A Long, Rocky Road to Spring
There's an old Syvia Tyson song, "Travelling Light Down a Long Rocky Road." I think I've already used that particular metaphor to describe this winter at Grinder. It has been quite a struggle, to say the least, and while we all eagerly await the coming of spring I for one will be more excited than usual to see the snow melt, and put this cold, terrible season behind me.
Grinder Productions has survived the winter, I'm happy to say, but just barely. With few productions and no audiences it's been very difficult to keep motivated. I would like to thank the few dedicated people (I won't mention any names, but you know who you are) who have helped me get through this difficult time, keeping my spirits up through long nights in empty theatres.
Now for the bad news...
I'm not going to be able to produce "Laughing Out Loud" this weekend at the Elora Centre for the Arts. There is simply no way that I can justify the expense of renting the ECA for even one day if I can't guarantee that I will be able to make enough to cover the rent, and with only myself as a performer there's no way I can make that guarantee.
But there is light at the end of this tunnel...
As soon as I'm finished with The Hollow I'll be able to focus all the company's resources on getting ready for the summer.
The month of April will be spent building sets, getting the technical elements of the shows ready, and selling 100 season passes. We'll also be actively pursuing group and tour operators during this time too, and hopefully selling out some of the matinee performances. We'll be holding auditions for the summer in April as well, and the last week of April we'll go into rehearsals for Farmer's Daughters, and the summer season will be officially underway.
I'm sure some of you think I'm just a fanciful day-dreamer, that there's no way this is ever going to work out, and that by this time next year I'll be working in a cubicle or asking you if want fries with that.
But I have faith in this company, and what it is capable of. About a year ago at this time, the company was well on its way to the top. Then something awful happened, the details of which I won't share out of consideration for those involved. It nearly destroyed Grinder, setting off the chain reaction of misery, depression and box-office failures that has led us to this winter of discontent.
Finally, though, the wounds have begun to heal, and a new foundation for the company is being laid, and with the people, the shows and the support that are now coming into place I have hope that we will be back on our way to the top once again very soon.
The snow is melting on the long rocky road.
Grinder Productions has survived the winter, I'm happy to say, but just barely. With few productions and no audiences it's been very difficult to keep motivated. I would like to thank the few dedicated people (I won't mention any names, but you know who you are) who have helped me get through this difficult time, keeping my spirits up through long nights in empty theatres.
Now for the bad news...
I'm not going to be able to produce "Laughing Out Loud" this weekend at the Elora Centre for the Arts. There is simply no way that I can justify the expense of renting the ECA for even one day if I can't guarantee that I will be able to make enough to cover the rent, and with only myself as a performer there's no way I can make that guarantee.
But there is light at the end of this tunnel...
As soon as I'm finished with The Hollow I'll be able to focus all the company's resources on getting ready for the summer.
The month of April will be spent building sets, getting the technical elements of the shows ready, and selling 100 season passes. We'll also be actively pursuing group and tour operators during this time too, and hopefully selling out some of the matinee performances. We'll be holding auditions for the summer in April as well, and the last week of April we'll go into rehearsals for Farmer's Daughters, and the summer season will be officially underway.
I'm sure some of you think I'm just a fanciful day-dreamer, that there's no way this is ever going to work out, and that by this time next year I'll be working in a cubicle or asking you if want fries with that.
But I have faith in this company, and what it is capable of. About a year ago at this time, the company was well on its way to the top. Then something awful happened, the details of which I won't share out of consideration for those involved. It nearly destroyed Grinder, setting off the chain reaction of misery, depression and box-office failures that has led us to this winter of discontent.
Finally, though, the wounds have begun to heal, and a new foundation for the company is being laid, and with the people, the shows and the support that are now coming into place I have hope that we will be back on our way to the top once again very soon.
The snow is melting on the long rocky road.
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