Couldn't be more excited about my latest column for The Clyde Fitch Report where I interview Harold Wolpert, Signature Theatre's new executive director.
I got a chance to catch up with Wolpert 30 days into his new role to see how things were going. He is excited to be there and has already hit the ground...listening. Wolpert: "I’m on what I’m calling a 'listening tour,' just trying to get a sense of how things work here. No one else is doing what Signature is doing — it’s a really incredible place." For the full interview, please click here.
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Feeling like a wanker for not getting invited to the wedding?
Not to worry! Check out my theatrical alternatives at Broadway.com for celebrating the royal couple today, and beyond, as they embark on their new life together! Mickey McGuire is the executive director of the recently renovated 420-seat Seminole Theatre down in Homestead FL. The road to his current position was a long and winding one, but everything he experienced along the way got him there and informs how he does his job.
Wanna know how this smart, poised guy got to where he is and how he's using The Seminole Theatre to put Homestead back on the map? Find out in my latest Clyde Fitch Report column. Fan of Altered Carbon, Third Watch or Blue Bloods? Then you'll definitely want to take a few minutes to check out my latest Q&A for The Clyde Fitch Report where I catch up with the very busy and very talented actor Ato Essandoh:
"As much as I love social media and smart phones, they are killing our ability to socialize in the flesh as we’ve evolved to do." Check out the full Q&A here! Happy International Women's Day!
Looking for some inspiration in these trying political times? Check out my illuminating Clyde Fitch Report interview with NYC's Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Julie Menin and find out why she's one of NYC's fiercest arts advocates...and our very own beacon of hope: "The country and the world are paying attention to NYC’s leading role as a catalyst for fairness and change." Read more here! Excited to finally be able to officially share this news, and so proud that Mad Libs Live! is considered among the "Best of Off-Broadway!" Can't wait for the show to hit the road! Check out the big announcement here at Theatermania! 2/4/2018 0 Comments Tips To Go! - Just One ThingIf you're a creative who wears a number of hats like I do and has a lonnnnng list of tasks to execute each day, I'm here to tell you (and myself!) that it's okay to get just one thing done each day!
That's right -- Just. One. Thing. Screw that long to-do list! Because, as Socrates reportedly said, "Beware the barrenness of a busy life." It's become my belief that giving yourself permission to get just one meaningful thing done a day (as opposed to squeezing in 5, 10 or 1,000 things, many of which are not meaningful) will make you just as productive in the end as you already are -- if not more so. Doing just one thing a day can be as simple as sending a follow-up email to a person you met at a networking event, going out to dinner with a friend who needs company or showing yourself some love through 5-10 minutes of meditation. With all the multi-tasking and "have to do's" we often pile on ourselves, we can quickly fall prey to stress, depression and illness. So, I'm here to tell you (and myself!) that you not only have permission to get just one thing done each day, but when you execute that one thing -- you have permission to feel really good about what you've accomplished! That this one action you took for the day? Yeah, it's SO enough! And also, think about this for a sec: If you do just one thing a day that means you've executed 7 things in a week, up to 31 things in a month and 356 things in a year! Dude, that's a lot of things! Not only that, but each of one of those actions has the chance to lead to other opportunities, new connections and positive returns for you on a practical level and for your well-being. So, starting today, be mindful and thoughtful of what you ask of yourself each day. Look at your "I have to get all of these things done today otherwise I am a total failure" list, and if you don't have the time to do alllll of those things, don't stress! Take a few deep breaths, get some clarity and then pick just one thing from that list that you want to do, and do it. And that is enough for the day, my friend. Put a check in the win column cause you've earned it! Below are three categories of some basic "just one thing" suggestions that make me feel pretty accomplished when I only have time to do one of them in a day. There's always tomorrow, or the next day or the day after that to do more than just one thing when you have more time. And don't be surprised if down the road you discover that giving yourself permission to do just one thing a day brings you greater peace, a more positive outlook and leads to more than just one great thing for you and your creative work. 3 CATEGORIES OF EASY-BREEZY, MEANINGFUL & PRODUCTIVE "JUST ONE THING" A DAY IDEAS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER * 1. CAREER: Attending a networking event · Sending a follow-up email to someone you met at a networking event · Tweaking your LinkedIn profile · Requesting a reference on LinkedIn · Tweaking your resume · Writing a new blog post · Updating content on your website · Researching website builders for your new site · Researching contests, retreats or other opportunities for your writing project · Touching base with an industry expert for advice · Catching up on industry updates and articles · Jotting down a new story or script idea · Writing three pages of a new scene or story or character development 2. KINDNESS TO OTHERS: Sending a thank you email to someone who helped you · Donating to a cause · Volunteering to help a friend or an organization · Buying someone you don't know a cup of coffee · Offering to give someone a reference on LinkedIn · Offering your expertise to someone over email, a phone call or coffee 3. SELF-CARE: 10-30 minutes of meditation · Massage · Yoga class · 30-minute run · Taking a snoozy afternoon nap · Losing yourself in a delightful book · Treating yourself to a nice dinner out or a delicious glass of wine or a feel-good movie or show · Soaking in a yummy Dr. Teals bubble bath before bed · Planning a vacation · Taking a quick, easy day trip or getaway · Dancing like a maniac in your living room · Taking a walk with no particular destination * Got any other ideas to add to these categories? Feel free to leave them in the comments below, and I'll add 'em in! 1/21/2018 0 Comments Got (Another) Minute...or Two?I'm SO proud to once again be part of the One-Minute Play Festival (1MPF) at one of my favorite venues in the city, the New Ohio Theatre! A community of over 220 artists will create two shows (Series A & Series B) over the course of four evenings. My two pieces are included in Series A and will be performed on Tuesday, Jan. 23 and Wednesday, Jan.24 at 8PM. All seats are $20. For reservations and information, please click here. 1MPF is a community-engaged project that examines the zeitgeist of different communities. And could we be living in a more zeitgeisty time than now?! The work performed at the 1MPF is about what the group has to say, not what one individual says. It's about community impulse, articulation, and conversation. It's super fun, super fast, and a lot of information; however, it's always an accurate reflection of what we care about, our relationship to each other, to our work and to our civic practice. It's a chance to ask questions, answer some others, to present the complexity of human interactions and to go wide and deep. Please swing by if you get the chance. You'll have a great time! Did you know that January 20th is "Art Action Day?" Learn more about The Federation -- the coalition behind this global initiative -- in my in-depth interview for The Clyde Fitch Report with The Federation Co-Founder Tanya Selvaratnam.
Happy 2018 everybody! Like a lot of people, I had a number of ideas for resolutions for the new year. In deciding what I would do differently and better, though, I wanted to be extra mindful to choose goals that also had deeper meaning. One of those resolutions included being more proactive about sharing information with fellow creative hybrids out there based on my writing and business experience. In that spirit, I am excited to announce that I am initiating a series called "Tips To Go," which I'll publish here from time to time. TTG will offer quick take aways on topics where I feel I have some worthwhile information to pass along. Because, the truth is, we all have some expertise in one or more things, right? But we get so shortsighted about our skills and experience sometimes, we can forget that the knowledge we've accrued is unique. For this first installment of TTG, I'd like to pass along a bit of basic insight on how to pursue getting the rights to a published work that is not in the public domain. TTG is about being quick and informative, so I'll always distill my advice down to just 3 digestible and actionable suggestions. In this case, those are: 1. First, and super important -- If you have found your dream source material and you hear a voice in your head saying, "Don't even bother, you'll never get the rights" do NOT listen to that voice! Push through! I heard that voice loud and clear when I decided I wanted to adapt Mad Libs into a kids musical. Had I listened to that voice, I never would have achieved an Off-Broadway production, gotten the show acquired for licensing by a top agency and had a cast album that got picked up by a major record label. 2. Get these books now! I relied on them heavily when pitching my proposal to the Mad Libs publisher to acquire the rights for Mad Libs Live!:
Extra TTG Tip: If you're not already a member of The Dramatists Guild, JOIN! Being part of the Guild will provide you with useful tools, such as sample contract templates, and perhaps even a little legal advice, along with a community of writers, some of whom may also have some useful info to share on this and other topics. 3. Read this article by Seth Bockley about his experiences seeking the rights to adapt copyrighted source material. And here are also some tips on Ken Davenport's blog The Producer's Perspective. CLOSING TIP: Be prepared to possibly be in this for the (somewhat) long haul, depending on the source material. Acquiring the rights to a property can take time, especially if this is your first time going through the process. You are probably not top of mind for either the estate or the publisher, so be prepared to be persistent and proactive. And also know that the various people you deal with during the process may come and go, so you may encounter setbacks. BUT, if you love the project and are hell-bent on investing the time to make it happen, then it is absolutely worth pursuing! You will learn as you go no matter what, so I can assure you that it will not be a waste of time, even if you don't achieve your desired results. If it doesn't work out this time, hey, you'll know better for next time, right? But if you can keep the faith, give yourself permission to ask questions and get help where you can, I promise you, you will set yourself up for success in 2018...and beyond! Now, go get 'em! And if YOU have additional info on this topic that you'd like to share, please feel free to include it in the comments section. |
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