Dear SheLA,
Well...hot damn... we did it, baby.
10 performances of 5 brand new plays in about 6 days.
It seems truly crazy how it all got done, and done VERY WELL at that!
I would be lying to you if I said that I was always over the moon about being the Exec. Producer on this project. In fact, about 2 hours after being offered the role this winter, and running home to tell my sweet fiancee about the opportunity - I had a small clash of conscience.
"I'm an actor" I thought to myself, "I'm trying to further my credits as an actor, I literally overhauled my previous production job life to focus on just being an actor, so why in hell did I just accept this huge producer responsibility?"
And then I remembered - it's because your different, SheLA. You always have been.
You required a lot of work,
and attention,
and patience,
and leadership,
and so much damn mental energy,
but the end result - the opportunity you give these hard-working women creatives to see their work fully staged, fully lived in, for a live audience for the first time - it is worth every minute. To see those shows get selected and then go on to develop and grow under my appointed care was nothing sort of amazing, and has been one of the most rewarding things I have seen on stage.
You reminder me, SheLA, that as an actor, it is still my responsibility to support my community. By taking on the festival and seeing it through from submissions to closing night - over 30 actors got to tell original stories, push boundaries, perform in special community partnered performances, and most of all - further the craft we all love. All of our work, together, reminds people in Hollywood that theater is still alive, still enjoyable, and worth coming to see.
That's just as important as performing, isn't it?
I think it is.
It hasn't even been 24 hours since we've said goodbye, SheLA, but oh my goodness am I so excited for what we will do next. I have so many ideas how we both can be bigger, bolder, and burn even brighter.
Are you ready?
I know that I am.
Soon,
Em
