And Introducing...

If my last six weeks at Portland Actors Conservatory were a theatre piece, it would look something like this: me rustling around in the wings, hurriedly gathering props and building set pieces out of stray bits of string. I'd be rushing from the costume shop to the dressing room, pulling together a costume instinctively out of the most colorful pieces at the ends of the rack. I'd be listening to the first five seconds of many pieces of music, throwing CDs over my shoulder as I toss them out. And I'd be talking to a lot of people about where the rest room is, what act went on before me, what the audience tends to like, and who was going to be on stage with me.

In essence, I'd be getting my act together. :)

I'm the new marketing coordinator here at Portland Actors Conservatory and I couldn't be happier about it. The ramp-up has been steep, but fun: the opening of "The Blue Room," launching the Summer on Stage acting camps, promoting the Graduation Showcase, and of course, learning the ropes. I've been proud to bring some attention to our little school on the hill, like KGW's "PDX Tonight" on "The Blue Room" with Joe Smith, a beautiful piece on KBOO's "Stage and Studio," a fabulous write up on Beth by Bob Hicks on ArtScatter, and a great hit on Portland Arts Watch. This was in addition to our great 'Blue Room' press: Holly Johnson's great review in the Oregonian and the Willamette Week's positive writeup, subtitled 'Sex, Drugs and Rampant Regret.'

Behind the scenes, artistic director Beth is always trying to get me to take a cigarette break and Philip, the associate director, and I have to be careful not to talk my half day away hashing through local productions, producing confabs, and works in progress. Executive director Nurella takes meetings like a madwoman and Summer on Stage kids slam doors all day. Georgia and I talk wedding stuff. Melissa Whitney, our Summer on Stage teacher, comes in to use the copy machine and we laugh about a show we worked on together. In yesterday's staff meeting, we had great fun dreaming up a new street performance class to be led by Philip, and I watched Beth's skin turn pink as she tried to take the joke in stride (not a big fan of street theater).

In short, heaven!

I'm looking forward to composing my mise-en-scene more carefully this summer as we gear up for the launch of our first-ever, full time day-program version of the Two Year Conservatory. The program clearly works, and has been since PAC started it in 1994. I mean, thow a rock in this town and you'll hit a working PAC grad. But migrating our Conservatory training to the day program takes it to a whole 'nother level. Not only does it make the Conservatory 2 legit 2 quit, it opens up a lot of room in our evening Studio Classes serving actor-interesteds who want their first taste, ongoing training, or a new skill.

If you've always wondered what the heck Portland Actors Conservatory is all about, there's never been a better time to dip a toe, or fall headfirst. 25 years of professional actor training, baby, and we wear it well.