All roads lead to “Where is the funding coming from?”
It seems that every two weeks the last couple months I’ve been hitting the same exact wall around being a theater artist. It’s the common “Why do I do this?” existential crisis. At least that’s what it seems like. However, there’s nothing existential about it. There’s nothing philosophical about the economic reality of theater. Continue reading
While riding the bus back to MA from NYC last spring I noticed a bird had shit on my backpack. The metaphor was apt for a conversation I had just been having in a wide-open conference room about how arts-focused non-profits (who all seem to be providing similar stellar services for the benefit of artists) are fearfully grasping their data through proprietary measures. Not that it doesn’t make sense. People don’t like to be shit on. Continue reading
Image courtesy of Bent Objects by the amazing Terry Border!
The word cult gets thrown around a lot. Whenever someone uses the term it is usually aimed at a group of people who are behaving in such a manner that arouses suspicion. We live in a society, therefore we need each other. It’s pretty simple. We cannot sustain ourselves without other human beings. However we parcel ourselves off into subsets of subsets to find those who seem like-minded. This way we cannot only get things done but we can also establish some level of trust. Once this happens it’s very easy to be persuaded into ways of thinking and feeling that aren’t necessarily your own. Continue reading
In the wake of the Newtown shooting there has been a lot of talk about needing to open up the conversation about mental illness. As I started listening to the coverage and conversations I started to get peeved at how the term was being thrown around as if it encapsulated every mental state that may have a negative connotation. As an artist and metalhead it also brings to light the necessity to get clear about the stereotypes associated with being a “creative type”. Continue reading