Inspiration turns idea becomes reality ... how?

Inspiration turns idea becomes reality ... how? *This isn't just a blog post title, it's an actual question, and it's twofold.

Fold numero uno: when inspiration strikes and an idea forms (and here I am talking most specifically about writing, be it a play a short story or a novel), how does one take their initial idea and turn it into a reality? I feel like I have so many "starter" ideas, things that come to me and I start putting it down on paper (ok ok in a word document), only to be stumped on "what comes next" in the story. How do I take that initial idea, that initial seed of inspiration and make it more than a mere idea? HELP!

Fold numba'two: when inspiration strikes and an idea takes hold of my creative mind, and I "know" (don't ask me how I know I just do) that it's a really good idea, how do I turn it into a show. For real? How does it go from an idea to a dream to a full on production? I've got these two really cool ideas, both of which I think would make for some great theatre (and who knows what else), but I can't seem to get them going. Not for really real any way. I've "begun" both of them, one is slightly further along than the other ... but where do I find the money to get rehearsal space so that I can start talking to and securing actors to help me workshop the idea into a script? And shouldn't my actors make some money from it?

I wish I knew a millionaire who was willing to fund my project(s). Or that I had enough guts to really write to Bill Gates or Steven Spielberg or Oprah (even though I'm not an Oprah fan) and ask for support on a project. This however is partly frightening in the "I don't want someone to steal my idea" arena. I mean, I hope that if I were asking someone for help on a project, that even if I outlined the whole thing for them, that they would not simply run away with and leave me in the dust.

Well if anyone knows ... let me know!