalling £62K+ or $109K).  She’s run three successful crowdfunding campaigns (earning £9k+ or $15K), self-produced two Edinburgh Fringe runs, participated in international residencies and festivals, and performed her solo work at 36 venues in 11 countries around the world.  

 Haley is here to teach you artist to artist, providing you a warm hand, as you navigate this new skill set that will serve you for the remainder of your career and helping you whack-a-mole the nasty voices that get in your way.

With 7 years of teaching experience, leading workshops and classes for students in high school, university and industry, Haley believes confidence in anything is built through practice. She loves helping artists dare to create the shows they’ve always want to make.

Over 120 artists have taken Haley’s Solo Show Creation Lab and 1300+ have taken part in her 14-Day Creative Quarantine Challenge.

Learn more about Haley and her work on her website.

Benefits & Outcomes

After completing the Crash Course on Self-Producing you will have...

  • a step-by-step system to lay the foundation for your Self-Producing work

  • the ability to determine your next steps & the resources to execute them

  • growing confidence in your ability to tackle the business side of your art

  • the foundation of a productive, effective & sustainable approach to Self-Producing that works for you

  • practical techniques to help you write & talk about your work (and with less angst!)

  • a clear system & groundwork for successful & stress-free self-producing

  • templates to guide you when approaching programmers, funders & artists partners

  • the tools & skills to take control of your destiny as an artist, a renewed sense of agency & liberation from ‘waiting for the phone to ring’ syndrome

Reviews from past students

What other artists have to say about the Crash Course on Self-Producing

"clear and digestible"

Eden Jun

"[The course] addressed an intimidating aspect of creating art in a clear and digestible form! I now feel I would be able to do it armed with useful knowledge and concrete steps to follow!"

"so bite size & achievable”

Helga Ragnars

"Self-producing seemed overwhelmingly difficult to tackle, but this breakdown has made it so bite size and achievable.”

"incredibly helpful"

Chris Hunt

"Haley's course is incredibly helpful ... packed with plans, checklists, tools, tips and recommendations. And Haley herself is a thoughtful, articulate, supportive and unique artist - I'm so glad I took the plunge and signed up!"

"empowers all of her students to SHINE"

Amelia Sargisson

"Haley is boundlessly generous with her tips and tricks, templates and techniques, hard-earned wisdom, and vastly curated resources. She empowers all of her students to SHINE."
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FAQ

  • How long will it take to complete the course?

    The crash course will take you 3.5 - 4hrs to work through and complete all the exercises.

  • How long will I have access to the course materials?

    You will have access to the course videos and online materials for 6 months from the day you purchase the course. If you download the accompanying PDF worksheets and notes during those 6 months, you can keep them for as long as you like.

  • Can I ask Haley a question?

    This is a self-directed online course; however if you have a question about material you can send me an email at [email protected]. I will get back to you ASAP.

  • Can I share my login details with a friend?

    No. This is a violation of the terms of purchase. Anyone who has been shared their login details will immediately lose access to the materials.

  • When will I gain access to the course materials?

    You will immediately gain access to all the course materials when you enrol.

  • How much does the crash course cost?

    The price is £97 (approx. 167 CAD) including tax.