Working our little butts off. An update blog from our Artistic Director!

Photo of Katie by Rich SoubletHi friends! 

I owe you a personal blog, especially since I’ve been lacking on the blog updates since Arizona.  Once we start our production schedule for the Season of Science I look forward to getting back into the swing of consistent updates and reflective posts on our work.  We’re very excited and proud of our upcoming season, and producing our work on the La Jolla Playhouse’s stages is a dream come true.  I would be a fool not to document all of the exciting goings-ons around the residency and beyond. 

“Red Planet Respite” rehearsals are approaching quickly, and I am in the middle of one of the biggest feedback/rewriting sessions I’ve tackled for an original work, and we have time and perspective to thank for that.  Since Circle started in 2010, time has not always been my friend.  Having the time to reflect on a production and work out the kinks of a script excites me greatly, and I realize that I need to prioritize it in the future.  With the help of some incredible people and advice- I believe “Red Planet Respite” will be my strongest written piece yet. 

One of the hardest things I’ve discovered about starting a theatre company doesn’t have anything to do with the theatre.  It’s the whole “having money to produce and pay artists” thing that really mucks things up.  If we were a business, for example, where everyone that worked with us could survive on what we’re doing- I’d have the time I need to work on my scripts, AND be able to hire local writers to develop Community-inspired pieces for/with us as well.    We just aren’t there yet and this can be frustrating.  It takes time, I know that.  Especially if you’re coming from a place where you have nothing to begin with.  Despite what some may think, our company is not made up of very wealthy people.  We each have jobs on top of the company, and we’ll keep doing that until we gain the resources, grants, and figure out this whole running a sustainable business thing. 

We’re in a great place.  I’m not a very patient person, and I’m also incredibly hard on myself.  It’s valuable to take stock in your progress and I’m trying to be better about that.  Since we obtained our Non-Profit license in October we worked hard to assemble a Board that could help take us to the next level.  We think we’ve organized exactly that, and after a handful of meetings with the brilliant group I can’t believe how lucky we are.  I can honestly say our Board is full of bright, energized, compassionate folks that have believed in CCdd from the beginning.  I know they want us to succeed, and having that extra boost has rejuvenated our spirit. 

Also, we recognize that getting the LJP residency is a really big deal; especially since we’re such a young organization.  It will be a great chance for us to reflect on our work and harness mentorship opportunities with some incredible art-makers.  Having the opportunity to have the Literary Manager at the La Jolla Playhouse read and provide feedback to my script ruled the universe.  I mean, how many young playwrights get chances like that? 

So I hope our fans know that this whole stab at hosting a generously-sized fundraiser is coming from the motivated dream of doing more, making better, buying time, and finding our legs on the business-side of things.  Reviews, audiences, collaborations, and residences are showing us that what we do is worth it.  People like our work.  People want our voice to rise up, and want us to stick around.  They wouldn’t show up if they didn’t.  And up until this point that has been enough….but we need to find a way to take care of ourselves as well.  Our productions have all been volunteer-based because the artists we work with believe in the work.  But that’s not fair forever.  These beautiful artists working on our projects deserve to be compensated because they are beyond worth it. 

Patrick Kelly, our Technical Director who spends hours both alone and with volunteers in a theatre building and painting our sets around the clock should be able to purchase the tools and stock he needs to make the designs of his dreams.  And he should be able to pay a crew to help him make it happen. Or Soroya, our Outreach Coordinator and Party Planner should be paid an hourly wage for her amazing work in connecting to our community.  She shouldn’t have to spend late nights organizing our supplies, or digging into her own pocket to pay for things the company needs- something we each do constantly. 

We want to move past this.  We want to get bigger.  We’re working our asses off to make that happen.  We’re writing grants, coming up with classes to offer, creating shows that have legs for school assemblies or more.  We’re looking at sustainability as a great goal and we’re ready to try everything we must to get there. 

This month’s fundraiser is on that list.  And while the name of it is “10k or Bust” the bust is not related to CCdd- just the goal.  We don’t know if our fans have the money to support us in this way at this time, and you know what?  That’s ok.  Maybe this will be a “bust” for us.  Like all of our Morp fundraisers were.  (Yes that’s why there is no Morp this year).  It’s ok to fail; it’s not ok to not try. 

So that’s why.  We’re freaking trying.  We hope you know this isn’t the only thing we’re trying, and we would never wait idly by for you to make us work.  We want to work for you.  We want to provide beautiful original, inspiring art that you can’t wait to be part of.  We want to transform the way you look at theatre, and inevitably life.  But damnit…we need money in order to do it. 

This month may be annoying on our pages, and I hope you’ll understand why.  We’ve got to do everything we can to hit our fundraising goals- and that includes 3 fun social events to help push us to 10K (check out our first event here)!  So we hope you’ll understand where we’re coming from on this.  And, if you like us, if you care, or more importantly if you CAN- please support us friends.  Sharing our posts on social media is wonderful, coming and having a glass of wine or dinner at one of our bar-raiser events within the next four weeks is fabulous, and giving to the campaign- even $5, will make all the difference in the world of CCdd this season.

Click here to contribute to our 'Season of Science' Fundraising campaign!

Thanks for reading lovelies.  Happiest Pride weekend to all! 

Xoxo,

Katie Harroff  

Hey blog reader? You get a special treat!

If you stop by to check this page frequently...you get a special treat!  Here's our Season Announcement (coming to everyone else tomorrow) just for you!:  

A Pledge to Serve You, San Diego

Last weekend we attended the TCG (Theater Communications Group) Conference hosted here in San Diego.  We were apprehensive at first, picturing ourselves walking into a highschool cafeteria situation, sitting in our corner of freaks while the cool kids rocked out together.  Why is this?  Well, first off we were one of the smallest companies in attendance and second while the conference's official theme was "crossing borders" the more over-powering theme seemed to be: money.  On day one rather than joining our fellow artists in a celebration of the art form we love, we were divided into groups by race and budget.  This forced a division amongst attendees that many of us felt was unnecessary.  Yes funding is an important discussion, as is recognizing our differences, but highlighting those so much throughout the conference in such a forced way caused an uncomfortable atmosphere that made many attendees question if they would return after that first day.  But my registration fee was paid and I was not going to give up.  

Like any conference it can be hard to find the right session to attend.  The vague titles and unclear descriptions made it difficult to create a plan that would prove beneficial.  In my time at the conference I had some great discussions with people I would never have met otherwise.  I learned about several interesting funding opportunities and some great organizational advice.  Much of this took place outside of the conference programming however, so at moments I wondered if I could have had the same experience if I had just showed up and hung out in the hallways of the Hilton rather than actually registering.  There was one panel that was truly special.  It was called "2042: Imagining the Future for Young Administrators in Theatre".  We entered the room on the final morning of the conference and found ourselves in a large circle of 50 or so people who were either young in terms of age or young in terms of time in their career. Not divided by race, gender, sexuality, or budget.  Just people eager to learn and talk about the state of theater in the US. We broke into smaller group discussions led by our wonderful and upbeat panel leaders.  In these groups we discussed how were are perceived in the industry, how we can avoid burn out, how we can help bridge the gaps between us and the old guard.  We just talked and everyone felt welcome and appreciated.    We talked and made new friends and discovered new ways to succeed.  We talked until we had to end and everyone wished it would just keep going.  The funny part is that the conference had attempted to eliminate this panel from the schedule.  It's hard to believe that a session that proved to mean so much to the future leaders of our art form would be so undervalued by TCG and hidden away at the end of the conference. On the positive side, I will continue the relationships I made there and try my best to keep the discussions going.

I recognize that running a non profit in the US requires a lot of time and forethought focused on financial stability.  But I can't help feeling that gearing most things to million dollar (and over) budgets left the have not's a bit lost last weekend.  Many of the largest theater companies today began in basements, beaches, parks, dirt lots, and store fronts with the simple mission of providing opportunities for new artists and give art to their local communities.  While a remembrance of this was echoed in the final plannery through the powerful words of 30+ historical theater creators who strove to provide art to our nation; the conference itself seemed to avoid the fact that such endeavours still exist today.  That small organizations who struggle constantly to afford their productions also hold the future of American Theater in their hands.  At a time when the main discussion is how we can diversify our audience base (a problem we at Circle luckily don't face thanks to you out there reading this) you would think a conference themed for diversity and inclusion would attempt to mentor and welcome small companies a bit more and try to provide programming that would bring us together rather than push us apart.

All ranting aside I must say that the weekend was an important experience for me.  It was nice to step away from everyday busy life for a bit and be around like-minded people talking about theater.  I'm not the best at the whole networking thing, but I felt this situation helped me improve on that.  I did gain some knowledge that will serve me well and I think that if the conference comes to your town next and you intend to work in theater administration you should definitely try to attend. 

So, emboldened by this new experience and as our 4th and largest season looms before us, we at Circle Circle dot dot would like to make a pledge to you.  We pledge to continue creating interesting, challenging, thought-provoking, fascinating, diverse, beautiful, original, and entertaining art. We will produce work that records a layered modern narrative and entices new audiences by reflecting their lives onstage.  We will share more real stories to give you a glimpse beyond borders.  We will take every opportunity to work with and lift up our fellow arts institutions so that San Diego can grow to an even greater cultural center.  We will strive to be a source of  learning, opportunity, and escape. And most importantly we will all have fun!

-Patrick Kelly, Managing Director of Circle Circle dot dot. 

We owe you a big ol' blog!

Where have we been?  Closing 'No Place Like Home', attending the TCG Conference, planning our Season of Science at the La Jolla Playhouse, and a whole lot more!  

Look ya'll we promise you'll be sick of us real soon.  In the meantime, here's a cat sitting in a chair:  

Katie on Her Part in "No Place Like Home" and more.

Katie in "No Place Like Home" by Rich Soubl

It’s been about a month since I’ve blathered on and on for this blog, and there is beyond plenty to talk about.  I want to thank the sweet friends and fans that have let me know that they “miss the AZ Journal entries”.  Soroya and I were pretty consistent in posting and were excited to share our new adventure and had time to- whereas the Company blog can be a little difficult to update sometimes.  Not that we don’t want to update- we freaking do, and we’ll ALWAYS try to do it once a week- but when you’re in the middle of producing/performing in productions sometimes it gets hard.  But blah blah blah, this isn’t a blog about blogs.  This is a blog about the great work we get to do, so excuse my excuses and let’s carry on.

So for those that don’t really follow anything we do online- I am currently playing a big part in Soroya Rowley & Andrew Steele's musical “No Place Like Home” at the beautiful OB Playhouse.  We have two weekends of performances left, and I really hope you get a chance to catch it.  I love the piece, and I think Soroya has done such an exceptional job writing/staging it, and Andrew is my new hero for providing an incredible soundtrack to sing with and the expertise in training us to do so beautifully.  And while the subject may be bleak- the story is uplifting, and often quite charming from our audience’s standpoint. 

The other day, a friend asked me “What do you like more: writing, directing, or acting in your companies’ work?”  He had gathered that since I hadn’t really been on stage in over a year that my preference must be writing/directing.  But honestly, I don’t think I have a favorite.  If you ask most Theatre professionals in the business, this might be the wrong way to be a Theatre artist.  I should figure out what one thing I want and do THAT.  Well nuts to that.  I don’t agree.  Especially when it comes to Community-Based Theatre. I want to do it all, damnit.  I love all of it, it’s all important- I want to do it all. 

And to me THAT’S what makes Circle’s work exciting.  For the past 3 years I have taken on the role of mostly writing/directing for our company.  But as long as I am participating I feel fulfilled.  As long as I take some part in telling the important stories of the community members that were brave enough to share…I am working towards my personal mission as an artist, which is to simply provide a voice, and a conversation to a different aspect of life.  I don’t need to be in charge…I just need to be involved. 

When Soroya asked me to play Daisy in “No Place Like Home” I felt excitement and fear.  It’s the fear part that’s telling me I’m doing the right things…if you don’t feel that fear it’s safe.  Safe art is dead art.

Community-Based Theatre is not like the theatre you’re used to, and it’s very rarely safe.  Our work is ever-evolving, ever-changing, and no matter how “unrealistic” a plot may seem to you when you watch our shows- its main foundation is based in truth!  Our pieces aren’t asking our audiences to decide if what our characters have done/are doing is right or wrong- its simple goal is to say “THIS is happening in our world.  What do you think about it?”  And to allow that question to sink into you while we take a story on with entertaining qualities that help aide in the telling of it- puppetry, dance, surrealism, and now a musical- we’ll do whatever it takes to tell a story.  Our shows are not laced in years of rewrites.  Our pieces are not historical vessels that are part of the theatrical cannon that represent the wealthy white male voice of the past.  Our pieces are immediate, relevant to NOW, and hopefully to you- our audience.  Because of this, whatever role I get to play in CCdd’s work- I am a fulfilled artist.   

“No Place Like Home” has a dynamo cast of incredible talent- and I’m not biased because I’m in it.  Taylor Wycoff can sing anyone under a table and plays her role Mary with delicacy and love.  Patrick Kelly is a beast as Gabe.  I get a front row seat to his killer solo “Telemarketing”, and every night I want to stand and cheer for his performance.  Michael Nieto is quickly becoming one of CCdd’s favorite people with his ability to jump into anything, and for ‘No Place…’ he plays 3 instruments, and several characters with strength and guile.  Stacey Hardke is new to the CCdd world, and we hope she never leaves; she’s a star and a scene-stealer with her fabulous choices and mad accordion skills.  Andrew Steele is a rock star God simple as that.   He deserves our worship.  And Jon Huckaby, one of the best people I know on earth, also manages to be a fantastic singer/actor, and is getting the much-deserved critical acclaim to show for it. 

And then there is me.  Wedged into the work and trying to catch up.  I’m breathless and sweaty, and feel like a ridiculous person next to this talented crew- but that’s my dusty actor insecurities talking.  I love doing this.  I love this show. 

Soroya Rowley has killed it in her directorial debut.  I still can’t believe I’m lucky enough to be a part of it.  Or lucky enough to have this magical company where I get to do what I’ve always wanted as an artist in the first place.  My heart is happy.  My spirit is souring.  “No Place Like Home” and its beautiful messages are to thank.  Please come see.  We hope you love what we’re doing as much as we do. 

-Katie Harroff

Artistic Director, CCdd

Click here for tickets to NO PLACE LIKE HOME!