Bob aka devilvet

The reason to combine them at this time, I’d argue, is that we should be starting from the perspective of current needs of participants rather than the perspective “what other people think you need,” which I think is important for the long-term success of this group. The people that need to determine if/how to set up 501(c)(3) status ALSO are the people who are very concerned with healthy board development. When that no longer becomes true, I think a new or separate discussion should take place, or in all likelihood the 501(c)(3) questions can be fielded by a pro bono counsel hooked up by the group and the discussion can continue about board practices. But that is just speculation, I don’t know how it will play out. I think that need-based discussion that tends to include before it separates – rather than an approach of over-categorization – is critical for keeping that hard-won trust over the long term. Some folks – maybe all folks – coming to these meetings are looking for solutions and resources that are both too specific and too broad to be realistic. Through cross-pollenating those ideas, I think you get some interesting practical possibilities.

So… one discussion leads to another, but I’d like to see any leadership that emerges in this group have as loose and relaxed grip on the steering wheel as possible.

I also am wondering if Board Development and 501(c)3 should really be in the same group… While they are both Administrative business-type things (yes, that IS a technical term!), they really are 2 separate beasts that require 2 different skill sets and needs… Even though they both require thought about by-laws and mission and company growth, the intricacies of filling out the 501(c)3, where to send it, i’s and t’s to dot and cross, are not the same as talking to a potential Board Member about your Mission, deciding who is a good match, and figuring out how to teach your Board the skills THEY need to help you succeed… just my 2 cents…

I think that the names you mentioned in the six categories above would all make great “discussion leaders” just to get the ball rolling.

And, to be clear, when I talk about “organization”, I’m not talking about “micromanaging.” There’s definitely a happy medium, zen-like way of dealing with administration. Whether it always works or not, is another story, but … I’m certainly not committed to following a set agenda if the discussion takes another path. It’s just nice to have one to come back to if need be.

I’m curious what people think is required, if anything, in the administrative side of those small breakout discussions. I’d agree with Jess and expand her thoughts that one thing that is critical is that thought should be put into diversifying the makeup of the group having the discussion to include the entire picture of Chicago Storefront Theatre – each discussion shouldn’t be all women / all men, shouldn’t be all bloggers, shouldn’t be all north-side theaters run by whites in their 20s, shouldn’t be all producers, shouldn’t be all freelancers, etc… Because then you don’t really have the whole conversation. I think it’s helpful also to have a single person take the lead on a discussion to create momentum and clarity of purpose. On the other hand, if that person puts too much energy and planning and arbitrary structure into the administration of a discussion, the discussion itself becomes administration BS instead of a frank, honest discussion which I know most of us are committed to having.

I’d love to know if there are any volunteers for such an activity.

Producing theatre on a non-budget with a staff of overcommitted volunteers often leads to the feeling of producing in a vacuum. As rich as the theatre scene in this town is -and it is very rich- doing what we do is often an oddly isolated business, and that isolation sometimes leads to martyr complexes. For me, it was terribly refreshing just to sit around the table and to be reminded that A) BSTC is not the only company in the city that is burning its collective candle at both ends to make good art and B) despite the constant and frustrating challenges that BSTC has faced over the last year, there have been a few successes that just might be worth sharing with others. That is exciting and reinforces the hard work and makes the frustrations seem less all-defining.

What excites me most about the Summit is the chance to truly, meaningfully and regularly interact (not at a bar, not post show, not at the Jeffs) with my fellow producing artists on a level that I simply would not have had otherwise. From my perspective, that cannot be taken for granted. I believe that we as a storefront movement (or whatever the hell you want to call it) need to get a helluva lot better at talking about what we do to people who are not us. By attaining a deeper understanding of the personalities behind the art, the art becomes more real, more direct and more easily translatable. For instance, *reading* about The Nine was a very different experience than hearing Bries Vannon *talk* about the Nine. And as illuminative as it was for me to hear him speak about it, I’m sure it was even more useful for him to actually have to take the ideas out of his head and put it into words that a stranger could understand.

You are not going to hear me demand much organization or “action” right out of the gates. You are certainly not going to hear me demand that someone allow me to participate. I will participate when I can, however I can. For me, I will continue to learn and gain inspiration from the other people in the room, to feel more connected to a community that is really good at alienating itself, and to draw on resources and help when I can. To paraphrase Don Hall “Yeah, we all may be unique snowflakes, but we are all made of snow.”

Lastly, on a casual note, it was just a freakin’ blast and a real honor to actually meet folks like Dona Hall and Bob Fisher who, despite their tough reputations and devil sneers, really cool-ass cats whom I genuinely enjoyed acquainting myself with.

I fully expect this thing to change and develop until becomes exactly the thing we need it to be. There are too many smart people in the room for anything else to happen.

Now, Nick, you sell yourself short. =)

“The massive burst of communication you describe in all media formats from all points east and west takes work and time … I actually think what we need is a phone tree, so I think if you have time, you should get on that.

Or email tree. I will get on that. I will also start the twitter business up and will give you the password to distribute to those with more info. Send me info. I’ll do something with it. I do have time right now. greyzeldatheatre@yahoo.com.

“I am pretty sure Andrew didn’t get back to you because he’s overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed. Not an excuse for rudeness or neglectful conversation, but I think we all need to understand that we’re not beholden to each other here – it’s not his or my responsibility to empower you to take action. It is your repsonsibility.”

I acknowledged his overwhelmedness in my email to him and told him I could pick up the notes anywhere or he could drop them off to me and I would take care of that. I also volunteered to be the one to do this at each meeting, so … I offered my responsibility because I’m an anal notetaker and am a little bit crazy about posting our GreyZelda meeting minutes to our members within 24-48 hours. There’s only so much help one can offer to a silent room and one loses interest if it’s not accepted. So … I will empower myself until the cows come home but I need my efforts met halfway. So, yes, next time I’ll be there and I’ll join Jenn in the copious note taking. But, I don’t think you guys should be afraid to delegate some of the ‘”planning of the meeting(s)” to those in attendance. You’re super busy. Some of us aren’t as busy. Please let me know what I can do to help with some of these time-consuming activities.

Yes, I’ll get 5 more companies there. Trust me. I think that’s the whole thing right there … I offered my efforts. Andrew doesn’t know me. I don’t know him. So … he delagated that responsibility to those who he knows because he maybe didn’t trust my word or didn’t want to trust me with that information. And, I, in turn, because mistrustful because I gave a lot of information but felt the door of communication was closed off after a point. So … we have to just trust that we’re all in this for the same reasons. And we all want to help.

GreyZelda needs to talk about Board Development, so put us on that list. Put me, RZ, on the Burnout committee, too. I think I get myself into these conversations just to get myself fired up again to feel a little bit of passion for this artform. In fact, dealing with the artistically disenchanted” is a part of GreyZelda’s mission. I need to have my 27 year old self who wrote that bit of it come talk to my almost 33 year old-with-child self.

I trust you, Nick. That’s why I’m talking to you in the first place because I feel you can get things done. I would like to help you with those banal things that can take up too much time. =)