The Virtual Suggestion Box is Open

The mission of Play by Play is to build the theatre community in the Twin Cities, and provide a vital gathering place for artists and residents alike.

In other words, Play by Play wants to be YOUR theatre bookstore and gathering place. This is your opportunity to tell me what YOU want.

What kinds of plays and books do you buy? New stuff, classics, how-to’s – you tell me what you’re interested in, what you want to sit and peruse, what you want to get your hands on – you get the idea. Same with gift products – are there great, unique product lines that you think I should order? What was the best Opening Night gift you ever got or gave? Are you a theatre person who also creates something else – art that we could sell on commission? Give me your thoughts, ideas, suggestions.

What will make Play by Play a place that you want to come to and spend time in? Would you like meeting space (formal or informal), rehearsal space, a quiet comfortable corner, a great patio, a decent cup of coffee? Tell me what you are looking for. Feel free to think outside the box.

Play by Play is also planning all sorts of events and services. What kinds of events would you attend? What kind of classes or workshops are you looking for? Do you want to learn more about your craft? Do you want to discuss new works with other theatre folks? Do you want join a book club that reads new scripts, or looks at some old scripts that you haven’t seen, read, or thought about in a while? Give me your ideas. Do you teach or coach? Would you be interested in doing it at Play by Play? Let me know. Do you need a centralized resource center? A place to find a headshot photographer, find a voice teacher, research some grants, find out what other theatres in other cities are doing, talk about union jobs, get background information on plays, playwrights, agents, theatre companies, auditions, etc.? Tell me what you’re looking for.

Talk to me. Tell me what you want to see at Play by Play. Help me make this a vital part of our theatre community. The virtual suggestion box is open. Post your comments here, now. I can’t wait to hear them…

Always inspiring

So much going on to get the bookstore open and set up our “debut” at the Fringe Festival, that I haven’t had any time to blog. Sorry.
Just had to say a few words about an event I’m attending this morning. Two words. Ben Cameron.

Ben is speaking at the kickoff for something called the Arts Learning Xchange. A bit about the program later. But I just wanted to say that I woke up this morning eager with anticipation to see Ben Cameron speak. Former Executive Director of Theatre Communications Group, formally involved with corporate giving at our beloved Dayton Hudson & Target, and now an Arts Program officer for Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ben is (in my humble opinion) one of the most knowledgeable folks out there when the topic is the American theatre.
So inspiring.

The Arts Learning Xchange sounds pretty exciting, too. Looking forward. Here’s a blurb about the project:

The arts learning Xchange is a four-year program designed to foster growth in public arts attendance and to identify, develop, and share useful lessons to help arts organizations reach more people. Funded by The Wallace Foundation and in collaboration with Minnesota Community Foundation, Arts Midwest will create a learning network for all Twin Cities metro area arts organizations and foster arts engagement region-wide.

This project will strengthen arts participation and engagement by encouraging leading Minneapolis/Saint Paul arts organizations to broaden and deepen their relationships with arts patrons and supporters to meet the demands of a changing social and economic climate.

The arts learning Xchange will also bolster the region’s arts “eco-system” by adding knowledge-sharing resources and a small pool of project grant funds for local arts organizations. The collaboration will promote the effective exchange of knowledge—extending the benefits of this work to many other organizations beyond those that receive individual awards.

Blogging for beginners

Okay, we are now on Facebook and Twitter, and we have a simple website. What’s next? A blog, I guess. For the time being, we will blog about what we are doing to make this store a reality. At times, it may be as mundane as “setting up a blog” or as exciting as “we’re sponsoring a Fringe Festival venue, so you’ll be able to meet us IN PERSON!” Follow along through this journey. And give us your input. The store is for you, the customer, the user, the theatre community.

Thanks for visiting. More news coming soon.