The Other Liaison Hat

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Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Johnny Blaze Leavitt.

For my last guest-blog, I want to mention the OTHER liaison hat.  Yesterday I was talking about groups and organizations to help you with your productions.  The OTHER liaison hat is the one you wear when you are helping other production companies with their projects.

I know how all-consuming our own projects can be.  But don’t forget to look up and see what else is going on.  No, not to “see what the competition is up to” but to see what your peers are working on.  I LOVE going to shows and seeing other companies being thanked in the program!  “Mask & Daggar would like the thank Laff Snax productions for the use of their wheelchair,” etc.  NICE! 

It’s not just about filling seats and swelling coffers to make the next project bigger and better.  It’s also about forging strong ties and building a stronger OOB community.  Especially in these difficult economic times.  Let’s face it, cats and kittens, we all have the same goal: to produce the best shows we can.

Anyone want to share a story about one group helped out another?  C’mon!  It’s almost Mother’s Day!  Make her proud by showing her how you learned to share :) 

… ok, I was reaching a little with that last one.

How about this parting thought?

In the war to save the arts, we support the troupes!

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OOB Resources

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Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Johnny Blaze Leavitt.

I’ve been talking a lot about the many hats an OOB producer wears for his/her company.  But one hat I’ve mentioned briefly needs a little more attention.

Liaison.

The OOB community has a LOT of organizations that are designed to help theatre companies.  Obviously, there’s the IT Awards and ART/NY.  But let’s not forget organizations like Fractured Atlas, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, United Stages, Materials for the Arts, Freecycles, Audience Extras, The Dramatists Guild of America, I could go on and on.

NYC has a vast array of helpful organizations ready, willing and able to help make your productions get better and better.  ALWAYS be on the lookout for helpful groups and always keep in contact with them.

But I don’t want to preach to the choir.  Rather, I invite folks to post a quick story about an organization that’s helped you and your projects.  Let’s sing some praises!

Sorry, I just watched “First Sunday” last night and have church humor on my mind :p

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Cinco de Mayo

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Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Johnny Blaze Leavitt.

Ah, May 5th. 

Point of You has been around since the year 2000 and we’ve had some tremendous successes and a few moments of floundering.  That’s normal.  And May 5, 2005 taught us a very valuable lesson.

We were producing LoveSmacked, a showcase that was part of our I’m Just Saying series.  We had all hands on deck.  We had all of our ensemble members writing, directing, performing, designing.  We had guest artists galore from various other theatre companies!  We had a poster that was so popular, it went on to appear in the 40th Street Drama Bookshop window AND for years one was hanging on the wall behind the bar at the Produce’s Club.  We were firing on all cylinders!

But the one hat none of my amazing amalgamation of multitaskers wore?  A party hat. 

It was Cinco de Mayo and no one came.  No prepaid sales, no walk-in’s, nada.  So we threw our own party in the theatre :)

Note to self (the self that sets the seasonal calendar): don’t book a show on Cinco de Mayo unless a) it’s related to the holiday or b) you offer free alcohol for your audience!

Second Note to self: Add Party Hat to the hat collection.

Anybody else have a weird holiday show experience?

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OOB Producing: A play

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Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Johnny Blaze Leavitt.

Let me ask you, my fellow producers, how many of you have had conversations like the following?


Johnny: Are you ready?

Jeff: Let’s do this.

Johnny: As the Executive Director, I need you to approve the postcard image.  We’re way behind in getting them printed.  Get it done, man!

Jeff: You’re right.  Sorry.  I’ll move that up.  Now, as the Production Director, I need to scold you!  You still don’t know your lines for Act One.  We’re well past the point of calling for line and yet you’re still floundering.  Bad actor!  Shame on you!

Johnny: I can explain.  That’s the scene where the Queen makes her grand entrance.  As the show’s Costume Designer, I’ve been distracted by Melanie’s blocking.  The period garb she’ll be in won’t allow her to move about as easily as she’s moving now.  I’m brainstorming rehearsal costume ideas to help prepare her.

Jeff: Understandable.  Give a note to the Stage Manager.

Johnny: You mean Melanie?

Jeff: Yes.

Johnny: Now, I need to speak to the Sound Designer.

Jeff: Ok, I’m ready.  Shoot.

Johnny: The gun shot after intermission sounds pretty terrible.  Can’t you find a better sound file?

Jeff: It’s not the file, it’s the sound system.  Weren’t we supposed to have our own by now?

Johnny: That was dependent on funding.  Let me put on my Chief Grant Writer’s hat on and say we still don’t have it in the budget yet as we have not heard back about our latest grant application.

Jeff: Then can we just fire blanks?

Johnny: Check with the Props Master.

Jeff: That’s me.  I just approved myself.

Johnny: Well done.

Jeff: Anything else?

Johnny: The show still needs a better ending.

Jeff: Talk to the playwright.

Johnny: That would be me.  I’m still waiting on feedback from the Artistic Director. 

Jeff: Oh.  Right.  I’ll get right on that.

Johnny: Anything else?

Jeff: Summation?

Johnny: I’m mad at you for four items and owe you two apologies.  You’re mad at me for two items and owe me three apologies.

Jeff: Crap.  You won.  Want to go get a taco?

Johnny: Can’t.  Too much work to do.

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More hats than a Brooklyn chapeau shop!

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Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Johnny Blaze Leavitt.

I’m so glad tax season is over!  Apart from the usual headaches and worries that we all go through this time of year, there’s one little tidbit that frustrates me to no end.

Occupation: Actor

Holy socks!  Is that ever a gross oversimplification!!!  My fellow Off-Off-Broadway producers know exactly what I’m talking about.  No one is “just an actor” anymore.  And once you decide to produce your own work, you’ll never be “just” any one thing ever again.

A show of hands from my fellow producers (if you have the time to spare).  How many hats do you wear now?  I’ve been a producer since the year 2000 and my hat collection just keeps growing!  I have more hats than a Brooklyn chapeau shop!  Playwright, Designer, Director, Marketing Strategist, Venue Hunter, Prop Hunter/Builder, Contract Negotiator, Dispute Settler, Promoter, Blogger, Stage Manager, Production Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Grant Application Writer, Fundraiser, Liaison, Officer in Charge of Morals, Chief Worry Wart and, oh yeah, Actor.

I can’t stress this enough to other producers: Get a Team!  I am extremely lucky that I don’t have to go it alone.  I have a team of seven who meet once a week (in our secret Bat Cave) to plot and plan.  I also have eleven more multi-talented artists in the ensemble willing to tow the line.

I also can’t stress this enough: Post-It notes!  Little reminders of what I have to do and when.  I have them all over my house!  Or I used to until I got married and my wife wanted a ‘grown-up’ house.  Oh yeah!  Add ‘Husband hat’ to that collection!  Ah, married life.  Luckily I married an actress.  Who is also a Fight Director.  And an Accent/Dialect coach.  And a Voice & Diction coach.  And a stand-up comedian.  And a Doula.  CRAP!  “Honey, we either need a bigger place or fewer hats!  Or more post-it notes!  … Yes, I’ll put my thoughts in my iPhone instead, dear.”

It’s like having a hamster in a wheel hopped up on caffeine 24/7 running around in my head but it’s one of the best jobs there is.

I’ll write more tomorrow but for now, I invite folks to share a quick ‘Day in the Life’ list of chores you do as a producer.  I know after this I have to go write two more scenes for my summer show, check in with my Artistic Director about his prep work for the fall show, go over the drafts for some press releases, talk to my Administrative Director about adding some links to our website, send some documents over to ART/NY, review a SWOTs analysis for my production team, and set up a photo shoot for our next postcard image.  CRAP!  And hunt for a good green screen kit on eBay! 

Um… any sellers out there?
:p

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Guest Blogger next week: Johnny Blaze Leavitt

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We would like to thank  Jonathan Reuning for his engaging and thought provoking posts this last week.


Next week's guest blogger is Johnny Blaze Leavitt.


Johnny Blaze Leavitt is the Executive Director and one of the founding members of Point of You Productions.  While focusing much of his time ensuring the artists (both ensemble members and guests) are provided with every opportunity to explore their craft, Johnny is also diligent in his own areas of interest: performing and playwrighting.  He has recently been performing stand-up comedy around NYC (including Caroline’s on Broadway).

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