Directing

A look back over the year!

Today I was feeling a bit overwhelmed as I think of the direction I want to take this company...but, then I remembered that we have only been around a little over a year.  They say that the first year is the hardest. So, instead of stressing over what I need to do (time for that in about an hour), I decided to reflect on what I have done. There are a couple of things of which I am incredibly proud of...the first being that all of our Murder Mysteries have been completely original and professional.  Although our Halloween Show was a parody of Twilight and Harry Potter, all of the lines, music and story concepts were unique and new.  I find it exhilarating to create and perform new ideas.  New songs that have never been sung, new characters that now have lives, new situations and new ways of looking at life. 
Secondly, I am so happy with all of the wonderful, hard-working and extraordinary people that I have been able to work with. It is humbling to know so many people who sacrifice so much time and money and emotional experiences in order to bring the shows to life. I can't believe how supportive everyone has been.  When times were looking bleak and I thought to myself, "Why in the world did you think you could do this???"...there were many who rallied around me, especially my wonderful husband, Mick and my friends Nate and Kevin and my brother, Jeff. Thank you!  My life has been enriched in so many ways. My kids are more well rounded people than they would have been otherwise.
Thirdly, I have discovered that I am not one to settle. Change is hard, but oh so necessary in order to grow and achieve. I strive for a level of professionalism that I will get to someday. Looking back over the shows, each one has gotten a bit more professional...a bit better. We have learned how to fix problems and are constantly listening to the audiences and the cast and other professionals that we have worked with for their feedback. It has been hard to learn what opinions to trust and which to ignore (can't please everyone), but I try to follow my heart.
The hardest thing for me has not been the actual shows but rather the marketing. I am a right brained, creative soul who can create something out of nothing, but it just doesn't matter if no one comes to see it. The first show was really rough (not to mention the second)...there were more than a few nights that we had to cancel. No one knew who we were or what we did. Try explaining Murder Mystery in 30 seconds or less! I want to thank our loyal followers...you know who you are. Those of you that keep coming to the shows...you give me hope that maybe we are providing worthwhile entertainment.  My vision is for the shows to be witty without being cheesy (groan) and fun without being uncomfortably over sexed. I want the mystery to be hard enough to be a challenge but not too complicated to figure it out. I want the plot to make sense to those of you that have never seen anything else in that genre or theme. I want to add "Easter Eggs" (if you will) to the script for those of you who are really die hard fans of...oh, lets say...Sci Fi or Film Noir or Twilight or Mormons or whatever the shows theme is.  (Oh those fans of the Mormons!!!) I want to entertain those of you who like vaudeville and those of you who like Masterpiece theatre...but mostly, I want you to enjoy yourself and feel like your lives have been enriched.
So, here's to this year and the sleuthing yet to come!
Oh and lest I forget, thank you to all my actors and tech crew who have taken the time to let me know that they truly enjoy working with us and have found Poison Ivy enriching their lives. It really, truly lifts me up when I am feeling down. Thank you!