Sorry It's Been So Long

Sometimes I wish I could just spend all day crafting my art because I have so many project ideas I want to work on. But that doesn't exactly pay the bills and I have a responsibility to my household to at least keep our utilities from getting shut off. So when it comes time to prioritize my projects, it's extremely hard especially when the inspiration for one idea comes but I'm supposed to be focused on a different project.
For instance, I've been writing a separate play outside of Cleaning Closets for a while now, but my priority is the script for the web series and my lesson plans for MSU. So sometimes my other script must fall to the wayside. But when the inspiration for other projects hits, I can't ignore it and risk losing it all. So I have to start writing down ideas for those projects. Now I also need to start working on the editing for the film documentary.  But trust me when I say it'll all get done!  The good thing is I can set my own deadlines, but I don't want to keep pushing things off either.  Oh the life of an artist.  

A Night of Success!

Cleaning Closets: A Night of Storytelling was an amazing event!  I cannot even get over how exciting it was to experience it finally come to fruition.  The storytellers gave great performances and shared candid stories.  We had about 30 people in attendance which is close to a full house for the venue!  The audience was engaged and entertained.  And the best part was walking around afterward and listening to the audience share their own stories over drinks.  They really were inspired to continue the conversation at their tables.  A big thanks goes out to my co-curator and host Kim Morris, as well as the performers who have bios listed below, and to Chad Luellen at The Glenwood.  Keep checking back on the Archives page to see the video from the night.  And the sneak peak of the documentary was a huge hit!  It really generated buzz for the film. 

Katie L. is a writer and storyteller who moved from Boston to Chicago last year. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Gastronomica Magazine, and the Toast. She likes to bike and talk to strangers.

Laura Stempel is, among other things, a reader, a writer, a knitter, a gardener, a teaching artist in the Goodman Theater’s Ge/Narrations program, and co-chair of the LBTQ Giving Council of the Chicago Foundation for Women.  She’s appeared at Sappho’s Salon, Outspoken, Gerber Hart, and in several performance projects with Lucky Pierre.  She’s currently at work on something that may turn out to be a memoir or a set of essays or possibly just a bunch of disconnected writing that only entertains her.  Read her style blog at <www.laurastempel.com/matchorclash>.

Jeremy Owens is the creator and producer of You're Being Ridiculous. He has told stories with Lifeline Theatre's Filet of Solo Festival, Story Club, Guts & Glory, Story Sessions, That's All She Wrote and The Paper Machete. He's a food writer for Oy Chicago and Gapers Block and wants to be Roxane Gay when he grows up.

***Be sure to check out my encore performance at the next You're Being Ridiculous.  

Almost a Night of Storytelling

It’s been a long process getting the storytelling event organized, but it’s been worth it.  We have selected our storytellers.  We’ve found a new venue to replace the one that closed down.  I don’t know how we did it so fast.  There’s still a lot left to do, though.  We have to market for the event, so be sure to keep an eye out next week for all of those materials.  We have to have a meeting with the storytellers, as well as a development session for them to make some edits, as well as a rehearsal for them to practice reading their stories aloud.  I also have to work with my other associate to do some editing on the film documentary so that we can preview a sneak peak of it at the storytelling event.  Lots to do!

Producer's Dilemmas

So there are many challenges to producing any kind of show or event.  I believe I've met all of those obstacles while planning the night of storytelling.  At first there was a lack of story submissions, but then my co-curator and I changed the guidelines for submissions and we received so many more!  Then I just found out that our original venue is now permanently closing after this weekend.  This is both sad for the venue and for my show because we weren't booked in the space until the end of September!  we're just over a month out from the show, and I had to book the original space 4 months in advance.  But I have a strong team helping me produce the show.  So I'm keeping the faith that we will find a new venue in time for our deadline.  However I must also worry about getting out the posters early enough to market the event but late enough to find a new venue to put on the poster!  Everything is dependent on this one detail!  It's stressful, but it's also exciting.  It all comes with the territory of producing.  But I've worked this hard to get where I am, so I'm determined to make this show happen.  So I've already got a meeting set up for next week to talk with the manager of a new venue.  Fingers crossed!