Blogsite Theater

Family. Re-imagined.

2009-07-13T11:20:00.004-04:00

(R-L: Ami Gray, Chris Perez, Ami Sallee Corley, Spencer Meyers, Katie Castonguay, Stephen Ray and Jason Vaughan Evans)

We've got 3.5 weeks until we open Pericles, the grand finale of our 10th anniversary season.

We can't impress enough how much we want you there, not only to celebrate the world premiere of this punk mob musical with music by Joe Popp's new outfit the Hornrims and a book by our own Neil Gobioff & Shawn Paonessa but to cap off this historic milestone with us in style.

No messin' around. Grab a ticket. Saturday, August 8th is already sold out due to our season ticket holder load-in. We hope you can make it out.

Broke? There are still $5 preview tickets available by using promo code BROKE when you buy online, over the phone or at the window.

Pay half now, half later for 09-10 season

2009-07-11T10:41:00.003-04:00

In a continuing effort to make it easy for people to be become season ticket holders, we've worked a deal out with TBPAC to do a payment plan for the 2009-10 Jobsite season.

Get your order in for the 30% off early bird special (Just $102.90 per person for 6 shows!) by Wed., July 15 and you can pay 50% of your order total now and have the other 50% drop automatically on Aug. 15.

Of course you can still pay for the whole package now if that's your preference, and you have until July 27 to take advantage of these 30% off savings. The 30% off deal originally expired on June 29, but due to your feedback, we held it over.

As of July 28 season tickets will be the standard 20% off. We cannot hold this 30%% off rate over again.

To recap: the 30% off rate is good through July 27. If you order by July 15, you may pay 50% of your total order now and pay the balance automatically on Aug. 15. As of July 28 season tickets will be the standard rate of 20% off.

Here's an order form. Mail, fax or call it in today to take advantage of these great offers!

“...little by little, Jobsite Theater has been turning into the most consistent, most dependable company in the Bay area.” – Creative Loafing

Your purchase of season tickets from Jobsite guarantees your seats all year to shows that often sell out in advance, gets you into all side projects and readings for FREE, ensures our future for years to come, makes our shows better and contributes directly to local artists and therefore our own local economy.

You can easily move your tickets around in advance if something comes up on any given night, plus we send special offers from time to time from TBPAC or one of our other partners exclusive to our season ticket holders, and season ticket holders can always buy extra tickets to bring their friends for 10% off.

Season tickets are awesome. Jobsite season tickets are super awesome. People who buy Jobsite season tickets are Superfly TNT. You know you want to be Superfly TNT.

Money, money, money, money ...

2009-07-09T14:13:00.005-04:00

Since June 25, I've been singly-employed. Perhaps that's best expressed as underemployed. Semi-employed?

Jobsite has always been a lot of work to keep moving in the right direction while juggling two jobs, but it's always been manageable. Good thing I'm sorta into working late nights and weekends, because that's how I've had to roll.

Now that Jobsite is my only job (according to Facebook anyway), I've been spending my time working on grants as well as trying to find other random odd-jobs and contract-based work I can do to keep up with my mortgage and bills.

Jobsite has been earnestly researching and applying for grants going on two years now. The first was through the state, and we never even got so much as a "thanks for trying" email in return.

That was odd. Even to our grant writer.

The second made it all the way to final adjudication. We knew it was down to 5 in our category and we even knew who the panelists were. We were thrilled. Then there were sweeping budget changes and monies already set aside for the arts was recalled to go to other places someone else thought was more critical.

This week alone I've applied for three grants. One was already dried up by the time I got the app in, but I couldn't have guessed that since the website was out of date. After filling everything out I called to ask about a form that was missing, and that's how I got the news. Apparently they didn't even know the website was out of date.

The second also had an out of date form online. I'd similarly been working on this grant all week when I had to call in and ask about the form. Similar story - the budget is unclear and the deadline will at least be a month after what they expected it to be and when they know more they'll send something out.

Wow.

My introduction to grantwriting has been exceedingly frustrating, to put it mildly.

I interned at the Hippodrome up in Gainesville during those glorious Clinton years when the arts were funded way better AND there was an enormous budget surplus. I know what kind of money they were getting and how many grants were going out the door there on an ongoing basis. Now I sit around and scratch my head as to where all that went, and if we'll ever see it again.

We've barely squeezed by now for 10 years with the money we have. Barely. We do a great job with what we do in the face of a lack of money, don't get me wrong, but we're like McGyver - fixing stuff with duct tape, WD-40 and a paper clip. I constantly tell my board we have to stretch if we want to grow. That we have to create and show the need in order to get the funding. I've been told over and over that if it looks like you're getting by ok with no money, despite how little people are being compensated, that you won't get anything. I thought that backwards - surely not having anything but showing responsibility and merit has to be better than way overspending what you have and being up to your eyes in debt?

So we've been stretching, reaching, when it comes to finances. We've added a small salary, we've increased our payout to artists, we've budgeted a lot more aggressively to show all this need. It's been almost two years now and we've still yet to see a dime come back. This really just adds to my frustration.

I hate worrying about money. I hate not having it. I hate not being able to pay my artists what they are worth. But it seems to be where we often start and where we always finish.

After a crazy-good start to this season between our first few shows, the past few have not done what they should have done at the box office, despite the sensational coverage and outstanding reviews. Despite pleading. Despite best efforts and good old fashioned hump busting.

I know, I know, the first thing anyone will say is that it's the economy. I'm not so sure, but maybe that's just me being cynical.

Whatever is going on we as a company have to find a way around it. The budgets are set and in motion for the remainder of this season - which is luckily just the one show, Pericles. I've already budgeted quite a bit more conservatively for next season. I've had to, I'm not happy about it. I don't really have so much faith that the money is going to be there from corporate or government support, despite how hard we try, to make up where the ticket office falls flat.

Which just leads me back to how we've made it this far - regular folks like yourself. The people that buy tickets to our shows, who send us an occassional check or PayPal us a little something here and there. You can honestly take credit for keeping a theater company on their feet and kicking it for 10 solid years. It shows the power of what regular people can do. We get enough of those regular people and it possibly even trivializes what we're not getting from corporate America or the government.

If we never say it enough - cut this out and put it in your pocket: we owe everything to you. Without you, and without these artists who come back to us again and again, there is no Jobsite.

Just imagine what we could do if we could get those other funding sources to step up though. It keeps me up at night. We're going to keep working them and we hope, if you ever had the chance to go to bat for us, that you'd do the same.

There's another post brewing in me about Pericles, about how it's the finale of this 10th anniversary season and how we want this to be a rockin' tribute to this great run we've had so far. We hope everyone, despite how long maybe it's been since you've seen a show or how broke you might be, will come out and join us. If you're in a real bind we're offering $5 tickets to our preview at 8pm on Wed., Aug. 5. Use promo code BROKE.

Are you ready for this?

2009-07-01T13:03:00.003-04:00

Never heard of The Hornrims? (What? You missed their rousing covers of For What It's Worth and Fortunate Son in Embedded??) Still watching Power Rangers when Popp left Tampa in 2000? Here's the video of The Hornrims first single, Holland.

Two fists full of pure rock. The writers from The March of the Kitefliers. A story pirated from Shakespeare (who pirated it anyway). It's not too good to be true, it's just the grand finale to Jobsite's 10th season - Pericles!

You asked, we listened.

2009-06-30T12:01:00.003-04:00

We all know money is a little tight right now (trust us, we really know).

Many of you came to us and asked what the last possible date was you could sign up for 2009-10 season tickets for 30% off. Many of you asked if we could extend it. A lot of the stories were the same - it's summer, people are waiting for checks or have upcoming expenses and paying out right now for tickets to shows that start 4 months from now is a challenge.

We get it.

So, the Jobsite braintrust got together, and with our partners at TBPAC, agreed to extend the deadline for the 30% off early bird offer on Jobsite 2009-10 season tickets through Monday, July 27. That's a whole extra month to get in on one of the best deals in regional theater.

If you still need convincing as to why you should get season tickets and how they benefit you as well as Jobsite, check out our season tickets page at our website.

We're a little less than halfway to the total number of season tickets we had for this year. We not only want to get all of those folks back, we want to grow on those numbers. We need to grow on those numbers.

And we're more than willing to work with you to get there.

From all of us at Jobsite, we hope this extended offer helps, and we hope you can join us for another season of the quality, innovative programming.

Here's a link to our order form, or call 813.229.STAR (7827) from noon to 8pm Mon. - Sat. and noon to 6pm on Sun.

Please subscribe to our 2009-10 season!

2009-06-28T09:52:00.003-04:00

Tampa Bay theater lovers currently have until midnight on Monday to get great savings while making a significant contribution to the stability and well-being of the company that Creative Loafing has recently said is "the closest thing to a top Off-Broadway theater that the Bay area has to offer" and also "the most consistent, most dependable company in the Bay area."

Jobsite's 2009–10 season features: a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a stage adaptation of one of the great horror film classics, a swinging ‘60s British sex farce, a hilarious new comedy fresh out of New York, a wildly imaginative new comedy by MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient and Pulitzer Prize finalist, and a very adult coming-of-age tale inspired by one of the world’s most beloved comic strips.

For a full list of season ticket benefits along with the other meaningful reasons you should subscribe, visit us at JobsiteTheater.org. You can make a real difference. Save money. Guarantee your seats. Make the shows better. Support local artists. Become a Jobsite season ticket holder today! For more information on our great 2009-10 lineup, head over to our website.

Just two more days to save 30%!

2009-06-27T16:00:00.003-04:00

Check out our last post on our sweet 30% off early bird deal for the 2009-10 season and why you should take advantage - this deal is set to expire on Monday at midnight!

Thanks for your continue support of Jobsite!

1 week left to take advantage of HUGE savings!

2009-06-22T13:00:00.003-04:00

Our 30% off early bird pricing on the 2009-10 Jobsite Theater season will expire at midnight on June 29.

Take advantage of great savings to some of the best theater in the region!

Season tickets not only save you 30% on the cost of tickets (a savings of $44.10 per person off the price of regular tickets), but you also only pay a one-time $10 handling fee per order (buy one season ticket or 100 and the fee is just $10) - saving a single person up to $20 a year or a couple up to $50.

For two people, that's a total savings of up to $138!

Season tickets are the absolute best way to show your support for our company. Season tickets give us stability, allow us to make better shows and continue to increase not only our production values but what we are able to pay our artists. The more season ticket holders we have, the better the odds we can add performances or full weeks to our schedule - also leading to even more stability for us and better pay for our artists.

Season tickets also guarantee your seats all year to shows that often sell out in advance and get you other cnifty benefits like the ability to move yourtickets around with ease and go see any and all Job-side Projects for FREE. We're also given special offers from time to time from TBPAC to pass on only to our valued season ticket holders.

Check out the eCenter newsletter today sent by TBPAC.

And here is a direct link to our 2009-10 season ticket information page.

If you're ready to just hook this up now, here's our order form.

Please consider becoming or renewing your season tickets today. This offer expires June 29.

If you have already purchased 2000-10 season tickets, THANK YOU from everyone at Jobsite. You are making a real impact on what we do an how we do it.

We hope to see you all at Pericles!

Don't just take our word for it, Rabbit Hole is must-see!

2009-06-16T14:49:00.002-04:00

We've been touting what a triumph this production is for a few weeks now. We only have four performances left and an way too many seats still left unsold

So don't take out word for it - of course we think our show is great - check out what everyone else is saying:

“... Poignantly engaging ... the truth is beautiful, even when it’s about a recalcitrant grief ... it offers all the pleasures of art.” –Creative Loafing

“The material gets the kind of nuanced and powerful production it deserves ... Paul Potenza leads a cast through almost uniformly stunning performances.” – St. Petersburg Times

"Under Paul J. Potenza's steady direction, Jobsite's production was compelling and moving." - The Tampa Tribune

“Here's my advice to you: if you to nothing else in the next 2 weeks – go see Rabbit Hole.” – Summer Bohnenkamp

“Definitely a must see! I wish I could go again!” – Christina Joy Rutherford

“The play was excellent!!! The acting superb and direction superb! Congratulations on a fine evening. The Stagesetters loved it too!!” – Andrea Graham

“Superlative on all counts. Well done, Jobsite. Bob and I both loved it.” – Pat Forsythe

“This was a magnificent play – wonderful evening ... I really felt that this is one of the best productions that I have seen. The actors and story line were so effective in carrying a sensitive, tender, meaningful story forward so professionally that you didn't walk away feeling totally destroyed, yet you felt the pain and know the pain of losing a child. Give my best to the wonderful cast, director and all of those behind the scenes that make our evening so pleasurable.” – Jan McCarthy

“Great show. I hope your reviews are good and lots of people attend. Please express my congrats to the cast and crew.” – Deborah Kobritz

“Saw Rabbit Hole last night and it was wonderful! Loved everything about it... the writing, acting, directing, sets, lighting.... Wow! This has been the best season.” – Kim Smallheer

“Saw Rabbit Hole. Empty seats made me angry. Chris Rutherford was amazing. See it or die.” – David Hood

“Rabbit Hole was excellent! Beautiful portrayal of grief and how family members grieve differently and at different rates.” – Nancy Bell

I hope you can make a plan today and support us in this final weekend. This is a tour-de-force production, a major achievement for this company and one of the finest nights in the theater that you could ask for. You owe it to yourself to see this production before it is gone for good.

Today is a great day for rush tickets!

2009-06-14T13:30:00.001-04:00

Get a $10 ticket to today's 4pm performance of Rabbit Hole if you are a student, senior or member of the military with cash and a valid ID as of 2:30 today at the TBPAC Ticket Office window.

Also, if you want to make a double feature of it, there is a 7pm performance of the Job-side Project Short Comimgs II: Over the Edge at 7pm. That's just $5, and it's FREE if you are a season ticket holder!

Friday Thinkin'

2009-06-12T11:39:00.005-04:00

It's a great time for Jobsite right now. We're in the final 2 shows of our to-date very successful 10th anniversary season. We're already selling season tickets for a 2009-10 season we're stoked on. Rabbit Hole is bringing the house down nightly and has earned three stellar reviews. Hell, we simply survived Inishmore. We have a multitude of side projects coming up including a new LOL event and a new night of Short Comings.

We're still working hard, despite all the crazy budgetary session hoo haa, on trying to get some grants in from the state and federal levels as well as funding from sources like the NEA and TCG. You all shocked us during Inishmore by opening your wallets to us to ensure we could pay for that expensive show and continue producing at a comfortable level.

Things are coming along, to be sure. Many other theaters in the country have not been so lucky. While others fold and cut back, we're expanding. That's certainly good news.

Yet the greatest mystery to us still is how any particular show is going to sell and how we can capitalize on what we have and translate that into getting butts in seats.

That's our best measuring-stick as to how we're doing - ticket sales. It's also our most critical revenue stream. We don't have the base of donors and cash sponsors many others rely on to weather sales.

Sometimes it's easy selling tickets. It seems we barely had to do anything for Picasso to sell out 17 straight performances. Other times it isn't so easy. Inishmore, for example, was a well-chronicled struggle despite the great reviews and how much the people who came loved the show.

Most often though, it's somewhere in between. Ten years hasn't quite given us a perfect formula. From our best guesses at this point I think it's safe to say that plays about famous figures (Dracula, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Gorey Stories) do pretty damned well, the best of all, actually. Comedies like the (abridged) series do great. They may not sell like those titles listed before, but they also cost a fraction to produce. Super-classics, like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead are big winners. Past that, it's like throwing a dart wearing a blindfold half the time.

Where does it get the hardest to sell? Subject matter, sure-fire no lyin'. We struggled to explain The Boys Next Door was yes - a comedy about developmentally challenged adults living together and no, it was not making fun of them or horribly depressing. We had to get past that The Pillowman was about a child-murderer and that Blackbird was at the core a story about pedophilia. Right now we have a show about the death of a child. That can be hard to pitch. So we try to explain not only what something is about but why it's about that, what it means and what an audience is going to get out of it.

Still, we offer a wide pallet and it's not like we just do American classics or light comedies.

So a lot of that is on us. We don't have the strictest of identities when it comes to play selection. That's a big reason I balked so much at the "alternative" or "avant-garde" labels that were tossed at us for so long. Good news there is I don't hear those words so often anymore.

Jobsite is about making great theater. Plain and simple. Theater that speaks to this body of artists we've built around us and that we believe speaks to those around us in this community. Theater that's challenging - for us and for an audience. Theater that is relevant, immediate, impacting.

So that might come in the form of a play like Rabbit Hole, which we certainly believe. It might come in the form of early twentieth century feminist expressionism (ok, so I just sometimes like to whip out the college vernacular) like Machinal. It might just come in the form of asking folks to come down and get their laugh on.

We love our variety, and so do the converted. Those loyal subscribers and season ticket holders who have just given in and enjoy taking the ride Jobsite puts in front of them. They know how hard we work and what we're capable of.

And there's the challenge - how to get more folks to trust this (I hedge to even use this bit of marketing-speak) 'brand' that is Jobsite.

Think about it - when you say a Kevin Smith film or a Akira Kurosawa film or the Alvin Ailey Dance Company or a Paul McCartney album - you don't really get too many people hemming and hawing over what the content is or the piece is about. Folks get stoked on the identity that they trust and just want to see what they've come up with now.

We're well aware we have to work at that. We have an awesome core of season ticket holders and single ticket buyers. They are frankly one of the biggest reasons we've made it this far. We just know we can do better. We have to do better.

When a group of artists like we have right now with Rabbit Hole are all living comfortably (comfortably, mind you, not extravagantly) on what we can pay them and this company is fully staffed with our artists in administrative positions as well and this becomes a fully-sustainable organism, then ... well, ok, then we set new goals.

But those are the goals in front of me right now.

Every open seat is a lost opportunity. It's not just lost revenue. It's one less chance we have of making an impression on someone. It's one less chance we have to share the work we've done. It's one less chance we have to maybe make it easier the next time we have a show on, because someone didn't see it and now they can't just say "oh, it's a Jobsite show, I bet it's good ..."

So, all I can do for now is make sure we're doing good work - which we are. Rabbit Hole is a triumph, and I mean that in every sense. Now we just need the folks to come see it. To fill every seat, to give us a chance.

If you're reading this, I hope you can make a sincere effort to stop by. I promise you it's more than worthy. If you're on of "the choir" - I hope you might be able to pass us on to someone else.

Like I said during Inishmore - going to the theater should NEVER, EVER be about obligation or guilt. It should be about the experience. To sit and have a great reckoning in a little room or to let go of the week and your life and just laugh or share an experience with someone close to you as well as people you may never see again. It's hard sometimes as a producer to not hit that panic button and talk about bottom line and how you need these sales to not fold, but that totally undercuts why people should REALLY be going to the theater. There is nothing like great theater. Not movies, not TV, not a rock concert, not a ballet, not a book. We've got a hell of an example up on stage right now. Come check it out.

It's a good time for Jobsite, still, I see better times ahead. We just have to reach a little harder and keep flexing those muscles. I believe that hard work is rewarded, and so far - it has been.

Critics love Rabbit Hole!

2009-06-09T11:38:00.002-04:00

We're three for three on reviews in local print for Rabbit Hole!

We're also gearing up for our second weekend, and we truly hope you can join us. If you're at all on the fence, read these reviews. I assure you this is a GREAT night in the theater!

"If the subject sounds too somber to make an enjoyable drama, let me assure you that the current Jobsite Theater production is poignantly engaging ... the truth is beautiful, even when it’s about a recalcitrant grief. A play like Rabbit Hole belongs in the same category as a Dürer engraving: human life seen up close, startlingly real." - Creative Loafing

"The material gets the kind of nuanced and powerful production it deserves in the current staging by Jobsite Theater ... Rabbit Hole is sad, of course, but it's not the least bit depressing. There's an underlying sense of strength in these people and these interpersonal bonds that make the play's enduring feeling one of hopefulness." - St. Pete Times

"Under Paul J. Potenza's steady direction, Jobsite's production was compelling and moving." - The Tampa Tribune

I really hope to see you this weekend or next, we could truly use the support!

If you've already been, can we ask that refer a friend? Passing us on via water cooler chatter, an email or via social networking like Facebook or Twitter would be very meaningful for us.

Nerve postponed

2009-06-06T16:45:00.000-04:00

We're postponing the staged reading of Nerve that was scheduled for Tuesday, June 16. We should be able to get a final date easly this coming week. The Pericles staged reading on Monday plus the upcoming LOL and Short Comings events are still on as planned!

Openings for this weekend, and your help needed!

2009-06-05T12:15:00.002-04:00

A batch of tickets have just opened up for tonight's 8p performance of Rabbit Hole. Grab 'em while they are hot! We also have about a dozen tix each left in Sat. and Sun.'s shows. We sold out on opening night, and would love nothing more than to be able to brag on that for all of opening weekend!

Once you've seen the show, would you please send us a note to tell us what you thought? We may share your experience with others to help them make an informed decision and hopefully help them make a decision to come see us!

THANKS!

June: a mainstage, two staged readings, a comedian and an evening of shorts!

2009-06-04T12:19:00.003-04:00

Check out all the rad stuff we have going on in June! You can't beat this with a beating machine!

2006 Pulitzer Prize winner!
Rabbit Hole
by David Lindsay Abaire
June 4-21, 2009

Pericles
Staged Reading
June 8 * 7:30pm
$5 at the door, free for Jobsite Ensemble and season ticket holders

LOL: An Evening with Tony Gaud
June 12-13, 19-20 * 11pm
$5 at the door, free for Jobsite season ticket holders

Short Comings II: Attack of the Directors
June 13 at 3pm, June 14-15 at 7pm
$5 at the door, free for Jobsite season ticket holders

Nerve
Staged Reading
POSTPONED!
$5 at the door, free for Jobsite Ensemble and season ticket holders

Rabbit Hole opens Thu. - shows already selling out!

2009-06-02T13:58:00.003-04:00

We're happy to announce that our opening night performance of Rabbit Hole on June 4 is SOLD OUT. We have only a few tickets remaining for both June 5 and 6, and a bit more avails for Sun., June 7.

Your opening weekend support, plus hopefully your fabulous word of mouth after you've been really means the world to us as we set off on what is hopefully another great, full run.

If you missed my thoughts after the rehearsal I saw last week, go here.

And if you do plan on coming on opening weekend, would you mind sharing that with your friends either by mouth, email or via any social networking site you're fond of? Keep in mind you can always get banners to share here.

This is such a powerful play, and such a talented cast. I'd hate for any of you to miss it!

A few mouse clicks could win us $1,000!!!

2009-05-27T11:58:00.003-04:00

Please follow this link over to Givezooks page for Jobsite Theater and then click the Vote button for us. It's that easy.

As of last week, Jobsite was in the lead for the "I Give a Zook" contest, which could bag us $1,000.

Won't you please, please, please take a second and vote for us??

Some thoughts on Rabbit Hole

2009-05-26T12:25:00.001-04:00

I truly hope to see all of you next weekend for the opening of Rabbit Hole. I had the opportunity to see a rehearsal last Thursday, and I can assure you that this is going to be a night of theater you won't want to miss.

The 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning script is a work of art on it's own. Add to that the more than capable direction of Paul Potenza and a powerhouse cast of Jobsite regulars, old friends and newcomers and you've got a truly remarkable experience.

There is so much warmth, so much subtlety in this play. The characters are honest as they come, and instantly recognizable. I am most amazed at how playwright, director and cast have avoided sentimentality, manipulating the audience's emotions and melodrama to create something that everyone can relate to despite your age or family standing.

It's also important to note that Rabbit Hole picks up eight months after the inciting incident, the death of the Corbett's son, and is more about that family - particularly Howie and Becca - as they attempt to sort out how things are supposed to be as they move on after the initial shock and grief of their loss.

As someone who has recently been dealing with a death very close to me, I assure you that this play is not the major heavy 'downer' that it might appear to be on the surface.

Jobsite has taken great pride this season in bringing you plays that on the surface might seem severe or uncomfortable - from Blackbird's examination of an illicit relationship to a play defending the Devil himself to a piece about an Irish terrorist who goes on a killing spree after learning of the death of his cat. Rabbit Hole is a similarly fearless choice for us in that we knew that on the surface some might be turned off by what they think this play is about.

Just as so many came to us after Inishmore remarking at how funny it was despite the subject matter, we anticipate similar reactions after Rabbit Hole. We just need you to give us the chance.

First and foremost, Rabbit Hole is a great piece of theater and we hope you take the time to spend with us. You won't regret it.

Hope to see you all soon.

2009-10 Jobsite Theater season tickets on sale now!

2009-05-21T16:15:00.002-04:00

All the groovy details right over here at Jobsitetheater.org!

Jobsite gets crazy busy in June!

2009-05-21T14:12:00.004-04:00

Check all these events out, it's our busiest month of 2009!

Rabbit Hole

June 4-21

Thu-Sat 8p, Sun 4p

The 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner and recipient of five Tony nominations. A warm, witty drama about a family coming together in a time of great tragedy.

Tix are $24.50, $10 for students/seniors/military with ID and cash at the window as of 90 minutes to curtain.

LOL: An Evening with Tony Gaud

A Job-side Project

June 12-13, 19-20

Fri-Sat 11p

If you missed "ranney" rock the mic earlier this year, you probably feel foolish about it. Don't make the same mistake twice as "ranney" is back, this time presenting one of his Unusual Suspects for a brand-new night of stand-up!

$5 at the door night of, FREE to Jobsite Theater season ticket holders.

Short Comings II: Attack of the Directors

A Job-side Project

June 13-15

Sat 3p, Sun-Mon 7p

This time Ami Sallee Corley coordinates an evening of short pieces of theatrical tastiness, including new work, by up-and-comers and old friends.

$5 at the door night of, FREE to Jobsite Theater season ticket holders.

Nerve

by Adam Szymkowicz
A Job-side staged reading under the direction of Lori Shannon
POSTPONED!

A dark comedy about falling into a relationship on the first date. Two people meet in a bar one night and all their personality flaws are revealed - along with a puppet, some modern dance and a desperation that may or may not be love.

First look: Rabbit Hole

2009-05-13T15:10:00.002-04:00

Meg Heimstead (Becca) and Katrina Stevenson (Izzy) in a publicity photo from Jobsite Theater's production of Rabbit Hole. Photo courtesy Brian Smallheer.

The remainder of these are Chris Rutherford (Howie) and Meg Heimstead (Becca) in a publicity photo from Jobsite Theater's production of Rabbit Hole. Photo courtesy Brian Smallheer.

Job-side Project casting call!

2009-04-27T13:47:00.000-04:00

Jobsite Theater is holding auditions for the next Job-side Project, Short Comings 2009, this Sunday, May 3rd, starting at 4pm at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's TECO Theater. Short Comings 2009 is the second annual evening of shorts. This year highlights Tampa directors.

Please submit a headshot and resume to acorley@jobsitetheater.org or deliver attention Ami Sallee Corley to the reception desk at the Patel Conservatory Entrance of TBPAC. Headshots/resumes must be received by 6pm on Friday, May 1st. You will be notified of your time slot by Saturday morning.

We are casting for 7 short plays to be performed June 13, 14 and 15 in the Shimbeg Playhouse at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

If the show profits from ticket sales, all artist involved will get a percentage of the ticket sales as compensation.

Balancing blood: Ensemble vs Auditions

2009-04-25T11:36:00.002-04:00

Last year I posted a list of helpful hints of sorts to prepare folks for our auditions.

Still, one of the major things that continues to come back around is the idea that we really don't cast outside our core, and that it might be a waste of time to show up since we may have already promised parts away to someone within the company.

First of all I suppose we have to define what "in the company" means. Jobsite has a body of 9 who artistically steward the company - myself and the 8 Artistic Associates, who are more generally referred to as "the board." There is also the group of artists working with us on the mainstage and within side projects, which can be anywhere from 20 to 35 people roughly from season to season, that we refer to as "the ensemble."

These two groups are both bypassed through the general round of "come do monologues" auditions and are eligible to go directly to callbacks based on who the individual directors would like to see.

Believe it or not, we do not work with back-alley deals on parts, and nor do we choose not to work with people outside of these groups for mainstage casting.

If we didn't want to have the general auditions to see new, fresh faces - we wouldn't have them.

We are loyal to our artists, we're not trying to cover that up. We want to function as an artist's company and we'd like one day to have an all-artist staff once we can afford to pay for those salaries.

Our mission statement speaks of creating an artistic home, of the collaboration of forms, and we are very much aiming for that. We realize this may appear off-putting for those coming in off the street. That it may look like a nepotistic system. That's simply not the case in all honesty.

Some of our reasons for this system:

We want to nurture and support local talent. We place a premium on this. Even though we are not in the position to hire out of town, we want it engrained now that priority goes to those who've chosen to call this area home, and we want to help support and reward them for choosing to make this area more vibrant by their presence.
We want to create better work. As artists work together, grow together and establish a vocabulary together the potential for greatness increases. You can't get that same level out of transiency, of starting over every production with new faces, by bringing people in who may or may not share the same values and vision you do. As an artist also has the freedom of an artistic home, their work is bound to improve on their own as well.
We want to create opportunity. We know we can't right now pay our artists what they are worth, but we can provide them opportunity in the form of using our producing apparatus to help them with their own work as second stage efforts. We call these Job-side Projects. It may be a staged reading, or a one-person show or a minimally-mounted full production. We provide the space and most of the resources and the artist has the opportunity to do what they wish. As 2009 goes along we will have staged readings, a radio drama on WMNF, two different stand-up comedians testing new work, a NY-style cabaret piece launch and a night of shorts put together by local directors. All monies made on these nights goes directly back into the hands of the artist and thet get to have their work scene. This too will improve the quality of potential future mainstage work but also enriches the entire area and gives our artists another reason to stay here and to continue to experiment and refine.

So, yes, there is a lot of value in us working with an ensemble, and it's a system that we support 100%, but that does not mean you can't be cast coming in from the outside.

Every year we have those who leave the ensemble. Maybe they simply move out of area, maybe they have a baby or get a new job that's more demanding of their time. Maybe they just decide they need a break. Every year we look to grow our level of talent, in addition to finding new faces who might be able to replace the old. And as I've said before - every year there are people who come in off the street and take great parts in shows.

We want the best people for all the parts. Simple as that.

Of course casting is a giant balancing act as I went on about in that previous blog, but every one of us who directs is always excited about the prospects of new blood and all that it brings.

So the two notions can marry - commitment to an ensemble as well as hosting open auditions.

So if you're an actor out there reading this and are of the opinion that we just cast the same people over and over again, give our auditions a chance. We only ask that you come prepared and give it your all. Blow our doors off. We look forward to that actually.

Because I don't want people taking me too seriously.

2009-04-24T17:19:00.004-04:00

I saw these photos today over at the gallery on JobsiteTheater.org that the awesome master of awesomemastery Shawn Paonessa put together and laughed out loud.

I needed that.

And I suppose the moral here is that fake hair (wigs, moustaches) and ugly dudes in drag is pretty funny, period.

What the hell do I want?

2009-04-24T11:49:00.002-04:00

As I noted in my last blog post, I've been feeling a real push inside when it comes to this company. A push that's made me feel more demanding - of artistry, of commitment, of organization, of accountability - in regards to all facets of this company.

Again, it's not that I didn't think these things before, but in many ways I've often allowed myself to be very forgiving. Very forgiving in that sometimes we may bring those on who don't enjoy the education or experience that others might have and we might have different standards in those instances. Forgiving of our lack of resources in terms of cash on hand or what comes via sponsors and donors and how that directly effects our ability to produce. Forgiving that pretty much every one of us works at least two jobs. Forgiving that for the regular Joe, theater is not a cultural priority and therefore folks might not support things the way I'd like.

And sometime in this past year, I'm not sure if it's the time I've put in or what, I've just decided that enough is enough. If we don't hold ourselves up to a higher standard now - when will we? If we aren't pushing ourselves to the furthest reaches of our comfort zones, do we really ever expect to grow the way we want?

And truth is - we have to work our asses OFF at every available turn if we really want to turn things around with this art form. I'm not just talking about Jobsite, but all of us.

The audience doesn't care about next time when you think you'll do better, or that you just really want to get through this one bad day with this one bad audience or that you just didn't have the money or didn't spend the time to fix something.

During rehearsals for Inishmore, I told the cast one day during notes how far the show had come and that it was really shaping up to be good. But I noted that I'm not in this for "good," and that "good" just isn't good enough. There's a line between good and great, it's crisp and thick, and that if we're not pushing ourselves at every turn for great over good we're wasting our time and the time of the audience.

This isn't a hobby, this isn't just something to do at night to be social and have fun. This is ministry, this is service, this is change, this is healing, this is important. If all involved aren't on that same page, there is a problem.

We have to give people a reason to leave the house and spend money with us, and let's be fair - even our low cost tickets are more than what a lot of people would consider a good value in this economy. We can combat that with lower prices (which would only work to a point), and we can also combat that with making the experience more valuable. By being excellent with consistency. By giving people a reason to be excited. Let's be real, WICKED has a crazy-rabid fanbase - there's not much work involved in getting that show sold. We have to find the way to move people in that same fashion. At that point those people become the greatest marketers in the world for us, and we begin to grow into something more closely resembling what we want.

And what DO we want?

Some of it's always been right there, from the initial crypto-anarchic scribblings by Mike Caban and me when this sounded like a good idea to take a chance on:

The Jobsite Theater is dedicated to the creation of socially and politically relevant theater and the pursuit of performing it to the broadest possible audience. Jobsite has established and will continue to evolve a collective of like-minded artists, creating a supportive environment where artists of all disciplines may experiment, hone, and apply their skills in a professional laboratory environment.

Through all forms of theater – be it experimental, new plays, contemporary works or the classics – Jobsite hopes to inspire their community to become not just consumers, but true citizens.

The top and bottom unbolded parts are pretty well engrained. We're doing that. The middle bolded area is still looser than I would like it to be.

We set ourselves up as an artist's company, as an ensemble. I used companies like Ariane Mnouchkine's Theatre du Soliel (no relation to the Cirque), Chicago's Steppenwolf and from my direct educational experiences Gainesville's Hippodrome State Theater and the San Francisco Mime Troupe.

A commonality with all these companies is how they run as a collective. A company guided by art and artists and not outside boards and administrators who don't really know the craft they lord over.

In my perfect world? I get a good half-dozen people on an annual payroll in staff positions who are also artists in the next few years. I've always mutli-tasked as an administrator/actor/director/designer/marketer/PR guy/fundraiser/chief/cook/bottlw-washer. I'll do whatever is needed to get things done.

Off the top of my head I can also talk about Brian Smallheer, our Designer in Residence who is more than capable of annual work as Production Manager, who can work with facilities and assist us in setting tours. And who could probably make a full-time go of just designing and building 6 mainstages plus howevermany side projects a year.

Same could be said for Katrina Stevenson in her role as Costume Manager. She's a hell of a director, actor and designer and she could easily be put to work year round to manage a costume shop and likely would still have time to provide administrative support when needed (she's a hell of a board secretary).

Shawn Paonessa - gifted playwright, actor and director - also currently manages Jobsite's website and is the best technical writer/editor I know. I could easily have 40 hours of work a week for him.

Ami Corley, in addition to her artistic abilities is bery interested in education. Kari Goetz is a hell of a PR champion, audience development guru and hob-knobber extraordinaire.

I could keep going, but you get the idea, right? These are incredible artists who do important core work for this company and who deserve to just be paid for what they do. If I could employ every one of these Jobsite Artistic Associates and just give them one paycheck to worry about - I don't think any of them would balk at however many hats I asked them to wear.

Same goes for our mighty ensemble. If the funds were there that would be the pool to tap into when we need help building sets, manning tables, fundraising and so on.

We deserve it, and I feel I owe these people.

And could you imagine what we'd be capable of, how pure we'd produce at that point? It gets me salivating just to think about. And I refuse to accept that it can't be done.

Which brings me back to my demanding nature. If we want it, we have to show we deserve it - despite whatever we may be lacking right now that's holding us back.

It can't all be ticket sales. The answer is not just raising prices, because it wouldn't work that way. I think some of it needs to come from perhaps looking for more ways to actually earn money in the form of secondary stage efforts and a lot of it is going to have to come from beating feet - from finding those individuals and corporations who believe enough in the work we do to directly support it, and to get better at the granting process.

I realize it's not the best time to be asking any government for money, but we have to keep trying. I see too many other people out there who are getting money, we just have to find a way.

And we're going to do this on OUR terms. We'll do this and stay true to the work that excites us, that we want to produce and that we believe people want to see. We will do this by not comprimising who we are and who we serve.

I'm sure I could go back and start all over again and create a company here to pander to the ultra-wealthy or that would tug at the heart-strings of those handing out stacks of cash to bad shows about science benchmarks or forced didactic "social issue" work that someone believes is "worthy" - but if I'm going to totally go sell out I'd go do it in an industry that would at least buy me a bigger house and a new car.

So I continue to do what I do, what I know and what I believe in.

This dream can come true. It's just taking a bit more work and patience that I thought at a certain point.

And this is exactly why I feel such a push to not only step up my own game, but to make sure everyone else is, too.