Jimmy Dean Auditions - part 1

I sat in on the first half of the Jimmy Dean Auditions yesterday. Though the turn-out wasn't huge, it was respectable, and those that did audition were very good. Walterdale certainly has some strong actors in it's membership. To be fair, some of the auditioners were new to Walterdale, but that's a good thing. It means that the membership will grow in size and depth, as I am sure some of the newcomers have a good chance at being cast. We have another round of auditions tonight (anyone is welcome to come out and we will fit you in) and I encourage anyone who wants to be a part of a strong cast to come out. If last night is any indication of what we have to work with, this is going to be a great show! I do not envy Wendi Pope (the director) the job of casting this show as she is going to have to say no to some great people.

Auditions - this weekend!

It's not too late. Auditions for Jimmy Dean are this weekend. Lots of good women's roles (plus one for a guy) and a great director!

Dates and Times and Things to Do...

Board meeting last night. it is a bit of a challenge to wear both hats, but I try to get all my A.D. material done and in my report so that I can focus on the Secretarial duties while at the meeting. The report works like a bit of a checklist for myself as well, because in it I can see what I have done and what is still on the to-do or pending list. One of the big things I am working on is compiling a calendar for the 2 years of my term so that I can hand that to the next A.D. so that they might have a framework from which to approach the theatre. I have a skeletal calendar framed out and gradually I am filling up the days with items as they come. I am also using this as a communication tool with the Directors so that they can see at a glance what is in the space. I don't want them to have any unhappy surprises that will affect their diligent planning!

We have some exciting ideas for membership/community development. One of the ongoing refrains we hear from our members is the need for ongoing social activity in addition to the shows. A member may not be in a show every year, but they still want to see other members. So, we hope to revisit a more social atmosphere at the AGM, as well as incorporating "play reading parties" and a Christmas Variety Show. These are on the table, in any case. The next big thing will be a Season Wrap Party. Stay tuned!

Working on Selling the Season

I met to day with the young man who will be designing our artwork used in promotional materials for the next season. We tracked through the 6 shows and shared ideas and he has some nice preliminary ideas for the images required for the brochure, posters and marquee. I got a great feeling about him and he seems really enthusiastic about the work so I feel good! Randy was great in setting it up and walking me through what was required. I do admit, PR is my gray area in theatre. I truly value the help. If all goes well, the brochures will be done in time for You're a Good Man Charlie Brown! and maybe we will even have magnets (Oooooo!). I did find it funny that the show that gave me the most challenge was Whorehouse. Randy said that wasn't surprising, because it was the one I was directing so I had more of a vested interest. Made sense when you think about it. I just hope all the directors are happy with the concepts he develops...

Patience and Understanding...

Walterdale is a true community theatre. That means that aside from our part-time Administrator everyone who works on the shows at Walterdale is a member volunteer. Most of the membership have jobs. Many of them are in other theatre projects as they attempt to start a career. Most of them have family obligations that take up their time. However, sometimes we forget that. When we send an email we want a response right away, not thinking that maybe that person is picking up their kids from school, or at work in Starbucks, or in rehearsal. When we leave a phone message at the theatre on Friday we forget that the Administrator is only in on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays and no one checks the messages until he gets in. We forget that the people we want to reach might be busy painting a set or trying to find a lighting operator. We need things to get done, but we need to have patience and understanding.

Up to my Elbows...

Information on the auditions for Jimmy Dean are available here:

http://walterdaleplayhouse.com/?page_id=57

In the last three weeks I have dived into the work at Walterdale. There is always something to do. I am desperate for a timeline as I am discovering that I am always feeling like I am behind even though I am so new to the position. I have already started thinking about next season, as I think it would be valuable to have it put together earlier. I am glad that I will be directing the final show of this season so that I can use the first half of the season to get my feet on the ground. One thing I am also doing is keeping a calendar to organize the year. I can pass it along to whoever follows in my footsteps. It is nice to know when to do what!

I am also making mistakes and quickly learning how to fix them. This week I have learned to 'check the dates' - twice! Luckily the mistakes I have made are repairable. The learning curve is steep.

Wearing the hat...

This week I have likely spent over 20 hours on Walterdale work. Welcome to the position, I guess. Part of the time has been spent getting things done that will help me work less later on in the season. Part of that time has been spent in phone and email conversations with members currently working on productions (or starting the work) and trying to help them solve their problems.

Next week the newsletter will go out with the Season... but for a sneak peek...

The first show is Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean directed by Wendi Pope. It goes up in October and auditions will be mid June. Stay tuned for more details.