One Producer in the City

What the Yankees did win....

Was the battle for our audience's attention. 

Game 1 definitely trumped Hold for the Laughs last night and we had our smallest turnout ever.

Of course, what can you do?

We can't predict when the games will be. We can't predict who'll be playing them.

So we got clobbered.

Nice work Yankees.

Any sports winning over Theatre horror stories to share?

Feel free to leave a comment.

And don't worry folks, Hold for the Laughs may be down, but we're not out! Next month we'll be just like these guys.

Excelsior!

Top this!

So No doubt if you've seen this article, you know that one of Broadway's biggest flops is going to attempt a monster comeback. Kind of reminds you of this montage.

Now in most cases we'd say, "Sure. Good luck with that one" but when you look at who's doing it and the track record these producers have, it's intriguing.

To me it all comes down to the idea of toppings. Not the kind you see above of course, but the kind where we look at something and say, "I can do better"

I can't think of a much bigger challenge than taking a flop and turning it into a success so I'm excited to see what happens with this one. It also looks like they'll get a reading fro the show in November, so time to start finding out who gets to go :)

How have you topped your previous success?

Feel free to share in the comments section.

Excelsior!

Don't forget Hold for the Laughs tonight! Info is below:

Host:	Hold For The Laughs
Type:	Music/Arts - Performance
Network:	Global

Date:	Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Time:	9:30pm - 11:30pm
Location:	Sage Theatre
Street:	711 7th Ave
City/Town:	New York, NY
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Description 

This Wednesday,October 28th, Hold For The Laughs is supporting a wonderful project!All proceeds for the evening go to support the Small Pond Musical Theatre Writing Lab where we give new composers, book writers and lyricists a space to create new ten minute musicals and provide exposure to the industry for new performers, writers, and directors all at NO Cost to the artists!  HFTL is very excited to support!

As always, at 9:30, have a drink and meet nice people in the theatre and comedy communities at the Small Pond Entertainment networking event. Stay for the tremendous lineup we have for the comedy show at 10pm.

Christian Polanco hosts:

Phoebe Robinson (New York Underground Comedy Festival)

Matt McCarthy (Live At Gotham, Verizon Commercials)

Rachel Feinstein (VH1, Sirius)

PLUS SEVERAL SURPRISE GUESTS!!

Admission is by suggested donation ($10 with reservation at holdforthelaughs@gmail.com, $15 at the door), but give what you can-- All the proceeds go to the lab! .

There is no drink minimum, but wine/beer is available.

Thanks so much for supporting indie theatre and live comedy!

Come laugh and support Musical Theatre!

So you may remember a while back that I mentioned we were doing a Musical Theatre Writing Lab

Well, it's going up November 2nd and we are thrilled with the results. We have a full line up of 10 minute musicals and some really great teams and I couldn't be more proud. If you're interested in getting an invite, be sure to send me an email or leave a blog comment and I'll get you in!

And this month's Hold for the Laughs will be benefiting the lab, so I hope you'll come out and support! Info is below.

Excelsior!

Host:	Hold For The Laughs
Type:	Music/Arts - Performance
Network:	Global

Date:	Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Time:	9:30pm - 11:30pm
Location:	Sage Theatre
Street:	711 7th Ave
City/Town:	New York, NY
	View Map Google MapQuest Microsoft Yahoo

Description 

This Wednesday,October 28th, Hold For The Laughs is supporting a wonderful project!All proceeds for the evening go to support the Small Pond Musical Theatre Writing Lab where we give new composers, book writers and lyricists a space to create new ten minute musicals and provide exposure to the industry for new performers, writers, and directors all at NO Cost to the artists!  HFTL is very excited to support!

As always, at 9:30, have a drink and meet nice people in the theatre and comedy communities at the Small Pond Entertainment networking event. Stay for the tremendous lineup we have for the comedy show at 10pm.

Christian Polanco hosts:

Phoebe Robinson (New York Underground Comedy Festival)

Matt McCarthy (Live At Gotham, Verizon Commercials)

Rachel Feinstein (VH1, Sirius)

PLUS SEVERAL SURPRISE GUESTS!!

Admission is by suggested donation ($10 with reservation at holdforthelaughs@gmail.com, $15 at the door), but give what you can-- All the proceeds go to the lab! .

There is no drink minimum, but wine/beer is available.

Thanks so much for supporting indie theatre and live comedy!

A different kind of "Opening" night

So tonight marks the beginning of my fall PLAE class, and I'm of course very excited. 

This reminded me that there is more than an opening night to get jazzed about in our business.

Tonight, I'll be meeting with future leaders of the arts and we'll all be discussing how to accomplish our artistic goals.

I can't think of a more exciting conversation to have.

Who will these people be?

What will their goals be?

I'll keep you posted.

Excelsior!

Guest Appearance

Yesterday I did a guest appearance on the Fractured Atlas blog. They had asked me about what I had learned from my first PLAE class and what lessons I could pass on to future entrepreneurs.

You can read the post here.

Also, the application deadline is coming right up! Get those apps in because this is going to be great!

Excelsior!

Extension!

Stressing about your PLAE application deadline?

I'm extending it until the 24th, due to great response. Remember I only accept 8, so apply today!

I am very excited about this class and looking at the next slew of applicants, I think this group is going to be pretty awesome!

Hope to see some of you there.

Excelsior!

If you cling too long, you'll never get up the mountain

While attending a NAMT networking event this weekend, I discovered something very interesting about networking and something that I personally need to improve on. As usual, I'll explain it with a metaphor:

When I first moved to the city, I was asked to climb a rock wall at a gym. I knew nothing about this sport, but gave it a shot. I grabbed at the wall and got to the point where both arms and legs were on the wall and I was about a foot off the ground and then...

I didn't move.

If I reached up, I felt myself slipping, so I instantly pulled back and went back to the starting position. I would try again and again, but could not seem to move.

A friend of mine who was watching the show with the rest of the gym explained that I was clinging and that until I allowed some of my weight  to shift, rather than keeping it all pressed against the rock, I would be stuck there. After a few tries, I convinced myself to shift the weight and sure enough, I moved up! Before every reach there was this really scary moment where it felt like I was going to fall (and truth be told, sometimes I did) but as soon as I let that go, the weight shifted and I moved. This got me thinking about networking events.

When we first make a connection at one of these events, it's exciting. We're getting to know someone new and we're talking about important things. We may trade cards or hand each other postcards for a show, but then what happens? In my case, I often stay and chat for a pretty long time and most of the time miss out on meeting any one else.

I realized the other day that this is clinging.

It's comfortable to stay with the person you know or the new contact, because that means you don't have to go to anyone else. Just like I leaned all of my weight against the rock and didn't move, I found myself anchored to people I knew already or new connections for so long, we had practically had a full meeting by the time I left!

When I did force myself to say goodbye or move to someone else, I met some other really great people, but it nagged at me that I may have met twice that many, had I not clung so long.

So my plan from now on is to work on that element and try and make my networking meetings a bit more succinct.

Have any of you every experienced this? What are your "climbing" stories?  Feel free to comment below:

And the next time you're out networking and feel yourself stuffed in a corner, try shifting your weight. You may just end up at the top of the mountain.

Excelsior!

6 Days left until the next NY PLAE Class starts! Apply Here!

What are you paying for?

Many of the shows I've seen over the years have had problems with the story. The one problem that is the most common is the addition of characters who don't do anything to move the plot forward or add anything to the story itself.

Out of frustration at lunch this weekend I blurted out, "If I'm gong to pay money to have an actor play a character in a show weekly, the character had better matter to the story"

My friend at the lunch said I had to put that in my blog, so there you go.

As producers, we raise the money or invest our own to hire actors to play characters in a story that we hope will appeal to so many that our investors will get that money back. So it just doesn't make sense that there would be characters in a show that are inconsequential.

If I have an employee who is doing nothing but taking up space on a desk, why would I keep that employee?

So the lesson for today and my plea to writers and producers:

Make every character count.

Because someone's paying for them to be there.

Nuff Said.

Excelsior!

7 days left until the next PLAE class begins! Apply here.

Everyone needs a little magic

Last night I did a lot of running around. I was fortunate enough to find time to catch a lovely production called Disillusioned. 

This was a simple production, done in a very small theatre that told a charming story without being heavy handed. It's great to see a story well told and one about a subject that isn't often explored. Productions like this often get lost in the shuffle of the festivals, readings, and Broadway openings, but I would urge new producers to take the time to seek shows like this out. This one in particular was very appealing to me. I was impressed with the writing, the acting, and the direction of the work. It truly was magic in many ways. It's an hour long but spans a good deal of time and tells a really touching story of friendship and loss. It reminded me that thousand dollar sets and a flashy production cannot stand up to an engaging story. 

Special thanks to Georgie Caldwell for tipping me off to the magic in midtown. The show runs till the end of the month and I suggest you buy tickets and catch it before it disappears ;) 

Excelsior! 

Only 10 days until the next PLAE class begins! Apply today!

PLAE it again, Sam!

 I tried this over the summer and it went really well. So well in fact, that I have a testimonial from a graduate of my class below and I’m happy to announce that PLAE will be going Bi-Coastal and alumnus Margie Kment will be teaching the course in LA! After doing the course over the summer, I have decided that I will only accept 8 people in the class. The one on one time that each class member gets with the speakers works best when we have a very small group and I want to maintain that integrity, so I hope that you’ll apply as this next one should be very cool.

And here’s an Alumni Testimonial:

"Michael gave us so many great resources in the PLAE class.  We made great connections with each other and with experts in the field who will continue to be invaluable as our projects move forward.  In addition, it was great to have practice networking, learning how to network, and to have a group of creative and ambitious entrepreneurs holding each other accountable for each project's success.  This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to get an arts project or business off of the ground."

Katrina Ylimaki PLAE Summer 2009

Excelsior!

Program to Launch Artistic Entrepreneurs (PLAE)
October 26^th- December 21st 2009
Every Monday from 7:00pm- 10:00pm (Except November 23^rd)
Applications due October 22nd

PLAE:
This is an 8-week development program geared toward equipping arts entrepreneurs with the tools to realize their goals.  The course will meet once a week and will feature guest speakers in leadership positions throughout the field of the arts who will participate in the discussion of each entrepreneurs project and offer guidance and support.  The class will be structured around the selected applicants who will create an 8-week action plan and implement a new task or initiative every week.  Topics covered will include networking, developing structure for businesses, understanding the psychology of the arts leader, identifying unique qualities in projects, and fostering on-going relationships with arts professionals. The course will be interactive and satellite networking events will be suggested each week.  Participants in the course will work together in groups as well as on their own to complete the tasks they have outlined. The class will be strictly limited to 8 members and the class will not be conducted if enrollment is under five people.

Who Should Apply:
Any artists who are seeking to develop a new business idea or company or to restructure a current arts model.  Level of experience in an arts related field is only one factor in the selection process.  If a banker who has never done a show before has a great idea for a dance company, excellent.   The course will thrive if it is full of people who are seriously committed to starting something new and exciting.  Any artist – producer, dancer, visual artist, musician, etc. is eligible to apply.

The online application form can be found Here.

Application deadline is October 22nd, 2009. 

Those selected will be notified by e-mail (October 24th).  If accepted, the full tuition will be $500 for 8 weeks. Payment is Due by October 26th. Your acceptance email will provide payment options and instructions.   This includes the cost of books that will be taught in the course as well as handouts and materials.

The course will run 7:00pm-10:00pm every Monday from October 26^th- December21st with the exception of November 23^rd.

E-mail any questions to PLAE2009@gmail.com.

My Bio:

Michael Roderick has produced at Manhattan Theatre Source, Theater Row Studios, Where Eagles Dare, the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, the Red Room, the Bridge Theatre at Shetler Studios and has produced shows in the NY International Fringe Festival, the Midtown International Theatre Festival, the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival, among others.  He has worked as an office associate for Davenport Theatrical Enterprises and has Off Broadway producing credit as an Associate Producer of the musical ROOMS a Rock Romance at New World Stages as well as an Associate Producer of The New Hopeville Comics at The Chernuchin Theater at ATA.  Michael recently received the MITF Producer's Award for his show "The Director's Reality" at Where Eagles Dare and he is currently the program director for Self-Producing Artists at Theater Resources Unlimited.  Michael is also a graudate of the Commercial Theatre Institute's 14-week Program as well as the Six-week Creative Intensive Program.  Michael is the organizer of the Independent Producers Alliance of NY and he holds a BA in Secondary Ed English and Theatre Performance from Rhode Island College as well as a Masters in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities from NYU.

Looking forward to a great new class.

Excelsior!