You Can't Get Something for Nothing.... aka There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch...

Those of you who know me, know that I do a lot of volunteering. I generally enjoy it and much of my volunteering has also paid me in other ways - experience, friendships, skill development, artistic satisfaction, etc... Because of the work I have done volunteering or free of charge (like this blog when I use it in support of Edmonton Theatre) has started to bring requests from people for more.

Some of these requests are very flattering and even exciting.  Being asked to work on a show by someone you respect and on a project that you feel challenged and inspired by is very cool.  Being asked to be a part of a Board or Committee that contributes to an enriched experience for artists and their audiences can be amazing. I do not want those requests to stop. I always hope when I ask people to work on my shows that they know that I am asking because I respect their talent AND that I think the artistic pay-off for them will make it worth their while.  I understand when people say 'no' because it's unpaid and there are people that I only ask when I know that there can be some sort of financial compensation because it is their livelihood. I know that people are doing me a favour working on my project, and I work hard to make sure that it is a positive and fulfilling experience for them. I believe in quid pro quo.  There are times when I am asked and I know that it is more to help someone out - a friend, someone who has talent but not a lot of experience, someone who needs a leg up - it may not be an activity that is particularly gratifying for me in action, but the gratification comes from helping someone to develop and grow.  They are also usually someone that I feel has a level of respect for me and that I know well enough to know that they have talent that I want to invest my time in. Usually when this happens, there is also a level of 'thank you' that makes it even more worthwhile.

But over the last couple of years something weird started happening.  I started to get requests from people that I barely knew, or people that I didn't even know at all, to help them.  I have been asked to promote a company I know nothing about, to meet to 'pick my brain about how to produce a show', to act as a casting agent for an unpaid workshop of a new play that I haven't read for a playwright I have never met - all without any offer of compensation - not even a free coffee. I wonder at the chutzpah of these people.  Some of them have been referred to me by a mutual friend.  I wonder at my 'friends' who blithely give my name and contact information out.  I know when I refer someone I tend to contact my friend first and ask if it is okay if I connect them to another person. But people need to know that just because someone volunteers this does not mean that their time and skills are free for anyone to use.  That is a bit insulting.

I guess the bottom-line is that, while I like to volunteer, I also like to choose my projects.  I not only want to work on something challenging and exciting, but I also want to work with people who respect me and are generally fun to work with.  Just because I might work for free on one thing does not mean that my time is up for grabs.  I continue to be involved in Board Work for various organizations and I love this. I will work the occasional casino because I know how far that funding goes. I have a project that I am working on in the fall that I am very excited by and it is volunteer but I anticipate that I will be paid artistically.  I want the opportunities to keep coming in, but I do want them to be relevant and meaningful.  What I do not want is to feel used and taken for granted. I don't think any volunteer does.

Checking in with the Girls at Full Monty...

Yesterday was a grumpy day for me.  Some emails turned a lovely day into a really annoying one.  I mastered the delete button and tried to keep it at bay, but the 'issue' was literally something that would have been solved in less than 5 minutes by anyone in the building (that's how long it took me to do it after I drove across the city). Anyhow, now I am getting myself worked up again. It's a lump in the oatmeal... I'll survive!

Anyhow, after that I attended a fabulous meeting of the Fringe Artist's Relations Committee.  I am excited for this year's festival and the team has some great energy and ideas that I think will be great for both artists and audiences!  Best new thing - a Fringe iphone App! Look it up - Edm Fringe.  A lot of the information is forthcoming as schedules are not finalized, but you can already tell how awesome this is going to be in application! Play in a Day is also returning - yay! I really liked the energy in the room as we talked of awards, and closing ceremonies and artist accessibility for feedback.  Also in the works are workshops and forums and all sorts of good things!

The day was rounded out by a date with the lovely ladies, Anne Marie Szucs and Sally Hunt, to see The Full Monty. It was great to hang out and visit with AM and Sally.  AM was at the Tony Award Ceremonies in NY so we got to hear about that (how incredibly exciting!) and the shows that she saw. Sally and I haven't seen each other since Spelling Bee closed so it was great to see her and talk about potential future projects.  I still miss the Bees! The three of us had fun - chair dancing during the scene changes and figuring out when to cover our eyes so we didn't see any of the 'bits'. Show highlights? I absolutely loved my friend Francie Goodwin-Davies as the chain smoking Jeanette.  I swear, with Francie in that role, you could base a whole show on that character.  She was hysterical and literally stole the show for me.  I was also blown away by Orville Charles Cameron as Horse.  Not only did he have amazing vocals, but an incredible stage presence.  His number, Big Black Man, was outstanding.  The third highlight for me was David Johnston as the awkward Malcolm singing You Walk With Me at his mother's funeral.  I have worked with David before and know that he has no trouble going big, but it was this beautiful, tender and quiet song that really impressed me.  It is not easy to take it down and have it pay-off as an actor in a musical, but he did, and it is simply lovely.

It's Coming - the First SkirtsAFire, herArts Festival! Want to help?

So I got this information today!  Knowing so many talented women in the Edmonton Theatre community I was excited to see this come to my in-box.  I love the idea of this festival and look forward to seeing what's on the ticket!  They are looking for people to help out - so check it out if you are interested in lending a hand!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Until March 7, 2013

Volunteers Needed to Help Ignite the Spark!

Edmonton’s newest festival, SkirtsAFire, herArts festival is in need of helping hands to launch its first season! FromMarch 7 to 10, Alberta Avenue (118th avenue) hosts a celebration and showcase of women’s stories and the female voice in art.

SkirtsAFire is looking for help leading up to and during the festival. Whether you can volunteer your time at the festival, a few hours stuffing envelopes, or one of your many valuable skills … as a wise woman once said, many hands make light work.

SkirtsAFire creates a platform for women writing, directing, designing, choreographing, painting and putting music to their own stories. SkirtsAFire aims to bring women together from all artistic disciplines, as well as mothers, leaders, philanthropists, workers and students to share in our vision and stories.

For more information about volunteering, or for information about the festival itself, please visit skirtsafire.wordpress.com.

A Thank You is always a Welcome Surprise!

For those who know me, the idea that I volunteer a lot is not a surprise.  I spend most of that time volunteering in theatre areas, but I have also volunteered at my sons' school for 6 years.  Recognizing the immense value of casinos, I have done those for organizations who put the word out (again, mostly theatre organizations - I kind of have a niche).  In my theatre roles, I do a variety of things, directing, acting, painting, Board work, whatever fits that I think I have the skills for. I get rewarded with enjoying the tasks, meeting great people, developing skills. For the school, I primarily do Child Check.  Child Check is a system in place to phone all the absent kids who have not been formally excused by a parent phone call.  This is to ensure that they are somewhere - not lost, injured or snatched on the way to school.  99.9% of the time the parent has forgotten to call or they are on their way.  It's a good system for a city school.  I have been doing this, as I said, for 6 years.  I also do field trips, casinos, and all that sort of stuff for the school.  I don't feel like I do a whole lot.  It's one day a week and the occasional extra day, BUT, when I went in on Friday I was presented with a certificate for Volunteer of the Year for the school!  Woot! Woot!  It's nice to get a thank you and to be noticed.  I will enjoy my certificate and the window sticker for my van and feel good about the last 3 days of Child Check for the school year!

Taking My Theatre Volunteering Out of the Walterdale...

This season is going to be interesting... that's what I keep telling myself. I already feel the lull between projects. This is something I hadn't felt for the last 2 1/2 years because there was always something to do with Walterdale. Even if I didn't have an active project on the go I often needed to be helping in coordinating upcoming events and helping others to fill out their teams. There was little down time. I liked that. But this season will be different. Night Music wrapped up and my class at the U of A was on the go - so there was that. I threw in an audition (which I will admit was not up to my best - too tired from Night Music at the time and woefully unprepared). I also signed up for Shadow Theatre's casino and for working FOH for NLT's first show of the season, Heroine. After all, there are many theatres in the city who benefit from volunteers and, hey, I got the time.

The Casino was fun. Worked a shift with a couple of friends and some other nice people. I generally find casinos pretty easy work, although late at night, and I love counting the money (I know, it's weird - but I love working the money counter!). I will be working a casino for Theatre Yes this week. I think casinos are so easy compared to the alternative (BINGO - Shudder).

Last night I worked the FOH shift. It was the simplest volunteer shift I have ever worked in my life. Literally 20 minutes of tearing tickets and I got to sit in and watch the show. Not bad. The show was interesting. A little more exposition in the script than I was expecting, but well performed and it's kind of cool to see women sword fighting instead of just guys. I imagine it was an arduous physical rehearsal process. Not only were they sword fighting, but they rolled around, fought hand to hand and climbed the set in various configurations. The piece was an interesting juxtaposition of the two pirate women (Ann Bonny and Mary Read) who chose unconventional ways to live in a man's world. Similar life choices, but done in very different ways, with Bonny living as a blood thirsty woman and Read disguising herself as a man. Interestingly enough, Read seemed more feminine (or what we might think of as traditionally feminine) - she was quiet and mannerly whilst Bonny was lusty and loud and aggressive.

Anyhow, I was glad to help out. It's time to step outside, I think.

Right Fit

Last night was the first Tech Dress for Rabbit Hole. It is coming together beautifully. We have some tweaks to do yet, but it is in fine shape. It has been a nice journey, despite hiccups. One actors has suffered unpredictable illness and we had to move quickly to incorporate an understudy into the production. Fortunately that has been smoother than you might think. Last night's run proved that. We have a nice team right now, one that seems to fit together well and understand how they fit into the show as a whole. The actors have to be fairly vulnerable, so the have the freedom to be that way when they do not have to worry about all the other details. Thankfully we have a cohesive team working to make that happen.

Last night I got to see my show again after almost a week. My notes were few, and all were fixable. I felt comfortable with everyone in the space and really, that is what makes volunteering so much more than just volunteering - working with friends that you trust to be able to do their job and like being around.

A Nice Clean Place to Play...

Because Oliver was in Zoo Camp this week, I had been arriving very early at the Fringe Site to avoid going home way up North and back down South to Strathcona again. What's the point of all that driving? Instead I would do a few errands and then head over to the site. Sometimes I would even get out of paying for parking because the booth wasn't set up yet. I always had my $5 ready, but on 2 of the days there was no one to hand it to. That was nice. Then I would head to Chapters, or the Strathcona Library or Shoppers or walk around Whyte and kill time until my show (usually around 12 noon). The most important thing I saw when I got there so early was the gang of Volunteers cleaning up the site. Those people, with their rakes and gloves and garbage bags, are the real stars of the Fringe. You'd be disgusted by what is left on the site each night if you saw it at 9:30 a.m. the next morning and thanks to those volunteers who took on the messiest and most unpleasant of jobs, you didn't have to see it. Kudos to the volunteers of the Fringe! We forget about all those people who put in so much of their time to make that tremendous festival happen. It's not just the clean-up crew, but the beer tent workers, the box office personnel and ushers, the information booth people and many, many more. I cannot imagine how many volunteers it takes to do it all.

Ouch...

My throat hurts. It felt a little hoarse yesterday, but I thought that was just 2 very late nights at Walterdale (Friday - getting ready for the Open House and AGM, and Saturday - the actual Open House and AGM). I wasn't worried until this morning. Now, just after supper and I am in quite a bit of pain. I am supposed to rehearse Sweeney and my number for the Sweeney Fundraiser tomorrow. I will dose myself with Tylenol and Ibuprofen and hope for the best. The song I am doing is a big sing, and tomorrow may be the only chance I get to rehearse before the Fundraiser so I do not want to waste it.

The Open House and AGM went really well. We estimated 100-200 people through the Open House. I don't know who counted, but someone threw those numbers out. I think we were closer to the 100 figure, but it was quite busy between 12:30 and 2:30 so who knows? We handed out many, many season brochures and Jimmy Dean Flyers so hopefully the personal touch sells a few tickets. I was pleased with the AGM. The Musical Season Announcement went over very well and from my perspective everything ran very smoothly. A couple of tense questions from the floor but we answered. The questions were tense because they implied 'the Board' is not doing much for the theatre and I really don't know how I could work much harder without neglecting my children and business. I am invested in Walterdale, so when someone questions my dedication I kind of get my back up. It was likely not personal, but even as a group I know that we work hard. That kind of attitude of ingratitude is what makes people quit. When you know you have been working really hard and someone come sup and just lists all the things you haven't done and the mistakes you've made, it kind of makes you feel like 'what is the point?'. Anyhow, it was a good evening and I know what is going on and what I am doing, so I am going to just enjoy the success of the day.

New Horizons...

Met with CK of Artstart today. I will be volunteer teaching/directing a drama class for youth in the inner city who might not have access to arts education otherwise. Today was an 'information' exchange... what the class would be... when was I available. It felt good. It will allow me to teach a bit (younger kids than I am used to, but that's alright) and direct and work with new people. I will also be volunteering in the arts, which I do already, but this feels like a little less self-interested volunteer. I am looking forward to it.