Don’t Miss Our Friday The Thirteenth Fundraiser For The Lemonade Fund!

The San Francisco Theater Pub and the Individual Services Committee of TBA, in association with The Exit Theatre, presents a one night only, open-mic night to raise money for the Lemonade Fund!

The Lemonade Fund is a confidential resource for theatre practitioners with terminal or life-threatening illnesses who are in need of supplemental financial assistance to improve the quality of their lives as they deal with medical conditions. Since 2000, Theatre Bay Area has distributed over $100,000 through the Lemonade Fund to theatre workers in need throughout the Bay Area, much of it made possible by generous donations by fellow artists.

Theatre Bay Area’s mission is to unite, strengthen, promote and advance the theatre community in the San Francisco Bay Area. The ISC (Individual Services Committee) is the working advisory group for TBA’s individual membership that often acts as a sample focus group and resource for Theatre Bay Area on issues concerning the individual membership of Theatre Bay Area. The San Francisco Theater Pub seeks to be a leader in bringing the Bay Area indie theater scene together to create, converse and collaborate in casual venues that break down the barrier between artists and audiences.

What better way to unite all these great organizations than with an open mic where our best and brightest get to strut their stuff? Our exciting line up includes performances from Blue Diamonds Belly Dance Group, the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, James Grady, Ramya Vijayan, Brian Vocalist, Sara Breindel, Anthony Miller, Allison Fenner, Helen Noakes, Christian Cagigal, Melissa Keith, Rachel Bublitz, Jim Fournidias, Sam Bertken, Meg Cohen, Dana Goldberg, Christie Chew, Elliot Weiss, Juliana Egley, Annabelle King, Jovelyn Richards, Yasmine Love, Theodore Love, Marga Gomez, Dale Albright and many more!

The show is on December 13th- as in Friday the 13th at 8 PM at the Exit Theatre (156 Eddy Street, San Francisco)! No reservations required and admission is a $10-20 recommended donation at the door! Come support our local theater artists! See you there!

Open Mic Prep: Introducing Our Producing Partners

This month’s Open Mic Night, on December 13th at the Exit Theatre, is a co-production between Theater Pub and the Individual Services Committee of Theater Bay Area. Recognizing that many people might not know what the ISC is, we took a moment to interview Dale Albright, who manages the ISC for TBA, and is a director, actor and theater maker himself.

So tell us, Dale, what is the ISC? What does it do, and how does it work?

Dale Albright: The ISC (Individual Services Committee) is an advisory committee that is made up of representatives of Theatre Bay Area’s membership in order to advice TBA on our programs and services in order to best meet the needs of our individual members. The committee meets 8 times a year and its members serve for 2 year (renewable) terms. Its mission is to:

· Discover, advocate, and represent the artistic needs and professional interests of individual members to Theatre Bay Area.

· Support the work of the Director of Field Services.

· Promote Theatre Bay Area services to individuals and the field at large.

And what is the history behind it? When did it start, and why?

Dale Albright: When I came to Theatre Bay Area almost 13 years ago, there was a committee of reps from our company members that advised TBA, but no complimentary committee for the individual members, of which there were many more. Work to start the committee started in 2002 with a variety of community meetings, leading up to the formation of committee in 2003.

And how well does it live up to it’s goals?

Dale Albright: The group is very successful in its advisory capacity, as artists in the field who represent a variety of disciplines and geographic regions. While we always wish the group was even more representative in order to best serve the community, the opinions of the members of the group are valued and valuable in doing our work.

As is, what do you think are the most important contributions of the ISC?

Dale Albright: The most important contributions of the ISC lie in the vital feedback that they give in developing programs and in contributing to the programming of the Annual Conference.Additionally, the chair of the ISC serves of the board of Theatre Bay Area, and as such consistently reports to the board as to the committees activities and the importance of the work Theatre Bay Area does.

Where would you like to see the ISC go? What is your ideal version of how it works and what do you think it’s potential impact could be?

Dale Albright:First off, I would love to see the group grow to be even more representative of our entire individual membership. A group of 25 would be only 1% of our entire membership, a number that is attainable and an important goal. The roster is currently at 12. I would love to see a formal ambassador program, where members of the ISC can represent TBA at appropriate venues, in order to expand the reach well beyond what just a handful of people can do. I would love to see the ISC be a virtually self-sustaining entity, a group that researches the needs of and trends in the field independently of (but under the auspices of) TBA and then reports to staff on what they hear/learn. The important thing is to serve the field, so if empowering others to reach out allows even more people more access to the ability of being a part of shaping our field’s future, all the better. We have a very active and vibrant community here, with some very clear needs. The best way that people can be sure that their needs are acknowledge and addressed is to get involved! I would love to see the ISC provide that opportunity for anyone who wants it.

So how does one get involved in the ISC?

Dale Albright: Currently the best way is to contact Dale Albright (dale@theatrebayarea.org).

How does one support the ISC without necessarily being a part of it?

Dale Albright: Currently the best way to do that is to either drop us an email with comments/concerns for the group to address (dale@theatrebayrea.org), chat up a member of the ISC at events (such as a TBA open house, TBA Night at the Theatre, Theatre Bay Area Annual Conference or, say, Theatre Pub’s open mic). There is also a list of ISC members of the TBA web site at http://www.theatrebayarea.org/Programs/Individual-Services-Committee.cfm. They (and we!) would all love to hear from you!

Don’t forget to come out and support the Lemonade Fund (and the ISC) at the Open Mic Night, this December 13th at the Exit Theatre (156 Eddy Street, San Francisco). Tickets are donation based at the door ($10-20 encouraged!), no reservations required!

Open Mic Prep: An Interview With Erin Carter

On December 13, Theater Pub will be putting on an “open mic night” in collaboration with the Individual Services Committee of Theatre Bay Area and the Exit Theatre to raise some funds for the Lemonade Fund. We recognize that not everyone will know what the fund is or how it works, and so what better way to bring home just how important this fund is than to interview a local theater artist who benefited from it? Many thanks to Erin Carter for talking to us about her experience and we hope to see you at the event on December 13, 8 pm, at the Exit Theatre in San Francisco!

So, in a nutshell, who are you?

Erin Carter: I am an actor, writer, director, and teacher, and recently I also became a recruiter! So any starving artists, please call me if you’re looking for a day job!

And how has the Lemonade Fund played a role in your life?

Erin Carter: The Lemonade fund appeared in my life at literally the darkest moment. Two years ago, I suffered a cerebral aneurysm and underwent emergency surgery. I spent 6 weeks in the hospital, during which time they removed part of my skull, operated on my brain, put my skull back on, waited for me to heal, re-taught me how to walk, eat, cook, function, and just be a human being in the world again. The Lemonade Fund appeared in my life in the midst of all this as the best possible surprise, an announcement over email informing me that my Bay Area theater community was looking out for me, that they knew what I was going through and that they were there for me. It was an enormous boon to me during an extremely traumatic time, and a reminder of the hugeness of heart and spirit that runs through this community. It gave me hope and strength, which are two things you need most when going through a medical trauma.

Did you know about the fund before you took advantage of it?

Erin Carter: I had heard of it, and I might have donated to it before.

How did you access the fund? How does it work for someone who needs it and what should they do to take advantage of it?

Erin Carter: I actually did nothing to apply for it. Someone in the theater community had heard what was going on with me and applied on my behalf. It was incredible, especially because neither my family nor I would have even thought to apply for the funds, but the Bay Area community was looking out for us. I am so grateful to that person and to Theater Bay Area for taking me under their wing.

Looking back, what’s the most significant impact the fund has had for you?

Erin Carter: Obviously, the money was huge. After six weeks in the hospital, my bills were significant. Additionally, I was unable to return to work for six months, and I needed all the extra funds I could get. But more than the money, I felt supported by my community. As theater practitioners, we are constantly trying to touch people’s lives, and yet here, completely outside of the theater, my community touched my life in an intimate, tangible way.

What else do you want to tell people about the Lemonade Fund?

Erin Carter: For a person and a family going through medical trauma, the stress is incomparable and touches every aspect of your life-physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, everything in your life changes. It is the time when we need each other the most and when you can make a real and immediate impact on a person. If you want to do something good, if you want to help someone in need, this is an incredibly impactful way to go.

And how are you doing these days?

Erin Carter: I’m great! I have been among the lucky 30% who survive a brain aneurysm and suffer little to no side effects. I am stronger now than ever, more vigilant with my life, more clear about who I am and where I’m going. The brain aneurysm was the absolute darkest time of my life, but it also brought about a greater sense of gratitude and clarity for me.