Progress Report Weeks #4 & #5

Final Project, weeks of October 12 - October 19

Week of October 12th I had practically nothing to report. Some weeks are like that. I'd sent out letters of inquiry and follow-up emails and just hadn't gotten any response.

This past week things picked up.

- Katie Shook, puppet princess, is officially on board. She has two pieces she is currently working on, one with playwright Sibyl O'Malley, who I love and would like to work with. Having worked with Katie before I more or less know what to expect from her, so having her committed to the project was for me the important thing. We will talk in a few months about which project she is gravitating towards and focus on its specifics then.

- Closer to a director/collaborator for Jennifer Barclay on THE EXILE OF PETIE DELARGE. Maureen Huskey is interested in the piece. She and I are in discussion about the play and its parameters. Feeling optimistic.

- Got confirmation that Rogue Artists Ensemble is definitely in. That's exciting! And apparently THE GOGOL PROJECT which they are doing now is doing very well and they have extended.

- I've begun a dialogue with the Hollywood Fringe Executive Director, Ben Hill. The Fringe is still not open for submissions. What I am proposing essentially is to program a venue, and now I am on their radar. Ben gave me a list of suggestions, and a geographic guideline for where the venue would need to be located for inclusion. Like Edinburgh the Fringe organizers will do what they can to help me find and secure a venue, however also like Edinburgh I am 100% responsible for the cost. I'm just not sure that a rental is something I can afford, even in an alternative space. Or should I say, especially in an alternative space where I may have to provide lighting, sound & video equipment.

- Dates for the Hollywood Fringe are June 17-27, 2010.

- Next steps. For me, I just need to keep all these conversations going. I need to spend some time researching potential venues in the Hollywood area and see what looks like a good fit. I need to write out a preliminary budget and start strategizing my fundraising. You know, if anyone has a couple of thousand dollars lying around that they're not using, I'm a worthy cause.

More later -- Liz E