Nervous Nelly Jayme

Yesterday I was beat. I mean tired. Exhausted, gonna die. Besides my mild flu (or extreme case of fatigue, who knows) it has been nonstop at the Strand. October it seems is the month of events, and in the spirit of keeping our doors open, I have booked more events then I am probably capable of running. And, when you look it our calendar, it really isn't THAT many events, but when you factor in rehearsals, day jobs, and the cold hard fact that our entire staff is run by volunteers, it becomes overwhelming.

Yesterday I had [sic] rehearsal from 11am-2pm. As I went home to nap in preparation for SKITCOM, our Second Saturday event, I found myself getting really nervous. I don't like being the center of attention. Well, I am sure secretly I do or else I would not have opened a theater, but speaking in front of a group of individuals looking to me for some kind of entertainment freaks me out.

Quick rundown on SKITCOM: SKITCOM was (and hopefully will be again) a free workshop where people could come in and write their own sitcoms. At first we discussed elements of a sitcom; they are funny, contain one liners, catch phrases, stereotypical characters, etc. Then we broke up into groups and wrote our own sitcoms. The only "rule" was that everyone had to take turns writing, everyone had to have a problem that was resolved in the duration of the scene, and no lines could be erased. The problems chosen from the groups ranged from no heat in an apartment building to slim dick disorder.During the first 15 minute session people seemed to be getting acclimated to the idea of writing as a group, taking turns, and just putting any nonsense on the paper. Some groups fell into a rhythm quicker than others. The real trick was to not care what you wrote and where it went. I did not want anyone to dominate the group. It was just for fun. The second session was 45 minutes and had no rules. By this time everyone was feeling more comfortable, which was awesome to see. After 45 minutes each group presented their SKITCOM. The groups wrote their skits on large pieces of paper that were then held up like cue cards. It was a blast!

Before the event I was nervous. I called Brandy (company member) and asked if we should just call it off. I thought no one would come. Really though I was nervous people would come. Then I would have to talk to them. Eeeek. You never know with free events. Some people are really gung ho, some have attitudes, some are just weird. My biggest fear was that people would not be into it. And, if you know me, I have a big chip on my shoulder about people with attitudes. You want to come into my theater and give ME attitude? I would much rather be watching a made for tv movie then giving up my free time to do something good for the community. F-U! Yup, that is pretty much how my thought process goes. So then, of course, I have already decided this is how the workshop will go. I am pretty defeatist.

People came, and people had fun. Everybody was happy to be there and everyone participated. People left saying how much fun they had. It was crazy. It is sometimes hard to put your own ideas out there and hope people will respond to them. SKITCOM was an idea that came out of wanting to do something fun at the Strand. I spend so much of my time doing the dirty work. I write the grants, and create email lists, and write press releases, and clean the theater, and paint the theater, and beg for money, book rentals, run rentals, etc, etc. I do things I don't always want to do, but have to do if this theater will survive. Sometimes even directing, the entire reason I started this theater, feels like a chore. I actually thought about not directing this year so I could focus on the admin side of the Strand. Miserable.

But SKITCOM was a release. It was fun, and it was silly, and people enjoyed it. Brandy, Danielle, and Kelly were my safety net for the event and it made me feel a lot better. The Strand is building a community of artists and when I get the chance to step outside my miserably tired bubble I feel like I can fly.

Sigh, but my bubble keeps me grounded, and working hard. It keeps me realistic about our goals, and it helps me lead others. But man, it is really nice to have some fun!

The Strand Needs You!

The Strand Needs You!

The other Strand board members and I have grown accustomed to wearing many hats. During the next seven days, I will play the role of publicist, house manager, clean-up crew, and ticket taker – all roles crucial to the operation of the Strand Theater Company. We wear these many hats with pride and we are not above admitting that we could use a few good people to help us out.

The Strand Theater Company is currently looking for a few good souls to join our ranks. Whether you are a painter, librarian, bus driver, doctor, lawyer, or mechanic, we have a role for you at the Strand Theater. Name your talent and we can put you to good use. Don’t have any talents? Then let us teach you a few.

Do you have a tight schedule? We have a variety of one-day projects or special events. Speaking of which, what are you doing on Halloween? The Strand Theater is putting on a Halloween special and you can play an important role in its production.
Volunteering at the Strand Theater Company is not all about work. As a company volunteer, you will have access to our private cast parties, you get to see shows for free, and you get to hob knob with Baltimore’s best. More important, volunteering with the Strand is a great way to support the community where the theater resides – the Station North Arts District.

Volunteering is also beneficial because:
Employers are more likely to hire the candidate with volunteer service
Volunteers live longer
Volunteers have lower levels of heart disease
Check out these benefits and many other at NationalService.gov.

If you think you might be interested in having a little fun, improving your health, and joining our cause, then drop me an email at mroberts@strandtheatercompany.org