My teams

I am probably proudest of the work I’ve done over the last few years with two particular sets of people: my fellow Regional DevT Chairs, Doug Carfrae and Erin Maureen Koster;  and the National Media and New Technology Chair and Vice-Chairs: Jimmy Ludwig, Kim Huber, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, and Kellie Overbey.

Weirdly enough, everyone but Jimmy is up for re-election this year, and I’m running in hopes of joining them all on Council after 8 years on the Central Regional Board.

Doug Carfrae, who is also the Western Regional Vice-President, ran unopposed, and so is already “deemed elected.” Quite right, frankly. I shouldn’t try to speak for the folks in the West, but *I* think he’s one of our national treasures. Calm, measured, firm, mentoring, protective of his region’s members’ needs while looking out for the national membership as a whole. I’ve been fortunate to learn from him, and we as a whole are lucky to have him.

Erin Koster is equal parts pragmatist, wonk, and mother hen. In short, a Stage Manager I would sacrifice at least a toe to work with. Not to mention her mastery and deep catalogue of humorous duck gifs.  She’s the one who pulled the mandate to develop an Independent Theatre Agreement off the shelf (approved in a Council plenary in 2014), blew off the dust and got it put back on the table.  (One big reason I want a seat on Council in this particular election is so I can actually vote on this when the time comes.) There are *very* few people I’d say we *need* to return to Council. Erin’s one.

As to my fellow Vice-Chairs on Media:  Kim, Nikka, and Kellie…  check their statements. Vote them up. Please. We’ve all been working really closely together over the last two months on COVID-19 streaming agreements, and a term I hope you’re all going to be hearing a LOT more of over the next year, “Remote Audience Access,” was coined amongst us. We’re like a cast that can keep that tape ball in the air for-fuckin’-ever… or a volleyball team that can set 5 times before one of us spikes… or no, man, it’s this, we’re a jam band that isn’t really a jam band because it’s not like we all take super-long extended solos, dude, we can like, improvise a FUGUE! (Said with affection, PHISHheads, I’m from Vermont, I mean, c’mon…)

Point being, these are all really good, really smart people, we work really well together, successfully crafting media agreements and navigating that landscape is going to be vital for members and the Association in the recovery and beyond, and I really hope we don’t have to break up the band. Please support all of them.