Coming in January!

TRU PRODUCER BOOT CAMPS (WRITERS, TOO):
Raising Money for Theater: How, When and Who to Ask

Saturday January 23, 2010 -- 11am to 6pm

Please click [Related Web Link] for Up-to-Date details.

Unless you happen to be very rich, it's hard to jump in and produce a commercial show first time out. You have to build a career and reputation, and gain important skills along the way. Not to mention the fact that a producer is the last person to get paid on a project! So how do you even afford to become a producer? We'll look at various career paths that can earn you a living and teach you what you need to know to succeed. And we'll also consider the shocking fact that there are very few African Americans and persons of color on this path. Why?

Shirley Faison, executive director, National Black Theatre, Tiffani Gavin, Sr. Director of Licensing for Theatrical Rights Worldwide, former executive producer at Clear Channel Entertainment, former company manager (Blue Man Group); Jamillah Lamb, producer (Platanos and Collard Greens); Tom Smedes, producer (Ace the Musical, [title of show], Naked Boys Singing, Dog Sees God), general manager (Altar Boyz, Musical of Musicals), company manager (Show Boat); Sheila Speller, producer/general manager.

The Players Theatre, 115 Macdougal Street, 3rd floor Loft Theatre

Here's a chance to pitch your work to a roomful of serious producers ...

Sunday evening June 14th at 5:30 and 6:30pm.
The Players Theatre, 115 Macdougal Street (below West 3rd)

You meet a producer at a party, and have two minutes to interest him in your work. Do you have the skill to sell yourself?

Here's a chance to practice your pitching with real producers who are open to and looking for new work. Okay, they probably won't option you on the spot, but you'll meet them and have the opportunity to start developing a relationship. And that's what this business is all about. We'll have eleven producers lined up, from both the commercial and not-for-profit worlds, all with an interest in new projects; we also have eleven aspiring producers from our mentorship program. So you'll be pitching to 22 producers in total!

Come with a willingness to learn, because the real value is the chance to practice your pitching. And you'll be getting invaluable coaching from experts, as well. And did we mention the wine and cheese afterwards? Click here to meet the producers.

ABOUT SPEED DATING. How does it work? 11 writers will arrive at 5:30, and we have two coaches coming who will coach the writers on their presentations. Then at 6:30, they go into the Pitch Room to meet the producers - one at each of the stations. We ring a bell, writers have two minutes to pitch. We ring a second bell, producers have two minutes to respond and ask questions, or give feedback. Writers bring a packet with a synopsis, bio, cast breakdown and production requirements to leave with each of the producers. If the project interests the producer, he may request that you send a full script.

Meanwhile, group two is in the Coaching Room getting coached for an hour starting at 6:30. Second group goes into the Pitch Room at 7:30. We estimate that pitches and turnaround should take about 50 minutes total for all eleven. We will have wine and cheese afterwards, so although the pitch sessions will end at around 8:20, we hope writers and producers will stay and chat informally until 9pm or so.

Yikes! Eleven writers pitching to eleven producers at one time? Think of it as the "cocktail party" pitch where you have to hold someone's interest with dozens of conversations going on around you. A little chaotic perhaps, but true to life.

We had eleven great producers lined up, including:
Jean Cheever/Tom Polum - Broadway producer team
Jane Dubin - Broadway/Off-Broadway producer
Pam Koslow - Broadway producer
Cheryl Wiesenfeld - Broadway producer
Woodie King Jr. - producer, artistic director New Federal Theatre
Mike Roderick - Off-Broadway and showcase producer
Richmond Shepard - theater owner/off-Broadway producer
Sheila Speller - Off-Broadway producer and general manager, developing new works
Cynthia Stillwell - new play development
Michael Leland - indie producer/director, here and Philadelphia
Alma Villegas - indie director/producer

Join Sheila L. Speller, Orielle Creative Company, Industry Expert, and Gil Cunha, Creative Director, Everything Is Yellow and Host of the Everything is Yellow Webinar Series for Creative Professionals, on Monday, March 16, 2009 at 2:00pm.

We would love to have you as our guest for the March 16th to 20th webinar series.

You must register for each event on the list in order to participate.

* Thank you to everyone who stopped in early to take advantage of the offer to be my Guest.


Also, we strongly encourage you to submit any specific questions you may have for our speakers in advance. Email your questions to questions@everythingisyellow.com and place the name of your webinar(s) in the subject line:

Everything That You Wanted to Know
The Thrill of Victory
So You Want to be a Creative
This Is Not your Daddys Gallery Scene
Brand Me? Well, Brand You too
You Want work? Do What I Tell You
Obama has 1,460 Days in Office

Check out our site for more information: www.everythingisyellow.com
If there are any issues please e-mail us at clientservice@everythingisyellow.com

Join us at this all-day intensive workshop that covers topics that you need to know about the business of producing theatre. The event promises to be informative, empowering and inspiring! Sheila Speller, Orielle Creative will be lecturing on the segment topic -- Put It In Writing: Business Plans and Grant Proposals, along with R.K. Green, Producer, The Story Line Project.

Click on the link below to see the full line-up of established Broadway and Off-Broadway producers, theatre attorneys -- all who will be sharing valuable information in a comprehensive curriculum format, as we work through this tough economy, and prepare future projects for the better days that are to come!

TRU Producer Boot Camp: Raising Money for Theatre: How, Who and When to Ask.

The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd Street & Minetta Lane). Produced by Theatre Resources Unlimited in association with Small Pond Entertainment.

Threads Theater Company world premiere production of The Pearl Merchant. The Pearl Merchant is written by Cecilia Brie Walker, and is directed by Misti B. Wills. A limited engagement will run at The Space, Times Square Arts Center, 300 West 43rd Street, No. 402. Performances begin Tuesday, September 23 - Saturday, October 4, 2008. Opening Night is Friday, September 26, 2008 at 8pm.

Hannah, a painter and preschool teacher, is unable to bear a child. She tells her husband Tom that she wants to adopt one of her students, a boy whose single mother is gravely ill, while visiting her mother-in-law in the mountains of North Carolina. Tom and his mother express misgivings about the idea for different reasons, some of which remain unspoken to Hannah. A mysterious woman arrives, asking probing questions about the child and triggering a series of revelations that challenge Hannahs beliefs and shake her marriage to its core.

Post-Performance Talk Back: September 26, 2008 Moderated by Sheila L. Speller, from Orielle Creative Company with Rebecca Mendel, Adoption Attorney of Rosin, Steinhagen & Mendel, and more guests to be announced.

Tickets are $15 available online at www.theatermania.com or by calling 212-352-3101. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at The Space Box Office 30min. prior to the performance for cash only.

The Pearl Merchant was produced with help from Gifted Hands, www.giftedhandsnyc.com

Threads Theater Company is a New York City-based non-profit theater company focused on producing plays that start inclusive conversations about faith and contribute to cultural renewal.

Invited Keynote Speaker
Presented keynote speech addressing the graduating seniors, their families and friends, BMCC Administrators and Faculty, celebrating their achievements at the Upward Bound Graduation and shared encouraging remarks for their future endeavors as they pursue higher education as college students in the Fall of 2007.
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Tribeca Performing Arts Center
Manhattan Campus - New York, NY

I've been Blog-ged! (smile). Check out -- The Susie Blog, and read Susie's blog comments and some of focal points from my speaking engagement at The School of Visual Arts, NYC. And visit Susie's web site to view her work -- she's a professional Illustrator and Designer, who expresses her talent as a children's book illustrator, and aspiring children's book author.

Guest Speaker
Invited to talk with Junior and Senior High School Students majoring in Art, Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music, Television Production & Vocal Music -- to inform, provide resources, and to encourage as they begin to make choices about their creative career post-high school, selecting and preparing for a performing arts college or conservatory.
Newark Arts High
Newark, NJ

Guest Lecturer
Presented to: Promoting a Media Venture: Marketing Practicum, Graduate Course
MBA Media Management Program
Metropolitan College of New York
Manhattan Campus - New York, NY

Seminar Presentation
Developing a Professional Support System: Business Essentials for Creative Artists

An evening with School of Visual Arts undergraduate & graduate students and alumni sponsored by the School of Visual Arts Office of Career Development
School of Visual Arts
New York, NY

Audience response to the evening:
"Valuable subject!" "Fantastic"
"Excellent! I wish this was offered before I graduated."
"Excellent"
"Sheila was wonderful and informative"
"Very interesting, really organized."
"Great artist geared pep talk to be proactive about your career; solid review of good business practice."
"She was very funny and got the audience involved, which kept things going. Info was very helpful."
"Easy to digest and relates to a number of topics on the subject of creative professionalism, superb presentation."
"Very informative! Thank you."
"The program was really helpful. I've been researching networking and getting my work out there and nothing was as in-depth and clear as last night."
"The lecture was really great. The speaker was great -- and touched on a lot of small things that often get overlooked."
"I really enjoyed the program, thank you."
"Very inspiring. I was awake the whole time."
"It was definitely worth it, and I didn't even notice the time till after I left! So you know that it was good!!!"

Workshop Facilitator / Work Group Leader
The Workshop in Business Opportunities (WIBO)
16-Week Entrepreneurship Workshop
Gramercy Park – New York, NY

Guest Speaker
BIGBreakNY Actors' Career Fair 29
Shetler 54 - New York, NY

Panelist
Invited to talk with Junior and Senior High School students about choosing a college career, making career choices, and my personal journey -- both academic and as an entrepreneur.
The Upward Bound Program
Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY

Presented to: Business Planning/Project Management & Evaluation, Graduate Course
MBA in General Management Program
Metropolitan College of New York
Manhattan Campus - New York, NY

Guest Lecturer
Presented to: Media & the Black Experience, Undergraduate Course
College of New Rochelle
Brooklyn Campus - New York, NY

Guest Lecturer
Presented to: Introduction to Communications, Undergraduate Course
College of New Rochelle
Rosa Parks Campus, Harlem - New York, NY