I am currently rehearsing for Gorilla Repertory Theater’s production of Joan of Arc. It is a recession friendly show that should be a lot of fun. You can RSVP at the Joan of Arc Facebook page. Remember to leave your seats and blankets at home because in typical Gorilla Rep style, each scene will move from location to location. Read an article about the play.

July 9th – August 2nd
Thurs. – Sun. @ 8pm
Cost: FREE
More info @ www.gorillarep.org

Written by Robert Steven Ackerman
Directed by Christopher Carter Sanderson
Stage Manager: Alexis Qualls
Music: Andre-Philippe Mistier
Artistic Associate: Stephen Fried
Fight Director: Dennis Baker

Location: Fort Tryon Park – Pinegrove
Subway: A Train to 190th
Exit up the Elevators
Take a Right out of the Subway and follow the signs

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Rehearsal of Joan of Arc. Pictured: Tim Scott, Tim Moore, Dennis Baker, Josh Silverman

When art and commerce are mentioned in the same sentence, many people become bad-tempered or think something needs fixing. This paper argues that more artists ought to make more money more often. Harvard Business School professor Robert Austin and theater dramaturg Lee Devin identify and undermine three fallacies about art and commerce, and suggest that it is necessary to carry on a more careful and less emotional conversation about the tensions between art and business and to overcome a general aversion to business common among artists and their patrons. They also stress the need to develop better theories about how art and commerce can achieve integration helpful to both. Key concepts include:

• The interests of art, artists, and business can be best served if more commerce enters into the world of art, not less.
• There are three fallacies, often implicit, about relationships between art and commerce: (1) art is a luxury and an indulgence, (2) art is clearly distinguishable from “non-art,” and (3) commerce dominates and corrupts art, and subverts its purpose.
• Good art should achieve appropriate commercial value consistently, not just occasionally. A conversation takes place when art and commerce are in tension, a conversation in which neither artists nor managers should dominate.

Pay My Rent
Alan M. Berks, writing on the blog Minnesota Playlist, June 28, 2009
Would you feel comfortable with a part-time dentist? Someone who’s got some talent filling cavities and performing root canals but who only squeezes them in at night, after she comes home from the full-time job she does all day, typing at a desk, let’s say, to pay the bills? Or, do you think, the work is going to be a helluva lot better if your dentist could concentrate on the job full-time, all year round? What about your plumber, lawyer, electrician, and accountant? Why then do we accept a system where performing artists have almost no expectation of making a real career in their chosen profession?… I don’t believe that everyone who wants to do theater deserves a living wage. For most people, theater is always going to seem like more fun than dentistry, so more people will want to do it. I think that a market that squeezes young performing artists a little so that they have to choose whether they’re really committed to it is probably appropriate. But anyone who doesn’t think that theater is already a ruthlessly competitive market has no idea what an audition is.

I received a recommended pass for the proficiency test in single sword through the Society of American Fight Directors. My instructor was Joseph Travers from Swordplay and the test was adjudicated by Fight Master J. Allen Suddeth. I am slowly working through the eight tests that are held by the SAFD. I am have already passed unarmed and now single sword. I will also take the broadsword and shield class this summer. Once that is done the weapons I have left is rapier & dagger, smallsword, broadsword, quarterstaff, and knife.

The video above is from our rehearsal the day before. For video to the actual test, click here.

DENNIS BAKER LLC has been nominated by Blognet Blog Awards for the best culture blog.

From Blognet:
The nominator said “I just love this blog. It covers all aspects of the creative process, but particularly theater something that I have always had an interest in”. This is the blog for the actors, directors, bloggers and teachers who are hard core theater buffs. If you don’t really know your stuff, you might feel a little lost at first, but if you do, you will appreciate this site for the opportunities and education it offers. (Wannabes like the BlogNet Awards Team just review the blog and try to steer the talented among you in the right direction.) Not content with limiting their scope to the theater, this site also offers helpful tips on web design, marketing opportunities, and even the chance to write for the site and share your own expertise in the area of theater. We know you’ll improve your craft with the lessons gleaned at this site.

PLEASE VOTE TO NOMINATE DENNIS BAKER LLC FOR BEST OVERALL BLOG. You need register and log in to vote and leave comments. Both votes and comments count in the BlogNet Awards Comment Contest. Remember when you click on the stars one star means “poor” – 10 stars means “best”. Click here to rate the website and leave a comment. You can also view the video below.

In this tough economy many people are becoming freelancers. According to a recent New York Times article, “More than 14.8 million people were self-employed last year, accounting for about 12 percent of the private, nonfarm work force.” The first thing one needs to do as a rockstar freelancer is to create a personal brand. A great source is the Rockable’s minibook Rockstar Personal Branding. There are so many blogs out there as well as many freelancers and entrepreneurs. A personal brand helps you stand out from the crowd. It puts an image to you, the business. The minibook breaks down personal branding to five points: positioning yourself, building reputation, crafting the elevator pitch, blogging, and perfecting the package.

Positioning Yourself
Position yourself for what, you might ask? What is your selling position, specifically your unique selling plan. What are you putting out there for people to buy? Is it clear? What do you do that no one else if offering or that you do better? Can that be highlighted above many different skills that you possess? Are you formally a real estate broker who is now in web design? Than you can market to the real estate industry claiming you are one of them and therefore know how to market to their business’ needs.

Building Reputation
To build a reputation you will need to meet people and get your brand out to the public. One can gain credibility by joining trade organizations, attending conferences, publish an article or teaching a class at their local community college. Doing this, while learning your trade, can help build your reputation even before you get your first client.

Crafting the Elevator Pitch
How can you say the most about your brand in the smallest amount of time? Four key areas to focus on: who you are, what make you unique, what do you do, and why should the listener care? Remember this is a sales pitch, that should not sound like a sales pitch. Keep it short and make it personal.

Blogging
Google, and other search engines, like to see a website with updated content. A blog is the best way to do this. Updating your blog often will most likely get your name to #1 in Google search. A blog is a way for your brand to have a conversation with potential clients. You can write about the latest trends in your profession, while people can comment and interact with the brand. The longer you write and become established the more of an authority you will become.

Perfecting the Package
The package consists of all the things that represent your brand like business cards, logo, photos, bio, and design elements. They all need to have a cohesive aspects to create the whole package. Is your brand fun and vibrant or cutting edge and trendy? Your package will communicate this to potential clients and will help create a feeling about your brand.

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3 days left to win the Twitter Ticket Contest. Click here to Retweet (RT) the free one ticket giveaway for the May 31st performance of New York Theatre Workshop’s Things of Dry Hours.

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4 days left to win the Twitter Ticket Contest. Click here to Retweet (RT) the free one ticket giveaway for the May 31st performance of New York Theatre Workshop’s Things of Dry Hours.

When a small New York theater company reports that they received 700 submissions for 22 parts in their summer production, it is a telling factor of the odds one actor has in getting an audition, let alone a part. How does this fair for larger regional theaters that hold EPA auditions in New York? People stand in line sometimes as early as 5am to make sure they get an audition. While at the same time, some of these companies still hold auditions, through their casting directors, for actors that were submitted through agents.

Instead of only doing these cattle call auditions, an actor needs to find other ways to build relationships. What are possible ways to skip the middle man and go directly to the buyers, the directors and artistic directors?

Define Your Area
What regional theaters are in your area? Define your area. Is it the theaters that are less than an hour drive from your home? Is it two hours? Be clear so you can have a purposeful marketing and networking plan.

Research
Once you have made a list of all the theaters in your area, do the research. Go online and find out what their season is going to be. From their you can determine what roles you would be right for. Send an odd-size mailer of your headshot to the artistic director wishing them good luck on the season and that you would like to submit for a role. Read any of the plays that are not familiar. Also research the artistic director. Are they new to the area? Are they originally from your hometown? This information will help when you meet them at opening night.

Opening Night
If the production you are submitting for is later in the season, go see the other productions. Opening night would be the best night to go, as it is almost guaranteed the artistic director will be there. Don’t be shy (also don’t be pushy or rude) and introduce yourself. If this is after you sent your mailing, then the artistic director might remember you. Make the conversation about the current production and the artistic director. Do not make the conversation all about you and how you would be perfect for their upcoming production. The point of this meeting is not to sell yourself, but to begin a professional relationship with someone in your field. Don’t sound like a needy, out of work actor.

Don’t Forget the Middle Man
While doing all this work, do not ignore the casting director that the theater company hires for each production. You can find out who the casting director is in the Playbill of the production you just saw, or maybe on their website. The artistic director might ask the casting director about you once they see your mailing, or meet you, and it would be good to have a headshot in the casting office so they can look you up.

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5 days left to win the Twitter Ticket Contest. Click here to Retweet (RT) the free one ticket giveaway for the May 31st performance of New York Theatre Workshop’s Things of Dry Hours.

Click here to Retweet (RT) the free one ticket giveaway for the May 31st performance of New York Theatre Workshop’s Things of Dry Hours. Do it any time before midnight on May 29th and you will be automatically entered to win.

A must read for anyone working with Social Media, Rethinking ROI for Social Media