H is for Hope

I know all true laborists have the right to spit on me right now- but I spent the majority of my day set building. I’m assuming it is similar to skiing- except not recreational. Everyone else at the end of skiing is happy, fulfilled, looking for the better, steeper slope. While I sit glaze eyed, comatose, waiting for the next directive. I am AMAZED at the neverending kindness of people willing to work for theatre. I visited Hendersonville Little Theatre and drooled over the converted barn with tons of lighting possibilities, a modest but comfortable tech booth, set building & rehearsal space. They have rented the space for 40 years, can I say FORTY years? Their TD - volunteer- nobody is paid there except musicians, just like Scapegoat. Musicians are incredible artistic geniouses, their level of creation happens at an unfathomable rhythm without time for preconceived mind to hand coordination, it scares me. But it does cross my mind. Why musicians? Why can I find writers, painters, graphic artists, scenic& lighting designers, web designers, actors who are all willing out of the bottom of their generous hearts to offer their art for free. For less glory (-actors) less fame, but musicians always get paid. Good for them I say, give us the secret of marketability, you amazing creatures! Anyway, I called this volunteer tech director of an established theatre company with the high hopes that he might have advice on tools and space. He offered his tools, space and talent for nine hours, for free- today- and I’d like to say for our ‘noble cause’ and realized after two hours of working he said, “So, what’s this play about, anyway?” And our set designer, why do people do these things? It was fun, I love it, it is just so relieving to realize there are other people out there, doing something, just doing something they love. Even if they don’t know it is for an oh, so noble cause. And! The people that do… such talent. I am fulfilled today, we do have a real show-
On a more personal note, I am daydreaming more and more about a theatre space. A multi-purpose theatre space. A minimal renovation with decent tech capabilities available for rent and a home space for Scapegoat. Eventually, a non-profit able to eventually pay our brilliant talent and provide incredibly relevant exciting theatre at an affordable price to the general public! In a perfect world, a lobby area that was more than that, a coffee-wine bar lounge area to sustain if not only the payments but the social arena needed to flourish, inspire and support our artists.
Any street theatre opportunists? There is a rally in support of ‘businesses in support of family values’ on Saturday morning. Values meaning christian-right wing mud-slinging blaming, hypocrytical egocentric, ethnocentric, homophobics.
And that, is coming from an admittedly, however not-so-practicing, Christian.

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