Not long after I started college, I ended up in the Dean of my school's office crying. I complained to him that I was not getting cast in any of the student productions, despite what I thought were great auditions. It was the same people getting cast over and over again. And I was feeling like perhaps I had chosen the wrong field, but I couldn't think of anything else to do, because this was all I wanted to do. He sternly informed me that I was being a baby, that if I really wanted to, I could act in anything I wanted to. But I'd have to be willing to look stupid to do it. If I wanted work, it seemed clear to both him and I that I'd have to create it.
So, I applied for a spot in the student run production line-up saying I was going to direct a show. I got the spot, and then I cast myself. Unheard of, and pretty stupid too. And I'm not going to pretend the show was any good. It wasn't. But I worked consistently, and perhaps too often from that point forward and never had to cast myself again.
I see a parallel here somewhere. Artists get a lot of flak for being unorganized, unmotivated, and basically too emotional and weird to actually be able to run a business. But when I look around Chicago, what I find are a bunch of artists not only willing, but also quite capable of running the administration and art of their companies.
There is a lot of discussion in the blogosphere (what a word) about whether this phenomenon of artists doing administrative work has a positive or negative impact on the theatre community and even more debate about those people who do it all for free and the companies that allow them to. Of course, there is much discussion from my company about this as well. But I confess, after all the arguing, for many it comes down to: "It's worth it to me."
4 comments:
It's Worth It To Me!
The past year has taught me that although I am not acting with ICT, house managing statifies me and I look forward to going to the theatre each night. To me, it is not about being on stage or directing or stage managing. It is about the product and being able to present that product. As ICT's House Manager I have the distinct honor of welcoming each of our audience members into the world that we are creating. How fantastic is that? It is worth it, indeed.
Check out Adam Thurman's Tips for the Executioners. I think ICT is already taking his advice without even hearing it. I knew you all were brilliant.
I'm going to sound like a bit of a negative nelly here, but I guess the thing for me is that it has always been worth it to me, too... but after a while I just got tired. I think it's about balance. When I'm doing administrative work in order to create more artistic work, and that's what's really happening, it's totally worth it. But when it starts to feel like doing more administrative work is just creating more administrative work with a little bit of art thrown in every once in a while, it can be a little bit of a downer. I think Adam is right on the money in identifying the need to find the people who want to administer (is that the right word? be administrators. There, that works.). Who are those people, do you think?
I don't think you sound negative. I do think that it is essentially about balance and about getting as much art as you can out of as little administration. I don't know that administrators-only exist, at least not in a small or even mid-sized theatre. I don't see what the draw is, other than the art. Now who's the negative nelly.
Love this...
Living the Prolific Life: A How-to Guide
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