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Summary: May/June Mainstage announced, fundraisers
being planned, help market Uncle Tom, Jack reading and auditions
coming up, election speeches, and more!
EMail links are provided
as a convenience when possible; however, there is no guarantee that everybody
will check their EMail regularly. Please check your phone list for
other contact info.
SAA
- Aldrich Allen & Denise Barnard
* Intro & Welcome.
* New Membership applications
are due today.
* Need time on the agenda?
Be sure to tell us in ADVANCE! We are creating structured agendas
for each meeting, and trying to keep to them. Tell us your needs
and we'll be able to plan time for you in advance.
* At the elections next
week, we'll be presenting company members to instate - and remove - via
private ballot. It'll be the first thing we do. These votes
are NOT a formality
Facilities
- Kirstin Burbank
* I need people on my committee!
Contact me to volunteer.
Fundraising
- Joe Jordan
* I will help transition to the new
Fundraising person. I want to plan a Bunco night, mid to late February,
and have a Gala party on April 1. Need volunteers.
* Another possibility for February
is a Valentine's Day party (rather than Bunco).
* Adam Bitterman: How much did
we make on the December bash? Joe: $1020, net.
House
Manager - John Williams
* New online
sign-ups are going up by 9pm tonight!
* John Wuchte: Please keep the bank
cash in the cashbox! If you need to take some out, please call me
and explain!
Artistic
Committee- Stephanie Bell, Crystal Keith & Scott Rabinowitz
* Thank you to all who proposed.
It was a hard decision.
* Final Mainstage of this AC: CRAZYFACE,
written by Clive Barker and directed by Aaron Francis. May 23 - June
22.
* Please help and support dumbshOw.
* John Wuchte: Will the new AC pick
the Dark Night to go with Crazyface? Scott: Yes! We're
done picking.
Managing
Director - John Wuchte
Business
Managers - Carla-Jo Bailey & Ariadne Shaffer
* We met our January 1st goal!
$32-33000 in hard cash. 415000 was in pure donations.
* The donations have stopped coming
in. The bulk came in the first two weeks, through the website and
via word of mouth and asking. We only got 10-15 mailings back out
of 1500, and those were mostly small donations ($5-10).
* For the entire Caprice cycle
(counting all shows, including Crime Scene and Tongue-Tied Tales),
we made about $7700.
* For the Holiday Show (just
by itself, NOT counting other shows), we made about $7700.
* Obviously, the Holiday Show
did VERY well. And my research (online questionaire, talking to people
in the lobby) shows that the reviews worked! There are over 100 new
people on our mailing list because they heard about the show in the L.A.
Times.
* Are you owed a check? You'll
get it soon. We actually ran out of checks, and had to reorder!
(Stephanie Bell volunteers to go to the bank and pick up the new checks.)
* We still need $5000 for February.
We have the rent money, but not much more. There are bills to be
paid; they just keep on coming...
Uncle
Tom's Cabin - Allen Lulu
& Aaron Francis
* Please help us market the show!
The Company must be our Marketing Committee, since there is nobody in the
Marketing position.
* Take Uncle Tom and Crime
Scene postcards and hand 'em out!
* Bookstores highlilght Black History
Month. Can we get them to help promote us? (Stephanie Bell
volunteers to head up the effort. A sheet is passed around for everybody
to write down their address and cross street.)
* Talk to high school drama departments!
* Joe Jordan: I'll head up the high
school effort! Who will help? (Desi and several others volunteer.)
* Come opening weekend! Word
of mouth is a great marketing tool!
* John Williams: Will you have posters
soon? Putting 'em up here is cute and all, but we need to get them
out. Aaron: Theyre coming soon. Tell us where we can
put them. Williams: There's a college across the street.
Jack
- Jim Tosney
* Keep in mind to come to Uncle
Tom's opening weekend!
* For Jack, YOU DO NOT HAVE
TO BE ABLE TO SING WELL! We need actors who can perform!
The songs are funny - act a song!
* Reading: Jan. 27, 12:30pm at
Theater/Theatre, 6425 Hwd. Blvd. (at Wilcox), in the Pacific Theatre
Bldg.
* Auditions: Feb. 11-13; callbacks
Feb. 14-15. For details, sides and sign-ups, click
here.
* Jack is "A 60s Love Story
With a Bang."
* The director is Warren Coleman,
who is coming up from Australia. He directed the Australian production
of Rent. He could make a rock funny!
* Jack Fundraiser: Saturday,
Feb. 9, 7:30pm at Club Orcini, 9575 Pico (at Beverly Glen) - same place
as last year's April Fools gala. $10 for company members, $20 for
all others. Early 60s motif. (Please, no blood-stained dresses!)
Music
Night - Babe Hack
* The next Music Night is
Friday, March 1.
* Wanna get yer musical ya-yas out?
Contact me online!
Crime
Scene - Paul Byrne,
Brad Friedman & Scott
Rabinowitz
* Crime Scene returns on
02/02/02!
* We need scripts! Send 'em
to crimescene@sacredfools.org.
Listen
to This - Tom Chalmers
* The next Listen to This
is on Monday, Feb. 18. "Breaking Up is Hard to Do - Stories From
Splitsville." Have a story? Let me know.
* March: Brushes with the law.
* April: Listen to This Greatest
Hits.
10
Tops - Kirstin Burbank
& Aldrich Allen
* The next 10 Tops is on
Monday, Jan. 21.
* Kirstin: Seven minutes to do anything
you want!
* Aldrich: Up to seven minutes.
* Featured performer: Paul Byrne!
* Aldready signed up: Pogo Saito and
Dana Snow!
ELECTION NOMINATIONS
(Updates since the last meeting
are in bold)
ARTISTIC COMMITTEE
Joe Jordan
Crystal Keith
Michael Farkash
David Grammer
Gerald McClanahan
SAA
Aldrich Allen & Denise Barnard
MANAGING DIRECTOR
John Wuchte
BUSINESS MANAGER
Ariadne Shaffer & Carla-Jo Bailey
FUNDRAISING
Kirstin Burbank
(Tara-Beth has withdrawn her
nomination as co-chair with Kirstin)
DONATIONS
(no candidates as of yet)
GRANTS
Steve Tanner
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Aaron Francis
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Chris Childs
Darrin Jaques
(J Warner has withdrawn his
nomination)
HOUSE MANAGER
Mikhail Blokh
FACILITIES
Kirstin Burbank
OFFICE MANAGER
(no candidates as of yet; may be folded
into Facilities)
LITERARY MANAGER
Paul Byrne
Ken Tesoriere
MARKETING
(no candidates as of yet)
OUTREACH
Joe Hernandez-Kolski
ONLINE
Paul Byrne
SPEECHES
Not everybody has chosen to make a
speech. Here are the speeches from those who chose to speak.
(You can also see their formal statements by
clicking here.)
DARRIN JAQUES, Technical Director:
(Darrin was unable to attend the meeting, but provided this statement,
which was read by Denise Barnard) I will heartfully fulfill the position
as Technical Director. While my current work schedule may require me to
be away for long periods of time, I will always be available by telephone
or e-mail and I will guarantee that any technical needs required by the
theatre - whether it be electrical, sound, or otherwise - will be met.
If I can not do it personally, I will ensure that I find someone who will
take care of it. I will be sure that all needs for the theatre, each show,
and each person who has a technical need will be fulfilled.
CHRIS CHILDS, Technical Director:
Right now, designers come here, work on a show, leave and don't come back.
We need a ground plan, and an inventory. I am already working on
these, and am working with Aaron Francis to get it all done and make everything
run smoothly. Any further questions? Ask me.
KIRSTIN BURBANK, Facilities:
I've cut down on cockroaches, and am currently organizing a building-wide
extermination (so they can't just run into the adjacent building and then
come back here).
KIRSTIN BURBANK, Fundraising:
Plan ahead, and we won't have to worry. We'll be able to count on
our patrons. I'll work with Grants as well. We'll have good
parties! (And I won't do the music!)
PAUL BYRNE,
Literary Manager: Company writers are WANTED here! I will offer help.
I plan to create a Dark Night show composed of new works from within the
company.
Question from Joe Jordan: What's
your stance on actively seeking out new work?
Paul: I'm very much for it.
I want to encourage the development of new works. I primarily want
to encourage people from within the company - and get new people involved!
Joe: There's lots of good stuff
out there. Let's find it.
Paul: Yes.
KEN TESORIERE, Literary Manager:
This position is vital. I want to bring in new energy from outside,
and stimulate what's inside. I want us to be able to present high-quality
material after workshopping it in a safe environment.
I will encourage the company to take part in readings. I will need
readers to help me filter through submissions - believe me, there'll be
a LOT, and I can't go through them all myself. Then I'll take a dozen
or so of the best, cull them down, and workshop them. I've done this
job at four other major institutions. I want people's passion.
I have an extensive background. I really liked working here on Tongue-Tied
Tales; that's the project that brought me here - Kirstin grew Tongue-Tied
Tales around my piece, Time.
Scott Rabinowitz: A lot of people
here don't know you. Can you relate some of your history?
Ken: [Editor's note: I didn't
get it all down, but you can find some of that background here,
in the proposal for Ken's play, "Love-40"] But that's not important;
what's really important is that I'll be bringing my interest in new voices,
and pushing development.
STEVE TANNER, Grants: I want
to rebuild the Grant committee, to at least five people. I have no
experience at this - please help! We can do it! My goal is
to have 4-6 proposals (corporate/state/local/county/national) ready by
the end of this 6 month term. Whether I run again depends on the
help I get this time out. There are millions of dollars out there
- help me go get it!
[Break]
ARTISTIC COMMITTEE SPEECHES &
QUESTIONS
Stephanie Bell moderates ('cause she
vounteered to!) Each nominee has three minutes to speak, then questions
can be asked. If they're not specified for an individual, all will
answer the question. Each nominees has one minute to answer each
question. Only company members can ask questions.
DAVID GRAMMER: Cannot be here
because he has rehearsal. He encourages you to talk to him, via phone
or EMail.
GERALD MCCLANAHAN: My statement
is on the website. Additional thoughts: the company has had highs
and lows. We're in between now, and at a crossroads as a group.
The new AC can push us to a better place, or take us back to where we used
to be. We can't afford to keep the status quo. We should not
be doing work to pay the rent. The work should lead the company;
the space should not lead the company. We can rent out hte space.
Less mainstage - four or five. Plan for extensions. We do too
many Dark Nights - they crowd the Mainstage. Less work - more focus.
MICHAEL FARKASH: I'm a playwright/director/producer.
A run the L.A. Playwrights group, and studied at Padua Hills. I love
and respect the energy and talent here. I've been paid to dramaturg
and analyze scripts. The Dark Nights should be picked to run logistically
with the Mainstage. We should extend hit shows. We should pick
projects geared towards this company's talents. 50 percent of all
company members who audition should be cast. Any show choices must
be mandated by the other two Artistic Directors. There should be
an opportunity - not a guarantee - to write and direct. I will make
suggestions, not mandates.
CRYSTAL KEITH: I love being
a member here. I have loved every minute working, playing and dancing.
And I love leading this company. I will focus on quality and community.
We should do good work that provides opportunities to our members.
We should be bold and exciting. Ideas should be heard, worked on,
developed and committed to. Community starts with listening
to each other, to create some sort of consensus and collective. I
want to make people want to be a part of this place. I prefer challenging
new work to classics. I prefer boldness and theatricality.
I want to establish a workshop series where we explore original works in
performance.
JOE JORDAN: We voted to keep
our doors open. This is how: Make money and do work that will make
money, and make us popular and respected. Our work should be exciting
in every way. We should think like a business, so we don't spend
too much energy just putting our house in order. If we do good work,
people will support us, and we can focus on the art. What I can bring
to the selection process is "looking from the outside in." i.e. What
does everyone in this town want to see? (Rather than, this is what
two or three company members want to do.) I want original work -
but astonishing and exciting is more important.
Chris Childs: You're talking
a lot about scheduling shows so they can have extensions. How can
you do that if you're picking a season with opening and closing dates?
Joe: I'd pick the shows one-by-one.
Set an opening date, and determine extension by the third week (of six).
Also pick a smaller scale show to follow, that will have a limited run.
Then pick another big show that will now have 10 weeks to get ready.
Crystal: Pick two shows at
a time. Have a secondary series developed for the gap in between
major shows, to do stuff we don't normally do, and that can be done on
half-built sets. This means we can keep our doors open all the time
and keep traffic coming into the theatre.
Gerald: We shouldn't pick a
full season, because company interest drops off after all the choices are
made. The shows should have speculative ending dates.
Michael: Have a shorter season.
Pick less at a time, and market them. Possibly start the next show
as a preview in the Dark Night slot. We shouldn't do all of our shows
here - I'd like to do some environmentally.
Adam Bitterman: What makes you
think you're the best candidate for the job?
Crystal: I bring youth, vitality
and enthusiasm, and warmth in communication. I have opinions and
a spine, and I care.
Gerald: I've been on the AC
before, and I stand by the season I chose. I supported new works
and company members. Been here since the beginning. I took
myself out of the last AC election (the emergency elections to replace
Bryan) because I did not want to babysit someone else's season.
Michael: I'm a middle-aged
fart who still loves theatre. And I'm fresh blood for this place!
Joe: I'm very confident that
I know how to pick good stories. We need good scripts as a backbone.
I've directed, acted and written. The shows I've liked here are also
the ones that did well.
Tom Chalmers: Uncle Tom
has only one company member in it. Do you think picking it was a
mistake?
Gerald: There are reasons for
choosing shows. I won't second-guess the current AC. What were
the other shows that were proposed? We don't know.
Michael: Ditto. How can
I second guess? Haven't read the other proposals, so I can't answer
that.
Joe: Yes, I'd have chosen it.
The company didn't audition. Also - we can't hold the company responsible
to come see our shows, either. It's a disturbing challenge.
What else do we want? We should become a name brand.
Crystal: It was not a mistake.
It will be phenomenal and attention getting. Auditioning isn't your
only chance to have opportunities here.
Ariadne Shaffer: All choices
have fiscal elements. What relationship does the AC have to our fiscal
future?
Michael: The shows should be
exciting and challenging. If nobody has heard of them, we should
market them. Loglines and synopsis should be available on the website.
We should do previews.
Joe: Our operating budget is
$100,000/year. Earned should be $30,000; we shouldn't expect
more. I'd like to increase our budget - but we can only do that if
we develop our unearned income by doing shows we're pround of constantly.
Crystal: Money is good, but
not ht eonly thing. The AC can work with the Fundraising Committee.
But we need to pick exciting shows. The company must be invested
and excited. We need to do more inter-theatre marketing, and bring
back BCT performances. We should have group sales specific to each
show.
Gerald: We should do work that
best represents the company. I would rather have new work than "popular"
work. I'd rather fail by being new than survive by being safe.
Mikhail Blokh: All three AC
members should agree on an aesthetic. Name your three favorite shows
we've done. (No commentary necessary.)
Joe: Dubya 2000, Feet, Comedy
of Errors
Crystal: Dubya 2000, Feet,
dumbshOw
Michael: Dubya 2000, Feet,
Grimm
Gerald: Hunchback, Seagull,
Feet
John Wuchte: The ongoing shows
seem to be living in perpetuity. Would you have ongoing shows reproposed?
Crystal: Ongoing shows should
always be open to re-evaluation. If people are excited about the
show, it's hard to say no. But company members shouldn't be afraid
to propose new stuff.
Gerald: Don't rely on things
that are just "working okay." I agree with Crystal. Nothing
is set in stone, nor should it be.
Michael I don't wanna be a
nihilist. No new ideas? No re-evaluation. We can have
rentals. We can encourage new shows - they can share a timeslot with
a long-running show, or we can give a long-running show a break.
Joe: We shouldn't automatically
kill a moneymaker - but we should worry about quality. Crime Scene
has suffered for a lack of good scripts - that's a bad risk. As when
celebrities do bad work, our name is sullied.
Aldrich Allen: How do we get
grants without a full season chosen?
Gerald: We must work on marketing.
We don't have subscribers, we have word of mouth. If people are coming
back, THEN you can have a season. Seaons can be "winter, summer,
spring" - not necessarily a full year. (At this point, it was
6:00pm, and Gerald had to leave. He encourages all to EMail
or call him with any questions.)
Michael: I want to markets
seaons of about five shows at a time. Postcards with one show on
them are not good. Grantors don't need a date.
Joe: Our income is fluid.
We need to gain momentum. Let's consistently do good work and get
respect. Solicit donors and sponsors. I want to have seasons
of three shows each - Fall/Spring season, to which we can offer season
passes.
Crystal: At our size, it doesn't
matter. Setting a season in stone locks us into not being able to
extend. Let's not give in to a fear mentality.
Allen Lulu: You're all involved
in other theatres or projects. What's your committment to being HERE?
Michael: I'm also involved
with a writer's group, and at the MET. But those don't take up much
of my time. This place is my primary focus. I have a job, but
it's not 40 hours a week.
Joe: I'm here. I've dropped
out of the other company I was a member of. I will spend even more
time here. I do have a part time job.
Crystal: I have a day job,
and I'm in a band. But I make time to be here - I'm always
here in some capacity. I'm around.
Desi Doyen: [Editor's note:
I didn't catch the first part of the question. It sounded like something
about elections; judging from the answers, I think it was something about
agreeance among the AC in picking the shows.] Since you're planning
on picking two shows, with the second show not getting a start date, will
you make sure before picking the second show that they're okay with waiting
to find out when their start date is?
Joe: Of course we won't all
agree. Sometimes it'll come down to a vote. Meeting with admin
and company input are important.
Crystal: We should all meet
collectively with the admin. There will be differences in selecting
the shows. If someone is passionate about a project, that's good!
If you're at loggerheads, talk it out, and discuss the criteria for your
choice.
Michael: Having an odd number
on the AC takes care of disagreements. Vote. Poll members for
interest.
Stephanie Bell: Are you willing
to remove a director, producer or actor who you feel is detrimental to
the show?
Crystal: Willing - yes.
Eager - no. Surgery should only be performed when the situation is
life or death.
Michael: It's my least favorite
thing to do. I've only ever had to fire one person (an actor who
wouldn't come to rehearsals).
Joe: I have axed before.
But the AC must agree - and take steps with due care that it's in our best
interest to do so. Always consider: what's the alternative?
Carla-Jo Bailey: A: Do you feel
it's important to involve the Business Managers in selections before the
picks are made? B: How do you plan on selling the B show if the A
show is not doing so great - what's the marketing time left for show B
if they must go up right away?
Michael: Vital. [Editor's
note: He must have said more, but this seems to be all I wrote down.
Apologies.]
Joe: A: Yes, no question.
B: There'll be a month of lead time from go to show. And there'll
be ample time to have marketing materials ready before the
go is given.
Crystal: A: It's irresponsible
not to talk to them. B: A longer lead time and fewer shows helps
create a buzz, and helps us to prepare.
Scott Rabinowitz: Please give
us an example of a new, challenging show that shows off the skill of the
company.
Joe: I'm developing Alice
in Wonderland: The Rock Musical.
Crystal: I'd like to do an
evening of short, experimental, difficult, interesting plays - short and
new. I have one in mind. I like Ionesco and Rob Neill.
I like absurdist plays.
Michael: I want to do a musical
version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I want to create
a show of one-acts called Fits and Starts, featuring origin myths.
I also like Strindberg.
Minutes taken and transcribed
to HTML by Corey Klemow. Contact
him with corrections and clarifications.
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