He who does not economize will have to agonize. -Confucius

Hi Cyber Friends! I know I'm late but here is my belated holiday gift to you all:

Great stuff for great prices! I, like you, am using some of the smaller holes on the belt this month... and next month... etc. Here are some amazing deals I've found through out the city to make your holiday season a little fuller for a great price!

Classes:

Primary Stages' ESPA

http://www.primarystages.org/ESPA

I can't say enough great things about ESPA. It's housed by Primary Stages, a company dedicated to developing new works and artists, and it shows. ESPA offers affordable classes in acting, writing and directing and, here's the part that'll really stuff your stocking, they let you create your own payment plan! This means you can pay what you want, when you want. You also get free master classes*. I had one with Judith Light that had a profound impact on my state of mind!

*You can attend the ESPA seminars even if you aren't a member and they're just $5!

The Anthropologists' Jam Sessions

http://www.theanthropologists.org/Training.html

A fantastic program from a fantastic group of ladies! Here's the nifty thing about Jam Sessions, you can work on whatever you want and The Anthros just ask that you chip in for space rental.

Shakespeare Workshops with Frog and Peach

http://www.frogandpeachtheatre.org/

The Frog & Peach Shakespeare workshops happen every Tuesday from 6-8 pm, at 236 W 78th St (2nd Fl, buzz StandUp). Right now we're all working on Hamlet. The schedule will probably expand after the new year to include an additional weekday evening. Discounts for company members!

Tickets:

Hip Tix

http://www.hiptix.com/

Walk, don't run, because I don't want you to get hurt, to sign up for Hip Tix. Tickets to all of Roundabout Theatre's shows for as little as $10! No foolin'!

Dramatists Guild

http://www.dramatistsguild.com/

If you're a writer, join DG. If you're a student, it's only $45/year otherwise it's $90/year and you definitely get your money's worth between free tickets, seminars, events and free legal advise. So yes, it's an investment, but a good one!

Primary Stages

When you're an ESPA student (see above), you get all sorts of free ticket offers for Broadway and off-Broadway! (Just be quick to respond because the tickets go fast!)

Drinks and food:

The Moosehead

45th between 8th and 9th

$3 buds!

Also, the stunning director for our upcoming staged reading works there!

Food Parc

http://www.foodparc.com/

Okay, this is the age of the computer for sure when you order your food in the restaurant by computer. You don't have to interact with a living soul here, but that's not what's awesome about this place. This is literally gourmet food for much less than gourmet prices. My first meal there was a black truffle and prosciutto sandwich for $8! I got a burger, fries and drink for under $10 a couple weeks ago and I'm telling you, this burger ain't no Mickey D's job.

Etc.:

Free Karaoke in the Heights

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125170320873785&ref=ts

Hosted by the captivating Travis Greisler (director of more than a few Ryan Scott Oliver shows!), Karaoke Night at No Parking on Mondays is free to sing and has $4.00 drink specials so you can get your nerve up to sing! The performers aren't the only ones putting on the show. Travis MC's from 10pm - 2am with an unending supply of energy and sass!

Bathroom spots in the city where you don't need to be a customer to use them and aren't icky(because you know you need this information):

The Westin Hotel in Times Square

Entrances between 7th and 8th on 42nd and 43rd Streets

located in the lobby by Bar 49

Just walk in like you're staying there!

Barnes and Noble Union Square

North side of Union Square

Third Floor by the Theatre Section (really!)

Shockingly clean and for some reason relatively unknown. It's always empty.

I think those are the only ones I can reveal on the world wide web without getting in trouble but if you need more let me know and I will discreetly tell!

Have more freebies or cheapies? Add them in the comments section!

"Cover your bases and your asses." - me

That's right, quoting myself today.

I've talked in the past about the business side of the business in terms of promoting and marketing yourself. Now, let's get clerical. Let's get bureaucratic. Let's get anal.

There's a lot of heresy in the theatre world and I attribute that to the tendency many of us have to use "verbal contracts" and trust each other. Since we think of theatre as a family, we tend to feel strangely about signing a contract or something similarly cold with someone we consider not just a coworker, but a friend. Most of the time we've worked with these people for years and years!

I will now write in all caps: ALWAYS HAVE A CONTRACT! ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS! ALWAYS LEAVE A PAPER TRAIL!

Contracts

A lot of people don't get themselves contracts if the work is non-union. It is even more important for you to get a contract in that case. You have no one to back you up, to represent you if the rights you've outlined with the company are violated. Here's a standard contract I had with an off-off Broadway company. They sent me a contract and then I sent back some changes I wanted to make and we signed. It's all boiler plate but necessary. (name of the company and dates blacked out)

Having this makes everything smoother. I know what is expected of me and due to me. Your relationship with the company will be better protected than if you chance getting into a feud over things you have to evidence you promised or were promised.

Receipts

I cannot stress enough the importance of receipts. It always shocks me when someone doesn't keep track of them. You can't expect anyone to give you something for nothing and most of the time, the board of a theater is the final say on this. Unlike your director, they don't know you and couldn't care less about your cell phone bill getting paid. Hold onto your receipts and make sure you know what they're for either by writing right on the receipt or keeping a detailed list. Know the date, know the reason, know the amount. And always make sure it states in your contract what you get reimbursed for.

Paper trails

We can't all be best friends all the time. People see events and situations differently. It is vital to hold onto all of your emails and voicemail. Say that a designer claims that you never told them they had to be at strike. You better be able to pull up the email you sent out detailing the strike protocol and their "K" response. (As a side note: things can get nasty very quickly over email. Always take the high road. It can be tough to choke down your indignation at someone calling your "an uptight bitch" but you'll be laughing later when you can show your artistic director how very civil your own response was.)

Be brilliant, be happy and cover your ass!

The kindness I have longest remembered has been of this sort, the sort unsaid; so far behind the speaker's lips that almost it already lay in my heart

quote by Henry David Thoreau

As a writer, it's what isn't said that fascinates me the most. I always strive in my writing to convey the true message that one character sends to another without saying it outright. Last night I saw "Never Let Me Go" and the more I think about the film, the more I realize the gravity of what the characters didn't say.

**SPOILER ALERT!!!***

Don't read any further if you don't want to read spoilers on this movie!

The more obvious words left unsaid were between Cathy (Carey Mulligan) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). The two are in love with one another from the time they're children. There are forces, their own insecurities and their friend Ruth, that keep them apart but eventually they finally get together. They have loved each other for most of their lives and are facing a tragically premature death (the writer's best friend is a deadline!). Their love is so clear but never do they say "I love you." I waited for it, half begging for the moment and half praying it wouldn't happen because it was so much more beautiful to leave it unspoken. They just experience it. And so we the audience do, too.

The second set of words unspoken took about 12 hours for me to recognize. I recently read an article in the times that EVERYONE should read. It's about a fascinating practice in Afghanistan in which families with all girls will have one of their daughters live her life as a boy until puberty or marriage. Many of the women who lived this way were heart broken when their rights as "men" were take away, but when asked if they had tried to disobey or flee their fate they responded like Mrs. Siddiqui, “It was my family’s desire, and we obey our families. It’s our culture.”

The connection to "Never Let Me Go" being that these young adults, who were cloned in order to be harvested for their organs to save naturally born humans, never once considered running away. They never even talked about it as an option. It didn't cross their minds. That says more about the world they lived in then if they put together a handy "Guide to this Parallel Universe."

The point is, when you're writing or directing or acting think about the things that are so innately true in your life that you never have to talk about them. What just is? You can tell us more by what you take for granted than by what you soliloquize.

When I walk into my boyfriend's apartment and immediately grab a glass from the dishwasher, two ice cubes, and orange juice and then hand it to him, that says about me is:

1) I know this apartment as well as my own so I spend a lot of time there

2) I know exactly what he wants to drink when he comes in the door and that's knowing someone well.

What that says about him is:

1) He's got that classic bachelor thing going where he has about 3 glasses that never make it to the shelf

2) He's letting me take care of him to some extent.

There's more that can be said about that moment especially when you add dialogue and the actors and director start layering on the blocking and playing the moments but that's a ground floor right there.

Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan in "Never Let Me Go"

(I heart her boots and hat)

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. ~Benjamin Franklin

He may have had syphilis and a girlfriend or two in Paris but Benny Franks knew about happiness. Everyone has times that are dark and as artists we hear "no" so often that we can become our own worst enemies to our happiness.

So this blog post is all about how to be your own cheerleader!

1. Keep a file of letters and cards

Whenever you apply for a school or grant and need a letter of recommendation, make a copy of it for yourself and save it in a file so you can look back at just how awesome people think you and your work are. I think my favorite letter is from my middle school choir director Anthony Sears in which he wrote "Alexandra is no "16-going-on-17" kind of student. She is more 17-going-on-Elaine-Stritch." Of course back in 2004 I had no idea what this meant but reading it now, I feel like a force to be reckoned with!

I also have a box filled with cards from friends, family, casts, etc. Everything from the corny "Bird-day" card to the loving poetry from my amazing dad to the heartfelt novels my gorgeous friend Ali Lukacsy squeezed into a 5"x7" cardstock canvas. I also have this amazing little piece of paper that has gotten me out of many a funk. In either sophomore or senior year of high school, my english teacher, Tracy Matozzo, had us pass around sheets of paper with our names on the top and everyone had to write something kind on each other's papers. Now, this is high school so you can bet that we were all super insecure and thought everyone else hated us. So to have these people I basically feared writing things like "Super Woman II" and "You are soooo cool. I can't explain HOW cool." was remarkable. Thanks so much for that, Tracy!

2. Happy Journal

Journals are usually for angst but I encourage you to keep a strictly "Happy Journal" that you write in whenever you are feeling effin' great or something wonderful happens to you. I have one journal that I have reserved strictly for this and write in it about once a year. (Okay, I admit it did start angsty but it got better!) Make sure to tell your future self how much you love you. It's something you tend to forget, how much you love yourself.

3. Your own personal "Rock my face off" song

Oh, I have many of these! If you have speakers, use them... loudly! Close your door and jump around your room! Sing into your brush! Scream into your pillow! (Make sure the blinds are closed so you don't end up on YouTube). And if it's late an night, make use of those headphones! Don't underestimate the power of the lyric "You gotta have Faith!!!" or how cleansing it is to scream "It's the Bitch of Living!!!" or get your oldies on with "Must be the devil in me, oh is this way love's supposed to be? It's like a Heatwave!!!"

And when you are lying on the floor sweating and catching your breath, just try to tell me you don't feel better. You won't be able to. Because you'll be out of breath.

4. Accomplish things

Do something that you know you can get done and will feel better for it. It can be as simple as cleaning your room or as in-depth as finishing a scene of your new play. (Oh crap, I've just remembered that I'm using this post to procrastinate on doing just that... oh well!) If you can look at something physical and know that you accomplished it, you'll get a very satisfying rush. And it's a total bonus if you're room is clean as well.

Here are a few things I recommend staying away from:

1. Movies

They make you sedentary in your sadness. If it's a romantic comedy, now you're lonely. If it's a thriller, now you're scared. If there's someone involved in it who's work you admire, now you feel like you suck. Step away from the netflicks!

2. Other people

I'm not saying to stay away from other people, I'm saying not to rely on other people. This is really life advice if we want to take it up to the bigger picture. Simply put, don't depend on other people to make you happy. Learn how to make yourself happy and then enjoy that happiness with others when you have the opportunity. But if you're texting people trying to get a pick me up from them, you'll most likely be disappointed when they're too busy to boost you up.

3. Junk Food

You're only going to feel worse when you can't move because your stomach is filled to bursting with salt 'n' pepper chips, cheddar cheese and oreos. And then you'll probably end up watching a movie and texting people.

I hope some of this helped you. Please remember to love yourself for all your fantastic qualities and especially for those lovely flaws that make you fallible and, therefore, human.

Public service portion of this post: there is a difference between being in a rut and truly being depressed. If you are thinking of hurting yourself please get some help. It's never easy but you have nothing to lose but the pain.

Be brilliant, be happy! (very very happy!)

I can make more generals, but horses cost money. -Abraham Lincoln

Amen, Mr. President! Okay, we're all artists here and we're doing it for the love of theatre and blah blah blah. I get it. No one is insane enough to stay in this business without loving it. That's well established. And, of course, I'm in that leaky boat with ya, kids! I sacrifice like crazy for my art but what I want to help you with in this post is how to spend as little as you possibly can and get as much as you possibly can when you're putting up your own show.

Mark and I spent a grand total of $344.04 in April on our first reading of Tangled.

How did we do that???

Go grab your carpet squares and gather round and I'll tell you.

1. First things first, figure out exactly what you want to do and why. Mark and I wanted to have a concert style reading with refreshments to follow in order to start getting the word out about our show and court a few important people. Make very clear goals and be very clear about the format that will support those goals. If it is your first time out, I would highly suggest a reading. It allows you to see what you've got at a low price and with minimal rehearsal time.

2. Second things second, figure out how much you can spend WITH PADDING. This means if you have $500 don't plan on spending $500. Plan on spending $430 and leave $70 for the random stuff that is going to crop up like that one extra hour of rehearsal space or that hat that Miss Stockaracter just has to have. Mark and I started with $400 and projected a cost of $350.

3. Once you have a budget, make up a budget sheet. I've found that this is ESSENTIAL to staying on budget and staying aware of what's spent. Go into Excel and create five columns: item, projected cost, actual cost, money spent, and notes.

Items: rehearsal space costs, AEA reimbursements, printing, food, etc.

Projected cost: what you believe each item will cost

Actual cost: the quote you receive

Money spent: keep track of what's left your wallet!

Notes: useful for thank you cards and remembering why you did that

Here's mine for the April reading:

4. Time to make like an artist and get creative.

Priorities: What can you absolutely not do without? We decided our big ticket item would be our performance space. We could have gotten free space on Long Island or less expensive space downtown but we wanted to stay in midtown where our VIPs were and we wanted to be able to say we were doing it at MTC, even if it was in a studio, having the name definitely got a few people there.

Make it stretch: Despite the space being our big ticket item it was actually quite innovative of us. We didn't have to shell out $500 for a gross looking theatre but instead spent $135 for a rehearsal space and organized it to make it into a performance space by redirecting the track lighting and creating an entrance, performance space, house space and reception area. Here's my sketch from our first walk through (definitely not to scale and possibly not legible):

Favors: Don't be afraid to ask where appropriate. My dad has an office so I asked him to print our programs. Since they 8.5"x5.5" we were able to print two to a page so he basically donated 50 sheets of printed paper. My lovely roommate baked some gourmet grade cookies (I'm serious, they will kick the A-double-S of any bakery in town) and my friend Adelle made dips and my mom donated crackers and a few cheap bottles of wine.

Make cheap things look expensive: When things look clean, they look expensive. And making things look clean costs nothing. Make sure your rows of chairs are perfectly lined up. Make sure your actors are perfectly styled (in their own clothing of course) and have their music in clean black binders. Cover that "box office" table with a table cloth you borrowed from Aunt Joan. Make your programs simple so they don't look cluttered. Spring for the $1.50 piece of black foam core at Lee's Art Shop to put headshots on. Have friends help by escorting people to seats. Do not underestimate the prestige a reserved seat or a list suggests. And for goodness gracious, make sure you leave time for your make up!

This is a fast and loose rundown to help you out. There are of course many many many many details that I could give you but then this blog entry would be forever long. If you have specific questions please feel free to email me at Alexandra@AlexandraHRubin.com.

Be brilliant, be happy!

Partner (n) 1. one that shares. As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary

A good partner is hard to come by. Sometimes it is impossible. I've had my professional and personal heart broken by creative partners, partners in love, partners in crime and even had my eye blacked by the elbow of a dance partner once (you know who you are). It is in our nature to yearn for the camaraderie a partnership offers in most aspects of our lives. Why else does match.com exist?

I have been extremely fortunate in the past year to find a writing partner, Mark, with whom I have an amazing relationship and I'll try to outline a few things that make us work:

1. Choose wisely. Make a checklist of what is important to you in a partner. Mark didn't fall out of thin air, I sought him out. We had already worked on one project together as director and musical director and I was so pleased and inspired by that working relationship that when I wanted to turn my play into a musical, he was who I wanted to work with. I knew that Mark respected me as a director and that his insights were not only excellent but helped support my vision for the play we worked on. He worked with me instead of trying to impress his own vision upon the project. Plus, he never hesitated to tell me (tactfully) when I was wrong.

2. Know your strengths and your weaknesses. I am good with words. I'm not sure that I have the art of blogging down just yet but I have a great understanding of the way a conversation flows and a flair for imagery. I also have a profound understanding of each of my characters. Once I know who they are and what drives them, I know exactly how they are going to act in a situation or when faced with a problem. However, I have been through three musical instruments (piano, guitar and flute... four if you count the recorder) and nothing ever stuck. I love music but I just don't have the patience to learn an instrument and am hopeless with music theory. Mark kicks music's ass and music loves every second of it. When we work together we know when to yield to one another. When Mark tells me something isn't working musically, I may fuss a little but I'll submit to his expertise in the end. Similarly, I've told him before that no, that character wouldn't do that here and he graciously agrees (right, Mark?).

3. Make adjustments. I can be a little bit of a control freak. My projects are my babies and it is hard to let anyone take them to the park while I wait at home. However, there is no point to me sitting in Mark's room while he works something out in the composition of a song... even if I may want to. He needs space to do his thing and I need to be understanding of that. I'll admit, it's something I'm working on but he's patient with me. Likewise, he indulges me more often than not and lets me be in on most of the initial composing, which I absolutely love doing.

4. Have a personal relationship. Now, this is debatable but I personally never want to work with someone I can't have a conversation with. There may be partners that only get together to work and that's it but I find that my work is so much better with someone I'm friends with. I think it frees you up because you trust that person and you are used to conversing with them on a personal level. For us, it also makes it bearable when we are working through a rough patch. Thank god we can laugh together or we might have jumped out a window while working on our last song!

5. It's all for the show. This is actually my philosophy for all of theatre. Here's the deal: As soon as it isn't about just making the best piece of work you can, different agendas pop up. When it's all for the show, you are comrades working together towards something bigger than yourselves, then you can do what's good for the project instead of what's good for yourself. That is what partners do.

And now, as a reward for reading my rambles, pictures from the first rehearsal of our new show!

The cast of Tangled

Mark and our amazing pianist, Kevin.

Mark was not happy that I was taking pictures.

I believe his words when I took out the camera were, "Ah, Mom!"

That's all for now, kids! Be brilliant, be happy!

Just for fun...

A small departure from our usual programming...

THINGS I SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT DOING BUT AM NOT...

1. Checking the Tangled facebook page 8 times a day to see if new people have joined. (fyi: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=343869369862&ref=ts)
2. Obsessively marking the pages with scene and act changes in scripts with little sticky note flags.
3. Finding new and creative ways to steal as much free paper as I can from Kinkos. At $1 per printed page I am entitled to some hot pink and robins egg blue paper.
4. Buying one water bottle on Monday and filling it up at the office for the rest of the week.
5. Trying to force words to rhyme in a song. Mark never actually lets me do this though so I guess number 5 is really: trying to get Mark to let me force words to rhyme in a song.

That has been the first installment of THINGS I SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT DOING BUT AM NOT.

Trust not thy feeling, for whatever it be now, it will quickly be changed. -Thomas à Kempis

There is a fine line between patience and spinelessness. Too often people drop what could be a good thing because they don't have the patience to let it develop. Also too often people stay in a bad situation too long and only create misery for themselves and, at times, others. You can only use your own judgement and the advice of those who are knowledgeable (this may not include your favorite Aunt Suzy).

I recently encountered this dilemma in my internship. Last week sucked. I spent almost the entire week sitting at my desk nearly going crazy over clippings (articles in newspapers, magazines, websites, etc. about the shows we represent. A big part of my job is archiving these). When my dad asked me how the internship was going, which he does often and I love him for, I told him that I was feeling disappointed that I wasn't really seeing anything besides my computer screen. However, I told him that I wouldn't let myself get down on the internship, that it might just be a bad week. (I digress for a moment to tell you that I did have one internship in the past that I withdrew from a month early. I felt that I was being used for free labor rather than actually being taught anything or given any responsibility. That was definitely the right choice then and for that situation.)

Anyway, I am so glad that I didn't allow myself to get sour over one bad week because the past two days, and especially today (!), have been fantastic. In the past 48 hours I have taken pictures that may appear on Playbill.com giving me a photo credit on the epic website that brought me this internship, been to the Jonathan Larson Grant Award Ceremony and seen Kerry Butler (of the original cast of Hairspray which I decided to see instead of going to my Jr. prom) perform among other Broadway titans, been backstage at Hair, had a lovely dinner with several people from my office filled with the lesser known stories of Broadway's legends, and shared a champagne toast with the new cast of Hair. Moreover, I got to know several people in my office better, improving our relationships and opening lines our lines of communication further.

I suppose what I'm trying to tell you is not to let a bad day or week taint what you're doing. Remember why you are doing it and consider whether you are getting near you goal, even if the climb is slow. If you are definitely not and a respectable amount of time has passed and proved that you will not find what you need in the project, don't be afraid to walk away. In that earlier internship, I wasn't getting anything out of it for a month before I left and it was because I was literally getting nothing out of it while they got tons of work out of me. At my current one, I am learning so much, even if there are some lulls! Respect yourself, respect your creativity, respect your time.

Be happy, be brilliant!

“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” -Thomas Berger

If the past couple months have taught me anything, it's that I have been an idiot fairly frequently. Here is why:

I am not, by nature, one to ask questions. I prefer to figure things out for myself. This is a very good quality to have at times. However, it can be detrimental, especially when you are a young professional and don't know anything.

Since I've started interning at O&M Co., I've had a crash course in who's who in the theatre biz. Who knew that Andy Cohen was so damn important? I thought he just interviewed people on Bravo. Wrong. I'm looking back in time and seeing my missteps. The best examples are the internships I turned down for my summers between college school years. One was with Signature Theatre Company (http://signaturetheatre.org/). You may know them as the hosts of the currently much acclaimed The Orphans' Home Cycle. I turned that one down for a job teaching 11 year olds how to put together their own show for several weeks one summer. The other was with producer Ken Davenport (http://www.davenporttheatrical.com/). Don't know him? You should. He's important. Turned that one down for a summer hauling lights around HERE Arts Center.

Both of these internships would have been several times more advantageous to me than what I choose to do instead. However, I didn't ask anyone who actually knew the lay of the New York theatre land to help me with my decision. In the first instance, I took the paying job in my hometown. In the second instance, I picked the theatre that a friend of mine had SM/AD-ed for. Sure, I did my internet research but that couldn't tell me just how highly situated in the hierarchy of theatre these companies were.

You can't know everything, you never will. The best you can do is ask questions when you don't know and when you are young and starting out YOU MUST ASK QUESTIONS! Just today I asked the agents in my office to recommend a space for Mark Sanderlin (marksanderlin.com) and me to present the first reading of our new musical (April 7, 2010 get psyched!). One of the agents gave me three great recommendations, one of them being Manhattan Theatre Club. Okay, I didn't know they offered spaces for readings and when I looked at the prices, glory be, it was within our budget! I haven't booked the space yet (note to self, get on that) but how much more amazing would it be to premier our work at MTC instead of Simple Studios??? No offense to Simple Studios. I love Simple Studios. $10/hour space rentals on Fridays saves my life frequently.

So, I don't really have links for you today because you better know the people you need to ask to have your questions answered. Go to it then!

Be happy, be brilliant!

Website launched!

Inspired by the fact that my writing partner, Mark Sanderlin (marksanderlin.com) beat me to it, I went home tonight after some Tisch school theatre and finally finished and launched my website! Exciting! Check it out: www.AlexandraHRubin.com

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” -Carl Gustav Jung

Networking can be an ugly word. It conjures images of men in ratty brown suits with maroon ties guffawing at jokes made at the expense of their wives while holding paper coffee cups in a cheap lounge. I also think of a man in a shiny jumpsuit with glowsticks getting down to some techno track called “Networking” but I think that’s just me.

Anyway, networking is a necessity if you want to really make it in any business. In the theatre world, it’s imperative. We depend of the support of patrons, investors and each other to stay afloat. Some truly amazing productions and companies have fallen apart without that support and, let’s face it, some truly horrendous pieces of sidewalk bubble gum have achieved greatness with such support (I’m not naming names but my mom might… get it?).

I’m still building up my networking skills but here are some ways that I’ve learned to get started.

1. Business cards! I mentioned this in my first post but these are an absolute MUST! The power of a great business card would surprise you. I gave a card to a wonderful gay rights advocate I met last night and he stopped mid-conversation when he read my card to say “Oh wow!” He’ll remember me.

2. Be calm: No one wants to interact with someone falling apart at the seams and there is NO REASON TO! No matter who you speak to, remember, they’re just people. Steven Spielberg is just a guy that knows how to make good movies, Lady Gaga is just a girl who has a different point of view and Steven Sondheim is a god, so he’s the exception… just kidding… kind of… Similarly, never treat anyone like they aren’t important enough for you to speak to. That wimpy guy could be the next Woody Allen or, more importantly, a producer. Plus, it’s just rude.

3. Personal pitch: Have a reason to talk to everyone you approach. Now you don’t need to say, “Hello, my name is Alex and I want you to come see my show and invest money in it,” in fact, I strongly advise you not to say that. Go up and strike up a conversation appropriate to the event. When I went to the NYMF (New York Musical Theatre Festival) Mixer, it was appropriate to say, “Hi, I’m Alexandra, I’m writing a musical.” However, at an event for gay rights, it was more appropriate for me to thank the speaker for what they said and perhaps ask a follow up question first. Then, I mentioned that I was writing a new musical which included transgender issues.
Now, your reason to talk to each person will vary: information, support, talent, representation. You don’t need to immediately steer the conversation in that direction but let them know who you are and what you do and then LISTEN TO THEM. This is a problem that most young people have. They don’t listen to the person they are talking to. Here is an example of a well navigated encounter:

You: Hi, my name is Kate Winslet, I noticed you saying you’re a director.
Them: Yes, I work over at the York actually.
You: Oh, I’ve heard wonderful things about the York. Yank! is getting great reviews. (or if you haven’t) Oh? Where is that? (Don’t pretend to know things you don’t until you are a pro, you’ll just get into trouble!)
Them: Yes, I’ve been working there for some time now.
You: I’m new to the city actually. I’m an actress so I’m trying to get on my feet.
Them: Well, best of luck, it’s a tough business.
You: Thanks, I’ve heard! Could I give you my card? I’d really appreciate any advice you could give or any direction you could point me in.
Them: Yes, sure, here’s mine, too. Oh, good, you have a website. Are you musical or straight theatre?
You: Both, really. I have a lot of dance and voice training.
Them: Great, it was nice you meet you.
You: You, too! Enjoy your night.

What’s great about this conversation is it is short, which most will be, and has a natural ebb and flow. You talk, you listen, you respond, you listen, you find your opening, you don’t force them to stay with you until they offer you Thoroughly Modern Milly.

4. Follow up: Always always always send a follow up email within a week after meeting someone. You need to be fresh in their minds. Ask them if it’s alright to keep them up to date on your projects, you’ll annoy them if they don’t want to get your emails about doing five different one act festivals. Here’s an example:

Hi Mr. Deville,
It was such a pleasure meeting you last night. Thank you for recommending The Art of Directing. I picked it up at The Drama Book Shop today and am looking forward to reading it on my daily subway commute! I would love to keep you up to date on my projects via email and, of course, invite you to opening night of my directing debut in June. You can also check out my website or email me anytime if you have questions or are interested in my future productions. Best of luck to you with your new show on Theatre Row. How exciting!
Best,
Julie Taymour
www.yourwebsitehere.com
youremail@goeshere.com
555-555-5555

This works because it reminds them of who you are in the first two sentences, lets them know you were listening to them and were affected by what they said, reminds them of what you are doing, makes the effort to sustain the connection and gives them all the info they could need or want about you!

That’s all for now!
Be happy, be brilliant!

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late. -William Shakespeare

Everyone in theatre has heard it before, "If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late." We hear it from the first rehearsal of our first show and for every first rehearsal after. But the point of this post isn't about being 10 minutes early to appointments, interviews, rehearsals and auditions. It's time management in the grander sense.

Recently, I was asked to direct two plays but two different playwrights at two different theaters. The first was offered to me two weeks before opening and the second was offered three weeks before opening. The former I took as it was a simple script and I, by chance, had actors readily available to do the parts. The latter, however, I was annoyed by. The playwright specified several video montages, whole and broken laptops, a cast of seven men. Now, video montages take time to create! You need to find someone to create them (hopefully for free as it is theatre we're discussing). Then, the clips must be found or shot. Then, edited. Then, worked into the play and most likely edited again. This is a serious process. Then we come to the problem of finding or creating something that looks like a broken laptop. Also no small feat. Finally, the cast of seven men. Now, I did find a way to get it down to five men, I could even stretch it to four if I wanted to muddle things up, but men are harder to tie down into a part than into a relationship! Every actor that I have ever had pull out of a show has been a man. I don't begrudge them, really. Good men are a hot commodity in theatre and good for them for knowing it.

My point is that this was a play that required preparation and the work of at least one person besides me (I am not skilled in the art of editing video). I had three weeks in which to cast, rehearse and produce the technical aspects of this play. For those of you who are unclear on the time it takes to put a show together, usually, even if you are casting by calling and asking people to do roles, it will take you three days to fill your parts. With men, I'd say a week. That leaves two weeks for rehearsal. With everyone's schedules to consider, you'll probably get three rehearsals a week, four if you're lucky. Then you have to spend the rest of your time figuring out the video, looking for props, and doing all the things the theatre needs you to do like gather bios and confer about your lighting and sound needs (ah yes, sound, another thing to worry about). This process should really start at 5 weeks from tech. And yes, those two weeks make a WORLD of difference.

The playwright did not take any of this into consideration. He was late late late. In theatre, as in any business, it is vital that you be able to think ahead to manage your time in the greater sense. Actors: how long will it take you not just to learn the lines but to feel at home with them and ready to make them a part of your character? Designers: How can you manage your time so you have room to adjust the costumes or set, not just finish before the curtain goes up? Producers: How long do you need for each leg of this journey we call putting up a show? Development? Fundraising? Casting? Publicity?

Always give yourself more time than you need because you will actually end up needing it! My writing partner and I made a somewhat difficult decision just last month. We are writing a new musical and were planning on submitting it to NYMF (New York Musical Theatre Festival) on March 1 for the 2010 season. However, when we sat down and evaluated the time we needed to create an exceptional show instead of just getting it in in by March 1 (and you know it would have been sliding into NYMF's offices at 4:59pm that day), we decided we'd put it off and wait until next year. It killed me to do that because I wanted to get our show out there! But, with this new timeline, we can have readings, create quality demos, put together a band and really produce something professional and fantastic.

So, to leave you with something specific, here is the schedule I'd recommend for a 15-20 minute play (this is because a short play can be a pressure cooker when thrown together in the last minute and because you will usually be given no more than one hour and sometimes as little as 20 minutes to tech):

6 weeks until tech: offer show and send script to director, designers, stage manager
5 weeks until tech: show has been cast and production people are in place
4 weeks until tech: have had a read through and production meeting plus at least one other rehearsal (probably table work)
3 weeks until tech: Director is focusing on blocking (2-3 rehearsals in this week of at least 2 hours each). Directors should know the ground plan before going into this rehearsal. Designers have presented director with the start or rough draft of their designs
2 weeks until tech: Director is working with actors focusing on specific scenes (3-4 rehearsals in this week of at least 2 hours each). Off book date is at the start of this week. Designers present director with a "second to final" product that director can tweak and approve.
1 week until tech: Director is running show with actors (at least 3 rehearsals of at least 2 hours each this week). Designers are supplying final products for rehearsals. Sound is being used in rehearsals.
Tech: Director goes into tech with annotated script for board op and with a clear idea of what lights and set should look like so there is time to work out issues that will only present themselves when you arrive in the space.

Hope this helps!
Be happy, be brilliant!

I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring. ~Liz Armbruster

This is not a post about having children.

Yes, I can see where the title would be confusing.

This is about creating. What an amazing gift to be able to make something out of nothing. An idea into a real, tangible piece of art.

I am never happier than when I am creating and it is imperative to any person in the arts to continuously exercise that creative muscle. Find time everyday to express yourself. It will keep you sharp, expand your vision and your voice, and, most importantly, keep you happy.

There are some great ways to exercise that creative muscle and and I encourage you to try things outside of your specific area. If you are an actor, try drawing. Designers, try writing. You may find a new way to express yourself that you sincerely enjoy. More importantly, it will help you grow in several directions rather than just one.

Here are some suggestions:

-Read the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
This is fantastic for any creative person. Now, brace yourself, it is a marathon, not a sprint, but if you can get through it, you'll be on a totally different plane with your art then when you started. You can get The Artist's Way online, as a book, or go to workshops. Check it out: http://www.theartistsway.com/

-Go draw naked people! (21 and over)
There are some fantastic places to go to just sit and draw the human figure. Third Ward offers a fantastic little event every Wednesday: Drink and Draw. Nude models to draw, beer, snacks and a live DJ. It doesn't matter if it's your first time drawing or if you are the reincarnation of Davinci, it's all about chillin' and expressing yourself. Check it out: http://www.3rdward.com/blog/2009/9/23/drink-and-draw-tonight.html
Feel like getting a little wilder? Try Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School, where the weird and wonderful stop by to be drawn. Their last event just passed (a contortionist!) but stay tuned for more of the burlesque and bizarre! Check it out: http://www.drsketchy.com

-Get a journal!
For those of us with only $1.00 in our pockets (been there), head to the 99 cent store and get a composition or spiral notebook and head to your favorite chair, park bench, or rooftop and just start writing. Don't worry about what you're writing, if it makes sense, if it's good. Don't even worry about how to start. Just begin with the first thing you think of or see, even the most inane carpet color, and keep going. Let your mind wander. Think through problems. Create a story. Whatever! Just get those thoughts out of you and onto paper!

-Get your body movin' and groovin'!
Whether you think you are a dancer or not, you have a body, correct? So make it work for you! Take a dance, voice, yoga, or movement class or find a club to shake your booty in or a piano bar to try your high notes. Find out some of the amazing things your body can do! Here are some places to get you goin'. Check it out:

Broadway Dance Center: the old staple for those who want to sample some classes and pay one at a time: http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/

Yoga to the People: "This is yoga for everyone," a place where you don't already have to be able to bend yourself in half. A suggested donation of $10 and you enter a world of Zen: http://yogatothepeople.com/

Marie's Crisis: a popular piano bar in the Village that specializes in Broadway and Barbara Streisand. (Also next to a sweet jazz bar) 59 Grove St btw S 7th Ave & Bleecker St

Central Park Swings: starting in April, make a $1 donation and learn some swing steps in the Central Park Bandshell: http://www.centralparkswings.com

-Take a picture: It doesn't matter if you understand white balance, just grab a camera (digital, disposable, old fashion film, whatever) and start focusing on the beauty all around you. When you're done you can make an album, a collage, or whatever your little heart desires!

-Take a walk: It's always free and it's always there for you. Walk in the sun or the rain. Walk in the street or the part. Walk alone or with friends. There are just so many options! So many ways to relax and let your mind wander aimlessly to a great epiphany or to how great that guy's ass looks in those jeans up ahead of you. Hey, material for your work is everywhere, just reach out and grab it! (But don't grab that guy's ass... he might not like it... or like it too much...)

Well, I am tuckered out, friends!
Be brilliant, be happy!

TOMORROW!

I know I just made my first post but I have to throw this up because the time has changed and now I can't go and they need help! From Blake Hayes:

Four gay rights activists were arrested at a protest on the steps of the Marriage Bureau at the City's Clerk's office.

Tomorrow (FRIDAY) you can show your support by attending their hearing: 11AM at 100 Centre St., Part A, 4th Floor, NYC

Facebook group and info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=344240485154&ref=mf

If you can't be there, please write to your local politicians and tell them that we will not stand for discrimination based on sexual identity!

Be brilliant, be happy!

Both my brothers became physicians and I, of course, wandered into a business where the undisciplined are welcome. -Carroll O'Connor

Hello, hello!

I wanted to start this blog off with a quote with the word welcome in it and I found this, which actually ended up being perfect. Perfect because I totally disagree!

Granted, Carroll O'Conner is from the "good ol' days" when you could hop off a bus in LA or NYC and off of shear talent and luck you could be a star. It is not that time anymore. My actor friends are exhausted from going to one open call after another and having nothing come from it because that equity actor with the great representation booked the gig. People are even trying to avoid becoming equity since the pickings are even slimmer than usual "because of the economy". And you just can't look at theatre as just an art anymore, kids. It's a business and you're the product.

This is something I knew abstractly in college but in the months since I've graduated I've truly come to realize what it means to have to sell yourself... not in the lady of the night way... yes, I know that joke was awful. I'm not a comedian.

In this blog, I'll share with you tips that I have picked up, share stories of how I failed abysmally or transcended into that ever illusive plane of success, and occasionally may tell a joke that you actually like.

The first piece of advice is to brand yourself. This means that you are creating an image that will become synonymous with you. When someone sees that logo or hears that quote, you come into their mind. This is, of course, obvious in things like running shoes or food. When you see that swoosh, you think Nike. When you hear "have it your way," you think Burger King. My branding device comes from a quote from Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar, "Ambition should be made of sterner stuff."

Now, after I decided that this would be my central branding device, I figured out how to use it. It started with my business cards. On one side, my card says "Ambition should be made of sterner stuff..." and on the back it reads "Alexandra H. Rubin (pn) 1. sterner stuff" and then has my information and a picture of one of my shows.

This branding immediately conveys determination, dedication, intelligence and strength. I am telling everyone that reads my card that I am sterner stuff by definition.

I carried this look and quote over to the signature in my email, my website, anything that had to do with my professional persona. I started this about a month ago and already I've had people quote my branding device back to me.

To find your personal brand identity ask yourself these questions:
What do I want to accomplish by branding my image?
(my answer: To present myself as a creative professional and intrigue and impress potential partners and employers.)
What do I want to convey to the people I am marketing myself to?
(my answer: strength, conviction, intelligence, dedication, determination, confidence)
How can I make my branding both verbal and visual?
(my answer: Use a strong quote that I can turn around to describe myself and an example of my work. I accomplished this by using a strong picture from one of the shows that I costume designed as the background for one side of my card.)

Most importantly, delve into yourself and really figure out what is amazing about who you are and how you can make people sit up and take notice of it. More to come soon but in the meantime...


Here are some other brands I dig:

Soul Pancake
www.soulpancake.com
This is a website by Rainn Wilson (Dwight on the office) in which you can discuss life's big questions with Rainn and the other members. What makes this so great is a) Soul Pancake is a totally unique name and b) he qualifies the name by subtitling it "Chew on Life's Big Questions". It is fun an witty which is exactly what the website is. He hasn't quite gotten the visual stuff down yet, it's all a mishmosh with Mike P. Mitchell's (admittedly awesome) artwork as background, but the name is pure genius.

HERE Arts Center
www.here.org
HERE Arts Center has created a hell of a brand for itself. Just by name it is instantly recognizable (also, Abbott and Costello would have a grand ol' time reviving "Who's on First" with its name). HERE is where you want to be. They continue their branding into their website with links like "See here" for what's currently playing and "Be here" for ticket purchases. They also have a great logo and font which they use on all their materials and is totally unique to them. Home run, HERE.

I'm With Coco Campaign
http://sirmikeofmitchell.com/imwithcoco/
Now, this was really created for Conan O'Brien by fans who were upset about his forced early retirement from the Tonight Show, but it's brilliant. A simple line and a fantastic image that depicts Conan as a super hero/cartoon. It has humor and yet shows the strength of Conan and the passion of his fans.


And, a swing and a miss...

Charlie White
www.charliewhite.info
Okay, Charlie White has a serious point of view going with his photography. So why is his website so dull dull dull??? There's nothing interesting or unique about it until you finally find the light grey work "work" in the navigation bar and come across his stuff. With one word, he could have us hooked from the homepage but if I didn't already know what was there, I don't know that I'd venture around to find the goods.

Good night, all! Be brilliant, be happy!