Left to right: Sally Imbriano, Lenny Mendez, Rebecca Kiser, Nicole Ruthmarie in Patricia Connelly's "Heartand," directed by Catherine Tripp
Earlier this summer I put on my Producer hat to shepherd Patricia Connelly's new play Heartland to production for Pipeline Playwrights. I have been a fan of this play since well before the pandemic, so I was thrilled to see it fully realized, not just onstage, but (after our videographer worked her editing magic) available on screen as video-on-demand. Hundreds of people had a chance to experience the story Pat shared, brought to life by our talented director, cast, and creative team.
The concept of "Teamwork" is so ubiquitous it has almost become meaningless. But as I sat in the back of the theatre, the reality behind that concept hit me like a Mack truck. Magic unfolded before my eyes. Magic that was only possible because everyone worked together. I am not a "sports" person, but I still believe in teams!
There is a unique satisfaction in watching a show you nurtured reach its successful opening night. Even if you've seen how the sausage is made. Maybe especially if you've seen it: the bumps along the way, missteps that make you realize your team is
made up of mere mortals. Who try things that don't work, try again, get a bit closer, then land on just the right way to convey the original vision. Or who kickstart a process for adapting that vision to accommodate realities of budgets, timelines, humanness. Everyone recalibrates a bit, makes a few tweaks, or course corrects, and voilà! We have a show!
I often liken the day-to-day reality of my consulting career to the one-woman show I toured around the country for 16 years. That experience gave me the technique I share with clients who want to speak with authentic presence. But when it comes to coaching them on communicating with others to reach a desired goal? My mind is back in the theatre, wearing my Producer hat, assessing how we can get there as a team.
