So... what is everyone's opinion of the changes going down with the Palmdale City Players?

For those not in the loop, PCP management has been using this year as a growing year for the group, bringing in new actors and crew and providing a wide variety of theater experiences in order to get the group meshed and versed in different aspects of theater. This week, they have announced the creation of a Drama Council, ceding broad managing of production selection, director selection, and technical coordination to the group itself, with the goal of having PCP operating as a repertory-type theater company starting next season.

Is PCP ready for higher quality shows with longer runs? Can we compete with other theater groups in the valley?

In which roles within the new organization (council + committees) are you planning on participating? Why?

Does PCP's egalitarian approach to theater as a learning experience for everyone a hindrance or a strength?

How have you grown this year as a PCP actor or crew member, and how will this help you approach the new season? If you aren't a City Player, how have you seen those you have observed grow?

Being a newbie to any kind of troupe, I'm not sure what the norm is. However, having been on several committes of various kinds, both at work and church, I know that councils, committees, and boards have a tendency to get political. I have done my best, when serving in those capacities, to keep politics and personal gain out of the mix, and try to make decisions that are for the good of the group. It was not always popular, and sometimes I had to make decisions that affected my personal time and in some cases, my paycheck. These are not easy decisions, and are not to be taken lightly.

That said, I think that the people that are in a theater group should have some kind of say as to what productions they put on. If people felt pretty passionate about a show, they would probably work even harder to make it the best possible. There would be more involvement in something you had invested your energy into. I'm not sure if I'm making my point clear, but bottom line, my opinion is, given the opportunity, I would be very much interested in deciding the kids of show I would personally be involved in.

I plan to be part of this process, and I hope it turns out to be every bit as useful and productive as I think it can be.

Ready for an earful?

I wish I was optimistic about the new changes being set forth by PPH for the PCP's. In some ways I am, but what I really want to shout is, "What the heck took so long?"

I'm exceedingly frustrated by some of the comments I've heard over the last several weeks about growing the theatre into a rep-type establishment by integrating "actors" into technical and production-type positions. The sentiment seems to be that we, or some of us, have been resting on some sort of hoity-toity actor laurels from which we now must descend to join the ranks of the real laborors of the theatre. Every time I hear this, I look around at my fellow PCPs and wonder just who the heck this is being addressed to.

For the last year I have begged--literally begged--to lend my professional technical skills as a makeup artist and hair/wig stylist to the theatre, as well as my amateur skills as a set painter, button-sewer, prop-handler, and all-around-helper to PPH. It was like pulling teeth to convince someone--anyone--to let me help. I know for a fact that I am not the only one who has had this experience. Another (unnamed) Player with far more technical theatre experience than me (and a BA in Theatre!) was turned down as well! I'm not sure who these "actors-only" people are, but when I look around at my fellow Players, I only see people who are trying their darndest to truly be team players in all aspects of theatre. What gives?

My only guess is that now that PPH is looking at severe budget cutbacks with the very real possibility of losing some extremely qualified and knowledgable staff and may possibly need volunteers to fill once-staff positions. The problem I see is that there has been such dissonance between staff/tech and PCPs, at least for the year I've been there, that it will take more than these committees to bridge these gaps.

For one, Players are seldom even in the building when most technical/production staff are present. Do they even know who most of us are? Do we know who most of them are? How are we expected to integrate/shadow/learn from them when we don't know them from Adam, and vice-versa? Maybe I'm just overly sensitive, but many times over the past year I've gotten the distinct sense from certain staffers that I'm merely a guest actor in THEIR theatre, and need to be told my place. Now I'm being asked to integrate--as though I was the snooty one??--into the staff/tech? Wow. That's a bitter pill to swallow.

For most of my childhood and for my entire adult life theatre has been my love and my passion. I chose to study and earn my Theatre degree from a very small university expressly because their program was integrated in such a way that they made no distinction between acting and tech programs. Sure, you could prefer one over the other, but you had to study (and consequently appreciate and respect, and love) both.

If you're still with me after this rant, know that I'm not trying to be the nay-sayer here. I really, truly want this to work. I give up time with my husband and children to show up to PCP meetings each Wednesday, rehearsals on weekends, and shows. I've come to love my fellow Players like a second family. I love this. That's why I want to see it get better.

So, Kara, tell us how you really feel.............

I have been talking to Mouse and Phil this week about possibly joining the city players. I do both tech and performing in the community theatre groups and I am gettting really sick of all the politics. They have really encouraged me to join and I trust them and know they wouldn't steer me wrong. From what they have told me the changes are a good thing and I am really excited that I might get to be a part of it. If you have any info on what i need to do to join and when meetings are please let me know!!
Thanks

When do the city player meet? How much is it to join?

Cindy,
We meet on Wednesday nights at 8 pm currently. The cost is $65 to join; however, since you'd be coming a little late in the game, so to speak, I believe they may consider pro-rating your fees (but DO NOT quote me on that!).
We'd love to have you! How exciting that you'd consider joining our group--we're a blast, if I do say so my self.
So here's a preemptive "welcome!"
-Kara

I currently have vocal rehersals for Chicago on Wednesday nights...I think they will be getting fewer and fewer soon so hopefully I can comet to the meetings.

Welcome Cindy, it will be great to have you!

I personally think the changes are going to be a good thing. This has been an enormous growing year for PCP, and I for one am looking forward to next year very much.

I do agree with many of your points however, Kara. It's not just the actors that need to step up, the staff does too... that means scheduling enough rehearsal time and space for the shows we do, sticking to the rehearsal schedule promised at auditions, having tech staff available early and often, and making sure that actors and crew are not split into factions.

No system is perfect, and unless you hold the money bags, you don't get to define your own, so my philosophy is to make do with what you've got when you've got it. I think the PPH management really did want for this to happen eventually, though I agree with Kara in that perhaps their hand was forced a bit early due to the budget/staff slashing at the city. No matter... the drama council and its committees are a great opportunity for us to gently nudge (*not* push) this in the direction we want it to go. The best way to improve the system is to work it from within (and know your loopholes).

PCP is ready. This year we've added lots of new talented people, and they are starting to mesh well with the older experienced ones who stayed on. Overall, I see an energetic and largely optimistic group of versatile actors and crew ready to learn and do what it takes. Just think... in this season alone we will have whet ourselves in a family comedy, a radio play done true-to-form, one acts, original work, Shakespeare, and a very poignant and emotional social drama... and through this training obstacle course I've seen nearly everyone step up and deliver.

PCP has been largely ignored by the rest of the AV theater community. The few community theater webpages I have seen out there don't even acknowledge our existence on their links to other groups in the valley. I get the feeling we are dismissed as something of a joke to the "real" community theater "professionals". But this group has come so far lately... look how much coverage we've gotten in the AV Press this season! I remember a PPH staffer telling me in years past that it used to be such that if they could fill 4 rows, it was a great thing... but just last month, we were turning crowds away at the door for every showing of The Exonerated! A sold out run and rave reviews!

We are ready, they just have to trust us; which may be hard for them considering they've been waiting 14 years for this program to grow. So lets get as involved as we can with the council and demonstrate to the PPH and the rest of the valley just how great we can make this!!!

PCP, I love you! Like Kara, I consider you my second family!