Journal Entry #1: A Dawning Realization

Thursday, September 12^th, 2024. 8:46 PM.

Confidence in my career/choice of major: 40%

Song stuck in my head: Breezy Slide by Louie Zong and Brian David Gilbert

                Yes, I DID start writing this in September. Was it very much? No. Was it very good? No. Does it count? Yes. Because I say so.

                The thing about this class is that I had absolutely no idea what it would be like at all. I had very little prior knowledge about presenting theatre, and even less knowledge about the logistical and administrative inner workings of a company like Playhouse Square. I understood that a lot of work had to be done by a lot of people in a very short amount of time, but I wasn't aware of the scale. What a crazy process we go through so that people can sit in a room while actors sing at them for two to three hours. I love musical theatre.

I had five questions. I don't think I asked all five (some were answered organically, one or two I was too nervous to ask) and for some reason I didn't write down the last one so. Yippee.

                Question: Is there ever anything you can not accommodate?

                Answer: Mostly just space limitations, what physically can or can not fit in or be safe in Playhouse Square's theatres. Sometimes there are aspects of shows they have to negotiate with the tour about. Like, a couple performers on Ru Paul's Drag Race really wanted some sparklers for an entrance, but they were considered pyrotechnics, and there's lengthy and expensive process for doing that safely, and ultimately the fire marshal just said no. So they had to find other options.

                Question: From first point of contact to opening night, how long does it take for a show to come to your theatre?

                Answer: I thin she said the quickest she can get a tour in is three months, which is CRAZY to me. That's such little time! I'm assuming she'd never have to do that with a Broadway show but man that's crazy.

                Question: What do you personally like/dislike about this industry?

                Answer: I didn't end up asking this one because it felt too silly. :(

                Question: How much does a Broadway tour usually make?

                Answer: Depends. That's the whole answer. It depends.

Let's talk about that 40% confidence. Because I knew so little, this first class almost felt like trying to understand a lecture in a different language. And also it felt like everyone else knew the language at least marginally better than I did. There are so many technical terms and lingo that Jody just would say and I guess I could have asked but I wasn't going to bring her talk to a grinding halt just to expose myself as a theatre novice.

I titled this one "a dawning realization" because at that point in the semester I felt like I would never make it in theatre, and this class was going to be a rude awakening. A little pessimistic, but I only think that because when I'm sick the sickness overrides my anxiety. It's almost nice in a way. I mean, it would be nice if I wasn't SICK. I feel one of those little wooden frog music toys where you run the stick up its back and it makes a funny noise. That's so me right now.

Jody is very knowledgeable as well as very welcoming and approachable. I imagine those are skills she either naturally had or gained by necessity, since she has to speak to so many people every day. It seems like half her job is just meeting people. It makes sense that she'd be pretty good at being amicable by now. I only hope that is a skill I can master. I mean, I'm me, so I'll probably never master it but maybe if I can just be a little better at it, I'll be fine.

Man, I've talked about myself a lot in these journal entries. Me, me, me, me, me, that's most of what these journal entries have been. I've never had a class in this department where I've had to think so much about myself. I'm not used to that. I've never been able to keep a journal in real life. I always get sick of listening to myself when I write like that. I just want to think about art. And people other than myself. I want to think about 2011's The Adventures of Tintin. Now there's a movie I'd love to see adapted into a stage show. Still waiting on a sequel, but it will probably never happen.

Yeah it's time for bed. Thank you and goodnight