WIT Voices

I say to be careful what you wish for.  In more grammatically correct terms, be careful for what you wish. 

 If you wish and work hard enough, you will get it.  {Warning: loosey goosey feng shui buddhist terminology follows} If you are clear enough when you speak to the universe, you will get what you want.

Months ago I realized that my “Placeholder Job” of Recruiting wasn’t the right place for me to work.  I took a long hard look at what I want to do with my life and narrowed it down to 3 points of focus: Directing, Writing & Educational Theatre (which combines the first 2).

I set off!  (Darnit, another dangling preposition)

Realizations which I made:

Researching Writing jobs, I realized the obvious: no one pays you to write without a portfolio.  Would you hire an actor without a resume?  Folks in TV can afford to leave that question rhetorical.

Researching Directing jobs, I re-realized that  I’m still on a path.  It’s a good path, and I enjoy the path.  The path is still long and arduous and requires introducing a few more theaters to the concept of spike tape, but it’s an upward path nonetheless.  I made some adjustments to my attitude towards that path and the different roads I could take and what supplies were needed and as soon as I exhausted that metaphor, moved on to my next point of focus.

Educational Theatre is something I always loved.  I ran a couple of Drama Camps in Boston and Santa Clarita, and worked harder than I ever have to make them the best experience possible for those kids.

Then I realized that the job I loved the most was working as a Mentor for the Speak To Me program through CTG.  This was when I was an AEA Stage Manager, and two years in a row I mentored an SM-to-be while continuing to coordinate everything regarding the production.  It kept me up nights.  I had all of the regular show duties and paperwork and had to find time to fill out the Program paperwork/evaluations and also train an assistant.  I bought Frapuccinos (sp?) for all of my crew and was never happier to be at Starbucks at 5am on a Tuesday morning.  Did you know they take orders in advance?. 

So I gave my notice and began the pursuit of working in Educational Theatre.   Thinking I would be working after-school and need to supplement my income, I also pursued tutoring and teaching outside of LAUSD, or “The District” as we like to call it here in the not-for-profit educational world.

Roughly a month after I started actively seeking a new job, I was offered the position of Theater Coordinator for Safe Moves, (www.safemoves.org) and will soon begin coordinating, running and directing plays with middle school students. 

I was a little unsure at first, and then I realized my quandry: I was contemplating the reality of combining what I love with how I make money.

It wouldn’t just be a Placeholder Job. 

It wouldn’t even be a Day Job.

It wouldn’t even be just a job to pay the bills.

I would enjoy it. 

It’s what I’m good at.  (It’s at what I am….oh, screw grammar)

I strongly believe in the power of theatre to educate.  There are so many facets to this position that are fantastic, and I actually believe I’ll be working there for a long time, happily.   I will continue to Write & Direct outside of my *J*O*B*, but I will pursue my job with as much vigor as I pursue performances.  Because my job will be a series of performances.

Genius.

Why didn’t I think of it sooner? 

Work at what you love.