Networking in the world of theatre (just add alcohol)

Sunday, February 15. Dumpling house, LES: I introduce my big news—I have a play. And so it begins. A friend of Mandy’s in from L.A. attended the final performance of a production we worked on (resurrecting our dynamic duo, previously seen last fall: The Stage Manager, and Her Assistant). As it happens, he is a sound designer, and I—as of three days earlier—may be in need of such a person’s talents. Wisely, Mandy suggested I bring a copy of my script along and prepared me to approach her friend to ascertain his interest in my project. And wisely, I let the rest of my team chime in until I found my voice.

So, it began with dumplings, but ends in an East Village bar, Prince playing in the background, half-empty glasses littering the table, and an open script on our laps. Here was a professional. Remember: I am no professional (save for my career as a stroller valet). But I am determined to create the best production we can, and I insist that to do so we need to outsource the various tasks of our project to experts. A writer wrote it, but a stage manager will manage the stage, an actor will perform the character, a director will direct the piece, and a children's book author will be the backstage crew, aka “helpie”. And if possible, a sound designer will design the sound. Nervous though I was (beers help with that I’m told), the informality of it all, and my own passion to share my story with an interested stranger—the entire point of this project, from Day 1—came through. And oddly enough, engaging in a conversation with someone who was not present during the creation of my play actually helped me define what it is I’m trying to do. With the perspective of his profession and experience—and the fact that I had just handed him the script minutes before—he asked questions I had never considered. Questions that made me think, but also that gave me confidence in what I’m doing, and even the feeling that someone I hardly know understands what that is and may want to help in the process. And that’s theatre: an art of intensive collaboration and cooperation. It’s all about people, onstage and off.