Have you ever been walking in Time Square and bumped into an old schoolmate or a neighbor or relative? Its crazy, but it happens. I've seen the most random freaks and friends riding the subway in New York. It is amazing that in such a big city, the world around you can feel so small.
And the theatre community? Fogetaboutit! The more you work, the more the Theatre starts to feel like a large, extended family. Only it's the family you actually LIKE and WANT to see often.
You can pretty much play the "Do You Know" game with an actor you just met and eventually there will have a director or a designer or a stage manager in common! That commonality, feeling like a family, like a community feels good! At least to me. Makes me feel like I know who I am, like I was meant to be here, doing what I do, even when it is tough.
Like: I was introduced to the venerable New York Neo-Futurists by my dear friend from college and IT Award maven, Shay Gines. That's why I saw their show, and why I ended up auditioning 2 years ago. When I entered that ensemble it didn't take long to learn that my new friends like Erica Livingston and Kevin R. Free knew and had worked with people from all OVER my life!
I know it sounds corny but as I near Thanksgiving, I truly am thankful for friends like Shay and Erica and Kevin and the NYNF ensemble, and the Emerging Artists Theatre and the larger and larger family making art around me in New York. I am happy to be here. And that family is a big reason why I am glad to be a New York actor.
So, on Monday, the Neo-Futurists are having this cool, little benefit for our autobiographical, full-length, multi-media show in November called "(Not) Just A Day Like Any Other." The show is about a real-life day in the life of me and 4 others that took our lives in a new direction. So, for the benefit, Neos will be auctioning off an experience that they will share with the winner, going somewhere, doing something.
I'm imagine my friends coming to the benefit to bid on a day spent with my Neo family...seems a little incestuous, but it is actually awesome! They get to know more about each other without my awkward introductions and my web of friends becomes tighter! So...what?...big city...small world...big family...small theatres....its a good life.
Hey here is the informaton on both the Benefit on Monday and the Show in November, come be a part of my family!
1. Here is the BENEFIT info:(Not) Just A Benefit Like Any OtherMonday, October 276:30 - 9:30 PMThe Ailey Studios, Joan Weill Center for Dance405 West 55th Street @ 9th AvenueNew York, New York 10019Suggested $5 donation at the door there will be refreshments! and unusual ART!
2. Here is the SHOW info:(Not) Just A Day Like Any OtherNovember 6 - 22Thur, Fri, Sat 8:00 PMThe Red Room - 85 East 4th Street (near Second Avenue)Tickets are $15 and are available at Theatermania.com
(here is a link to a weird little promo video I did for the show (Iʼm vlogs #9 and #2) ): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMx7oko_X-8. and you can check out tne Neo website on www.nynf.org.
Borg out!
Christopher Borg, Communications Manager
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Queens Innovative Theatre Artists: we're coming to you!
I have to tell you, I know very little about Queens - ashamed to say that after nine years of NYC living (Brooklyn girl), I still don't get how people in Queens get their mail and find their homes, but I understand that's really my problem. I'm proud to say that in planning this event, I'm catching on! Sort of...:)
So a few weeks before our Awards ceremony, Taryn Drongowski from APAC got ahold of us to talk about reaching out to Queens theatres and artists about the IT Awards. Great idea - i'm always looking for ways to get the word out about the IT Awards, and what we came up with (together with the amazing Queens Council on the Arts) was to host a happy hour - very chill, no speakers or putting people on the spot - just a couple of hours where we can meet artists, companies & venues, and they can meet each other. I hope to have events like this all over the city at some point - you hear that, Brooklyn?
So there you have it! Pass the word on to your fellow Queens artists, companies & venues, and be there or be square!
ps - SPECIAL thanks go out to QCA & LIC Bar. you rock.
WHO: Queens theatre artists, companies & venues; the more, the merrier!
WHEN: Monday, October 20, 2008, 7pm - 9pm
WHERE: LIC Bar 45-58 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101
YOUR HOSTS: Morgan Lindsey Tachco (IT Awards), Taryn Drongowski (Astoria Performing Arts Center) & Meredith Blouin (Queens Council on the Arts)
RSVP/Questions: community@nyitawards.com
Join The New York Innovative Theatre Awards together with the Queens Council on the Arts and Astoria Performing Arts Center for a happy hour at LIC Bar!
We want to know what it takes to make theatre in Queens, and introduce you to not only the IT Awards and Queens Council on the Arts, but give you a chance to meet your fellow artists, companies & venues.
We hope to see you there!
Morgan Lindsey Tachco
Community Relations Manager,
New York Innovative Theatre Awards
Taryn Drongowski
Executive Director,
Astoria Performing Arts Center
Meredith Blouin,
Queens Council on the Arts
About the NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE AWARDS
The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation was created to bring recognition to the great work being done in New York City's Off-Off-Broadway, to honor its artistic heritage, and to provide a meeting ground for this extensive community. The organization advocates for Off-Off-Broadway and recognizes the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to American and global culture. We believe that publicly recognizing excellence in Off-Off-Broadway will expand audience awareness and appreciation of the full New York theatre experience. www.nyitawards.com
About the ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
APAC was founded in 2001 as an Off-Off Broadway theater company that complements main-stage productions with community programming, including writing and performance programs for Queens youth and senior citizens. APAC's 2004 production of Is There Life After High School? was recognized with an Off-Off Broadway Review Award. APAC's 2006 production of Forever Plaid was honored with three New York Innovative Theatre Award nominations, in the categories of Production, Direction, and Choreography. Our productions of A New Brain, Proof and Triumph of Love received nominations for Outstanding Set Design and most recently Triumph of Love also received two more nominations, Outstanding Production of a Musical and Outstanding Lead Actress, Abby Baum. For more information about APAC, including a downloadable media kit, visit www.apacny.org.
About the QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
Queens Council on the Arts, founded in 1966, fosters and develops the arts in Queens, through a number of programs supporting arts organizations and artists of all disciplines. Offering a multi-tiered approach, including granting programs (the Queens Community Arts Fund) for artistic projects open to the public, professional development workshops, networking and mentorship opportunities, portfolio development and other arts services, and arts education grants and programming, QCA helps artists and cultural groups present the rich cultural and artistic diversity of Queens county to local residents as well as the larger community. QCA continually grows partnerships with other organizations serving the artistic community, and has been widely recognized as leader in bringing attention to the innovative work of Queens artists. www.queenscouncilarts.org
So a few weeks before our Awards ceremony, Taryn Drongowski from APAC got ahold of us to talk about reaching out to Queens theatres and artists about the IT Awards. Great idea - i'm always looking for ways to get the word out about the IT Awards, and what we came up with (together with the amazing Queens Council on the Arts) was to host a happy hour - very chill, no speakers or putting people on the spot - just a couple of hours where we can meet artists, companies & venues, and they can meet each other. I hope to have events like this all over the city at some point - you hear that, Brooklyn?
So there you have it! Pass the word on to your fellow Queens artists, companies & venues, and be there or be square!
ps - SPECIAL thanks go out to QCA & LIC Bar. you rock.
Queens Innovative Theatre Artist's Happy Hour!
WHO: Queens theatre artists, companies & venues; the more, the merrier!
WHEN: Monday, October 20, 2008, 7pm - 9pm
WHERE: LIC Bar 45-58 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101
YOUR HOSTS: Morgan Lindsey Tachco (IT Awards), Taryn Drongowski (Astoria Performing Arts Center) & Meredith Blouin (Queens Council on the Arts)
RSVP/Questions: community@nyitawards.com
Join The New York Innovative Theatre Awards together with the Queens Council on the Arts and Astoria Performing Arts Center for a happy hour at LIC Bar!
We want to know what it takes to make theatre in Queens, and introduce you to not only the IT Awards and Queens Council on the Arts, but give you a chance to meet your fellow artists, companies & venues.
We hope to see you there!
Morgan Lindsey Tachco
Community Relations Manager,
New York Innovative Theatre Awards
Taryn Drongowski
Executive Director,
Astoria Performing Arts Center
Meredith Blouin,
Queens Council on the Arts
About the NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE AWARDS
The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation was created to bring recognition to the great work being done in New York City's Off-Off-Broadway, to honor its artistic heritage, and to provide a meeting ground for this extensive community. The organization advocates for Off-Off-Broadway and recognizes the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to American and global culture. We believe that publicly recognizing excellence in Off-Off-Broadway will expand audience awareness and appreciation of the full New York theatre experience. www.nyitawards.com
About the ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
APAC was founded in 2001 as an Off-Off Broadway theater company that complements main-stage productions with community programming, including writing and performance programs for Queens youth and senior citizens. APAC's 2004 production of Is There Life After High School? was recognized with an Off-Off Broadway Review Award. APAC's 2006 production of Forever Plaid was honored with three New York Innovative Theatre Award nominations, in the categories of Production, Direction, and Choreography. Our productions of A New Brain, Proof and Triumph of Love received nominations for Outstanding Set Design and most recently Triumph of Love also received two more nominations, Outstanding Production of a Musical and Outstanding Lead Actress, Abby Baum. For more information about APAC, including a downloadable media kit, visit www.apacny.org.
About the QUEENS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
Queens Council on the Arts, founded in 1966, fosters and develops the arts in Queens, through a number of programs supporting arts organizations and artists of all disciplines. Offering a multi-tiered approach, including granting programs (the Queens Community Arts Fund) for artistic projects open to the public, professional development workshops, networking and mentorship opportunities, portfolio development and other arts services, and arts education grants and programming, QCA helps artists and cultural groups present the rich cultural and artistic diversity of Queens county to local residents as well as the larger community. QCA continually grows partnerships with other organizations serving the artistic community, and has been widely recognized as leader in bringing attention to the innovative work of Queens artists. www.queenscouncilarts.org
Friday, September 26, 2008
Awards Day: A Timeline
By Shay Gines
8:00am Time to get up. The sun is way too bright. We really need to buy some new blinds for our bedroom windows. Nick and I were at the office until 3am the night before finishing up last minute details. I didn't get into bed until 4am. 4 hours is not a lot of sleep, but it is enough to get me through the day.
8:00am - 8:30am Check emails to see if anything went down in the last 4 hours. Akia emailed a final schedule for today. There is a Google Calendar Alert reminding me that the awards ceremony is today….. Katie Rosin will be dropping lighters for gift bags at the FIT and apparently I missed a previous email from a sponsor asking how many gift bags there would be. I've got to take care of that right away.
8:30am Patrick leaves for work. My brother (who flew from SLC to come to the ceremony) requests waffles with strawberry syrup for breakfast.
8:30am - 8:45am I make waffles. He'll have to make do with maple syrup. I mean really who am I, Martha Stewart?
8:45am - 9:00am We eat breakfast, watch the Today Show and debate politics.
9:00am - 9:15am I take a shower and feel slightly guilty that Nick, Jason and Akia are already hard at work.
9:15am - 9:30am I put rollers in my hair. I look like the next door neighbor from Bewitched.
9:30am - 10:30am I hem my dress. It has been hanging on the back of my bedroom door for 2 weeks. I can't believe it has taken me until today to hem the damn thing. I don't have a sewing machine so I have to do it by hand. It has a slip so I have to hem both the slip and the dress. It takes way way too long.
10:30am - 10:45am Debate whether or not to wear a girdle tonight.
There are going to be photos tonight. I decide to wear the girdle.
10:45am - 11:00am I put on the girdle. (Yes, it takes a full 15 minutes for me to wiggle into it) It is a lot tighter than I remember. My brother makes fun of me.
11:00am - 11:15am I'm running really late. I take the rollers out of my hair, get dressed, brush my teeth and pack my bag for tonight.
11:15am - 11:45am Travel to FIT. Luckily we caught an express train.
11:45am - 2:00pm Settle in, unpack my supply boxes, organize everything into categories, answer questions, look for things, tape signs up on the walls, give directions, make a sign for the front of the podium, "Clockwise? Counter-clockwise?" the Blue Man crew offers suggestions from the audience, return telephone calls, return emails, print out 2 new sections of the script, give them to the director, advise Nick on last minute ceremony visuals, lose stuff, find it again, "why don't I have a pen," pull tickets for last minute guests, decide which banners should be hung where, give petty cash to this person, give petty cash to that person….
2:00pm - 2:15pm Lunch - pizza and salad. I grab a slice of hot gooey, cheesy pizza. I want to make a plate of salad, but Jason comes back from his errands and I have stuff for him.
2:15pm - 2:30pm Caucus with Jason about gift bags and priority of remaining things to get done.
2:30pm - 2:35pm Realize that the gift bag stuffing is already well underway and there are 12 boxes of stuff that were not included in the already stuffed bags (300 or so).
2:35pm - 2:45pm Stop everything. Organize crew of people to move additional boxes into the bag stuffing area.
2:45pm - 2:48pm Trip over a box of inflatable balls. Cut my shin and nearly break my neck on the marble floor. Maybe if I hadn't been wearing that damn tight girdle I would have been able to more nimbly catch myself and in front of all the volunteers too. Classy.
2:48pm - 2:50pm I walk it off.
2:50pm - 4:00pm Stuff all the already stuffed bags with the previously neglected bag stuffers.
3:00pm - 5:30pm Blue Man Group has exclusive access to the stage for their tech.
4:00pm - 4:15pm Status meeting with Nick, Jason, Akia and Jose. We need an additional lighting cue. We need to buy some bottles of champagne. We need more ice. We need a push broom. FIT may not have one. We may have to go buy one. We need a small table. It was not requested originally in the FIT contract. They may not be able to provide one. Do we have anything else that could work? The awards table needs to be moved to clear a walk way back stage. We decide is should live behind the second curtain leg stage right. Everyone agrees. We move the table. The meeting is adjourned.
4:15pm - 4:30pm Watch the Blue Man Group rehearsal. I start to cry. I am so proud of how far we've come in the last 4 years. I can not believe that there are 50 volunteers here right now working their hearts out for us. I am humbled and feel very very proud.
4:30pm - 4:40pm Hand over box office materials to Morgan.
4:40pm - 4:50pm Break down and just have to use the rest room. While I am making use of the facilities, I realize that mine, Nick's and Jason's portions of the script still need to be written. The whole disrobing thing is so much more incontinent (I mean inconvenient) than it is worth.
4:50pm - 4:53pm Find paper and "why don't I have a pen?" Work on Executive Director's (ED) script.
4:53pm - 5:10pm Hillary (the awards coordinator) arrives. Time to handover the confidential materials.
5:10pm - 5:20pm Leslie (the beautiful lady who is helping me with my hair and make-up) arrives and begins to set up while the awards, and recipient gift bags are officially moved to the awards table. I notice Nick notice Leslie.
5:20pm - 6:00pm Leslie tries to do my hair and make-up while I try to write our script. The 2 activities are not conducive to one another.
5:55pm 5 minute call to photographs. I'm not dressed yet and my hair is not yet done. Thank god I already have on my girdle. I take off my shoes and realize that I only put on one sock this morning.
6:00pm Everyone is waiting for me.
6:03pm I run out of the dressing room. My hair and make up looks great. But I am still not completely dressed. Too bad they take the first photo anyway.
6:00pm - 6:15pm Photo shoot with volunteers, host and the Blue Men.
6:15pm - 6:30pm Interview with the EDs and the Blue Men.
6:30pm House Opens
6:30pm - 6:40pm Interview with Broadway Bullet. In the middle of the interview I realize that the photo backdrops are slowly but surely sliding down the wall.
6:40pm - 6:45pm Nick's brother helps me re-duct tape the backdrops to the wall.
6:45pm - 6:50pm Check in with Judith Malina. She's great. She would like some water.
6:50pm - 7:00pm Do final check of shop, house, etc. Greet guests. 3 people tell me how great I look. The girdle was totally worth it.
7:00pm - 7:05pm Hand over final speech notes to Nick and Jason. They are less than enthusiastic about my less than legible handwriting and bullet pointed notes.
7:05pm - 7:10pm The house is filling up and we are late getting started.
7:10pm The show starts.
7:10pm - 7:20pm Blue Man Group performs. I watch from the monitor back stage. It looks amazing and the cheers from the audience makes me so happy.
7:20pm - 7:25pm Lisa Kron welcomes the audience. They love her. She is great.
7:25pm Lisa introduces us. I remind Nick and Jason to introduce themselves and say their names.
7:25pm - 7:28pm We're on. Nick is charming. Jason is a crowd pleaser. I get a few laughs. Jason is the only one who actually introduces himself.
7:28pm - 9:40pm The awards ceremony is a whirl wind. I remember… holding Olympia Dukakis' stuff while she participated in interviews and had her photo taken with Judith Malina, greeting Qui Nguyen when he walked back stage after receiving his award, having Desiree Burch tell me I smell like home, listening to Kirk Wood Bromley as he presented Martin Denton and Rochelle Denton with the Stewardship Award, finding a bottle of water for Louis Zorich, having my photo taken with Edward Albee, panicking when Akia and Leonard missed their entrance, holding my breath as the entire audience threw Frisbees at Michael Dahlen and Bill Irwin, getting a little teary-eyed when Michael Mitchell thanked Nick, Jason and myself, hearing Edward Albee say "There are two kinds of theatre, commercial theatre and theatre that matters. You do theatre that matters."
9:38pm - 9:43pm I change into my party clothes. Finally I get to take off the girdle and go to the bathroom. I am in charge of getting to the party space first and making sure everything is right. I stuff everything into my bag and as Jason is pushing me out the door I tell him to make sure to tell Patrick where I am. He assures me he will.
9:46pm I arrive at Mustang Harry's. The staff is waiting for us. Some people are there already.
10:00pm The crowd begins to arrive. No Patrick. I greet guests.
10:10pm Jason arrives. He didn't tell Patrick. I go back to FIT to find Patrick.
10:10pm - 10:15pm I find Patrick.
10:15pm - 12:15am Return to Mustang Harry's. I'm not even sure what I did then. I ate. I had a couple of drinks. I talked to some people.
12:15am - 12:30am I take photos with Patrick in front of Mustang Harry's.
12:30am - 1:00am We catch a cab home.
1:00am - 1:30am My brother showers and gets ready to go to the airport.
1:30am - 1:40am My brother leaves and we say good bye.
1:40am - 2:00am I watch Home Movies on Cartoon Network and fall asleep.
Monday, September 22, 2008
8:00am Time to get up. The sun is way too bright. We really need to buy some new blinds for our bedroom windows. Nick and I were at the office until 3am the night before finishing up last minute details. I didn't get into bed until 4am. 4 hours is not a lot of sleep, but it is enough to get me through the day.
8:00am - 8:30am Check emails to see if anything went down in the last 4 hours. Akia emailed a final schedule for today. There is a Google Calendar Alert reminding me that the awards ceremony is today….. Katie Rosin will be dropping lighters for gift bags at the FIT and apparently I missed a previous email from a sponsor asking how many gift bags there would be. I've got to take care of that right away.
8:30am Patrick leaves for work. My brother (who flew from SLC to come to the ceremony) requests waffles with strawberry syrup for breakfast.
8:30am - 8:45am I make waffles. He'll have to make do with maple syrup. I mean really who am I, Martha Stewart?
8:45am - 9:00am We eat breakfast, watch the Today Show and debate politics.
9:00am - 9:15am I take a shower and feel slightly guilty that Nick, Jason and Akia are already hard at work.
9:15am - 9:30am I put rollers in my hair. I look like the next door neighbor from Bewitched.
9:30am - 10:30am I hem my dress. It has been hanging on the back of my bedroom door for 2 weeks. I can't believe it has taken me until today to hem the damn thing. I don't have a sewing machine so I have to do it by hand. It has a slip so I have to hem both the slip and the dress. It takes way way too long.
10:30am - 10:45am Debate whether or not to wear a girdle tonight.
PROS: It holds me in in all the right places. It gives me a nice shape in a rather tight and unforgiving dress.
CONS: After 30 minutes it begins to pinch and ride up and cuts off the circulation to my legs. It's tight. It's uncomfortable. It's a one-piece so if I have to go to the bathroom I will have to completely disrobe.
There are going to be photos tonight. I decide to wear the girdle.
10:45am - 11:00am I put on the girdle. (Yes, it takes a full 15 minutes for me to wiggle into it) It is a lot tighter than I remember. My brother makes fun of me.
11:00am - 11:15am I'm running really late. I take the rollers out of my hair, get dressed, brush my teeth and pack my bag for tonight.
11:15am - 11:45am Travel to FIT. Luckily we caught an express train.
11:45am - 2:00pm Settle in, unpack my supply boxes, organize everything into categories, answer questions, look for things, tape signs up on the walls, give directions, make a sign for the front of the podium, "Clockwise? Counter-clockwise?" the Blue Man crew offers suggestions from the audience, return telephone calls, return emails, print out 2 new sections of the script, give them to the director, advise Nick on last minute ceremony visuals, lose stuff, find it again, "why don't I have a pen," pull tickets for last minute guests, decide which banners should be hung where, give petty cash to this person, give petty cash to that person….
2:00pm - 2:15pm Lunch - pizza and salad. I grab a slice of hot gooey, cheesy pizza. I want to make a plate of salad, but Jason comes back from his errands and I have stuff for him.
2:15pm - 2:30pm Caucus with Jason about gift bags and priority of remaining things to get done.
2:30pm - 2:35pm Realize that the gift bag stuffing is already well underway and there are 12 boxes of stuff that were not included in the already stuffed bags (300 or so).
2:35pm - 2:45pm Stop everything. Organize crew of people to move additional boxes into the bag stuffing area.
2:45pm - 2:48pm Trip over a box of inflatable balls. Cut my shin and nearly break my neck on the marble floor. Maybe if I hadn't been wearing that damn tight girdle I would have been able to more nimbly catch myself and in front of all the volunteers too. Classy.
2:48pm - 2:50pm I walk it off.
2:50pm - 4:00pm Stuff all the already stuffed bags with the previously neglected bag stuffers.
3:00pm - 5:30pm Blue Man Group has exclusive access to the stage for their tech.
4:00pm - 4:15pm Status meeting with Nick, Jason, Akia and Jose. We need an additional lighting cue. We need to buy some bottles of champagne. We need more ice. We need a push broom. FIT may not have one. We may have to go buy one. We need a small table. It was not requested originally in the FIT contract. They may not be able to provide one. Do we have anything else that could work? The awards table needs to be moved to clear a walk way back stage. We decide is should live behind the second curtain leg stage right. Everyone agrees. We move the table. The meeting is adjourned.
4:15pm - 4:30pm Watch the Blue Man Group rehearsal. I start to cry. I am so proud of how far we've come in the last 4 years. I can not believe that there are 50 volunteers here right now working their hearts out for us. I am humbled and feel very very proud.
4:30pm - 4:40pm Hand over box office materials to Morgan.
4:40pm - 4:50pm Break down and just have to use the rest room. While I am making use of the facilities, I realize that mine, Nick's and Jason's portions of the script still need to be written. The whole disrobing thing is so much more incontinent (I mean inconvenient) than it is worth.
4:50pm - 4:53pm Find paper and "why don't I have a pen?" Work on Executive Director's (ED) script.
4:53pm - 5:10pm Hillary (the awards coordinator) arrives. Time to handover the confidential materials.
5:10pm - 5:20pm Leslie (the beautiful lady who is helping me with my hair and make-up) arrives and begins to set up while the awards, and recipient gift bags are officially moved to the awards table. I notice Nick notice Leslie.
5:20pm - 6:00pm Leslie tries to do my hair and make-up while I try to write our script. The 2 activities are not conducive to one another.
5:55pm 5 minute call to photographs. I'm not dressed yet and my hair is not yet done. Thank god I already have on my girdle. I take off my shoes and realize that I only put on one sock this morning.
6:00pm Everyone is waiting for me.
6:03pm I run out of the dressing room. My hair and make up looks great. But I am still not completely dressed. Too bad they take the first photo anyway.
6:00pm - 6:15pm Photo shoot with volunteers, host and the Blue Men.
6:15pm - 6:30pm Interview with the EDs and the Blue Men.
6:30pm House Opens
6:30pm - 6:40pm Interview with Broadway Bullet. In the middle of the interview I realize that the photo backdrops are slowly but surely sliding down the wall.
6:40pm - 6:45pm Nick's brother helps me re-duct tape the backdrops to the wall.
6:45pm - 6:50pm Check in with Judith Malina. She's great. She would like some water.
6:50pm - 7:00pm Do final check of shop, house, etc. Greet guests. 3 people tell me how great I look. The girdle was totally worth it.
7:00pm - 7:05pm Hand over final speech notes to Nick and Jason. They are less than enthusiastic about my less than legible handwriting and bullet pointed notes.
7:05pm - 7:10pm The house is filling up and we are late getting started.
7:10pm The show starts.
7:10pm - 7:20pm Blue Man Group performs. I watch from the monitor back stage. It looks amazing and the cheers from the audience makes me so happy.
7:20pm - 7:25pm Lisa Kron welcomes the audience. They love her. She is great.
7:25pm Lisa introduces us. I remind Nick and Jason to introduce themselves and say their names.
7:25pm - 7:28pm We're on. Nick is charming. Jason is a crowd pleaser. I get a few laughs. Jason is the only one who actually introduces himself.
7:28pm - 9:40pm The awards ceremony is a whirl wind. I remember… holding Olympia Dukakis' stuff while she participated in interviews and had her photo taken with Judith Malina, greeting Qui Nguyen when he walked back stage after receiving his award, having Desiree Burch tell me I smell like home, listening to Kirk Wood Bromley as he presented Martin Denton and Rochelle Denton with the Stewardship Award, finding a bottle of water for Louis Zorich, having my photo taken with Edward Albee, panicking when Akia and Leonard missed their entrance, holding my breath as the entire audience threw Frisbees at Michael Dahlen and Bill Irwin, getting a little teary-eyed when Michael Mitchell thanked Nick, Jason and myself, hearing Edward Albee say "There are two kinds of theatre, commercial theatre and theatre that matters. You do theatre that matters."
9:38pm - 9:43pm I change into my party clothes. Finally I get to take off the girdle and go to the bathroom. I am in charge of getting to the party space first and making sure everything is right. I stuff everything into my bag and as Jason is pushing me out the door I tell him to make sure to tell Patrick where I am. He assures me he will.
9:46pm I arrive at Mustang Harry's. The staff is waiting for us. Some people are there already.
10:00pm The crowd begins to arrive. No Patrick. I greet guests.
10:10pm Jason arrives. He didn't tell Patrick. I go back to FIT to find Patrick.
10:10pm - 10:15pm I find Patrick.
10:15pm - 12:15am Return to Mustang Harry's. I'm not even sure what I did then. I ate. I had a couple of drinks. I talked to some people.
12:15am - 12:30am I take photos with Patrick in front of Mustang Harry's.
12:30am - 1:00am We catch a cab home.
1:00am - 1:30am My brother showers and gets ready to go to the airport.
1:30am - 1:40am My brother leaves and we say good bye.
1:40am - 2:00am I watch Home Movies on Cartoon Network and fall asleep.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Double the fun!
Working with the Innovative Theatre Awards is a remarkable experience. IT has the complementary stellar qualities of connecting one to the downtown, independent theatre community and, on Awards night, the legends who established OOB’s rich history.
That’s the good news. The bad news is we only have 51 more weeks to get ready for next year’s ceremony.
Seriously, each new season the organization has grown, improved, and expanded its services to the performing artists of New York City. It is a pleasure to face the unique challenge of topping one’s own best work. As a staff, we are all very proud of how far we’ve come and of the even more exciting opportunities to come.
For example, please enjoy our newly accessible blog in full-color Cross Posting! We have extended our blog entries and staff updates to include a Blogspot page. Those of you who are already familiar and comfortable with RSS feeds are welcome to subscribe or “follow” us on our either format. If you’ve been reading along with our adventures via MySpace, you’ll be happy to know these entries will be simultaneous and identical.
You can keep up with the IT Awards thrilling new Season Five activities at:
http://nyitawards.com
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=59800457
http://nyitawards.blogspot.com/
We are thrilled with our own increased web presence and the important exposure it provides registered shows.
Break a leg,
Hillary Cohen
Development Manager
That’s the good news. The bad news is we only have 51 more weeks to get ready for next year’s ceremony.
Seriously, each new season the organization has grown, improved, and expanded its services to the performing artists of New York City. It is a pleasure to face the unique challenge of topping one’s own best work. As a staff, we are all very proud of how far we’ve come and of the even more exciting opportunities to come.
For example, please enjoy our newly accessible blog in full-color Cross Posting! We have extended our blog entries and staff updates to include a Blogspot page. Those of you who are already familiar and comfortable with RSS feeds are welcome to subscribe or “follow” us on our either format. If you’ve been reading along with our adventures via MySpace, you’ll be happy to know these entries will be simultaneous and identical.
You can keep up with the IT Awards thrilling new Season Five activities at:
http://nyitawards.com
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=59800457
http://nyitawards.blogspot.com/
We are thrilled with our own increased web presence and the important exposure it provides registered shows.
Break a leg,
Hillary Cohen
Development Manager
Monday, September 22, 2008
And the IT Award goes to...
The 4th Annual New York Innovative Theatre Awards were held on Monday, September 22nd. It was a magical evening celebrating our amazing community, the fantastic artists and their outstanding for from this last season. Heralded by the hysterical Lisa Kron and featuring performances by the Blue Man Group, it was a great night.
For a complete list of 2008 Nominees and Recipients, please click to www.NYITawards.com.
For a complete list of 2008 Nominees and Recipients, please click to www.NYITawards.com.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Main Event
We're all hard at work getting ready for the Ceremony. Among the things I'm charged with – and charged about – is the design and production of the evening. This includes getting together all the projection, cameras, videocameras, light and sound for the night, as well as coordinating all the tech staff that run the ceremony, and the video and graphics that go up on the screens.
In addition to the mini-documentaries about the Honorary Award Recipients (this year that's Judith Malina and the New York Theatre Experience / Martin Denton & Rochelle Denton), we also create content for projection / visual display. Mainly that means we put up photos of the nominees and their shows on fancy tricked out displays and broadcast-quality animations. Did you see the DNC this year? The visuals were crazy right? Well, while that kind of design and display may be a bit beyond reach for an annual ceremony, we work hard to make sure our production values rival other awards in town – including some that are broadcast on the networks. They're made possible by the gracious generosity of some of the most talented artists in the animation / video production / projection industry. If you've been to a Ceremony before, you know what I mean – if you haven't, you should come this year.
Speaking of this year, can you even believe the amazing lineup we have? Blue Man Group, Edward Albee, Olympia Dukakis and more, all hosted by Lisa Kron! And we'll have a whole lot of amazing nominees in the room, too. The 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Ceremony is the MUST event!
Nick Micozzi
Executive Director
New York Innovative Theatre Awards
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