The House of Ash

I'm happy to say that June has been a really productive month thus far (and we're only 7 days in!). Last week, I spoke on the "Return to Springboard" panel for the 2009 SpringboardNYC class (who is currently at the Tony Award Rehearsal... JEALOUS!). I spoke a little about what my experiences in this crazy industry have been like so far and the transition from undergrad to grad to real world. I hope it was helpful. It seemed to get great feedback. One of my friends Kahlil Gonzalez-Garcia (who is now in Chapel Hill's MFA Acting Program) was also on the panel along with Illana Becker, who assistant directed "Reasons to be Pretty" on Broadway this season. Springboard people are doing exciting things!

This weekend I finished all of the major FringeNYC publicity/marketing/press information we need and about 20 directing/acting/playwriting submissions to be mailed on Monday. I still have quite a few to go but I've recently discovered the joys of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, which makes my life (and mailing process) a little bit more organized.

After work yesterday I got to checkout this awesome street fair for "Young Artists and Leaders" produced by Downtown Art (http://downtownart.org/index.html) on the Lower East Side. It was for teens and youth theatre groups, but I was hoping to get some ideas for where we can go with GirlPower in the future. I met some phenomenal groups and saw some great performances. My favorite organization (and I'm ashamed that I never heard of them before yesterday) was called City At Peace (http://cpnational.org/ny/) and I was incredibly inspired to read about what their youth theatre is accomplishing. I had a brief discussion with one of their directors and definitely hoping that we can form some kind of relationship. I would love to incorporate some kind of service component into the GirlPower program next year, like City At Peace does.

That's all for now!

Today:
- Go to Staples and see what they can do about poor lil' red (my laptop)
- Go to Rite Aid (or CVS)
- Watch the Tony's at 8:00 pm tonight!

How cool is the American Theatre Wing? I'd say a 15+ on a scale of 1 to 10. Even in these desperate economic times, they recently gave out $125,000 in grants to nonprofit theatres ( http://www.broadway.tv/blog/broadway-news/american-theater-wing-gives-125000-in-grants/). That deserves a MAJOR shout out, especially in light of how close to every off-off Broadway company I know is struggling financially. I am so honored to have had the opportunity to have attended the luncheon (as a volunteer- thanks to SBNYC). I was deeply inspired by the humility and gratitude of many presenters and recipients, most of whose work I was familiar with beforehand... but nothing beats meeting the people behind the company name.

So, with that in mind. If you're a college student pursuing theatre, you need to consider applying for another ATW program called SpringboardNYC. The website provides a blurb...

"SPRINGBOARDNYC is a two week concentrated pre-professional training course for college students planning careers in the theatre. We provide the job-seeking skills, insight into the business of theatre and the urban survival tools necessary to translate academic training into a productive career. The curriculum includes a series of workshops, seminars, master classes and field trips, placing participants in the center of New York's theatrical community, with access to influential working artists."

Even as someone who did both undergrad (and grad) in NYC, the program helped me solidify my career goals as a director and performer. More importantly, it allowed me the chance to be rebaptized into the city. I saw things in NYC that I hadn't seen since I first arrived (because after living here for a few years your senses get shot). I recently had dinner with two other ladies that were part of SBNYC '08 and we all agreed that one of the best parts of SBNYC were the friendships and networks that were formed. All 35 students from last year are still in touch (something that happens so rarely in a graduating class). So, whether you're a New York native or from the middle of the country, it's definitely worth checking out. In fact, I would say it's mandatory if you plan on pursuing theatre here.

If money is hard to come by these days, there are scholarships available. Here's a link to the application and SBNYC website:

http://www.americantheatrewing.org/springboardnyc/

*** Thanks to the voyeuristic workings of "Google Analytics", I see that many people stumble across this blog searching "SpringboardNYC". If you'd like to hear more about SBNYC or have any questions, feel free to drop me a line.

It's been awhile since I last posted. I am in the middle of participating in the American Theatre Wing's Springboard intensive (http://www.americantheatrewing.org/springboardnyc/). I can't stress enough how much I recommend this to any performer, especially those who are making to move from out of town to the city. Although I have been living in NY for some time now, it has given be me new prospective on living in the city, plus I have been able to meet and network with some of the best and brightest in the theatre community. In the last week I've seen tons of shows (more to come) and have had a 9am-6pm schedule of workshops, talks and mock auditions with agents, casting directors, working actors and directors. I'm really happy to be part of Springboard.

Co-Op Theatre East is officially fiscally sponsored (get your checkbook out...) through Fractured Atlas. Because Robby and I attended a workshop at SSDC (Society for Stage Directors and Choreographers) the fee was waived and we will not have to pay dues to Fractured Atlas for a year... when we will have the money to pay for dues (woot). As soon as the logo is finished (we have an amazing artist working on our logo) we'll be launching our website(s). Lots of (brackets) in this last paragraph ...

I'm working out the rest of my summer plans as I type this. I have the opportunity to participate in a peace/conflict resolution delegation to Israel and the West Bank in a few weeks. I really want to do it but am also following the news closely and considering safety measures. I would also be working in the Freedom Theatre in Jenin for a month which of course would be life changing and I'm dying to make contacts there, especially for future COTE initiatives etc. We'll see what happens... I need to book this plane ticket by the middle of the week if it's going to work.

I'm thrilled to announce that I will be participating in the American Theatre Wing's 2008 Springboard Program this summer.
Springboard is a 2 week theatre intensive for up and coming artists. There are 3 tracks- Musical Theatre, General Performance and Directing. I will be doing the Directing track. I'm super excited, as I've heard nothing but rave reviews from friends and colleagues who've participated in Springboard over the past few years.

http://www.americantheatrewing.org/springboardnyc/index.php