Welcome to Season 2 of the Alliance Theatre Podcast: An exploration of theater and the people who make it happen.
Join Alliance’s Director of Diversity, Inclusion, & Engagement as he dives into conversation with Emika Abe, Managing Director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington D.C., followed by a conversation with Mike Schleifer, Managing Director of the Alliance Theatre here.
How does one manage a theatre? How does one manage a theatre during a pandemic when audiences can’t gather in traditional spaces? How does one manage a theatre while meeting the demands of the WeSeeYouWAT document in order to create a more equitable theatre-making practice for BIPOC artists and beyond? Find out from two of the country’s finest in this episode of the Alliance Theatre Podcast: Managing Director Edition.
EMIKA ABE (Managing Director; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company) joins the Woolly after three years as the Associate Managing Director of the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, GA), the largest regional theatre in the Southeast. At the Alliance, Emika led a portfolio of projects that guided the theatre’s organizational strategy, culture, and general management. These included stewarding the 70-person Advisory Board, co-chairing the Alliance’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, and defining the theatre’s mission, vision, and values. Emika is on the Advisory Board of Found Stages, she served as Mentorship Co-Chair of LORT’s EDI Initiative, and she is an alum of LEAD Atlanta, Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta, and Theatre Communications Group’s Young Leaders of Color. Emika holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale School of Drama, an MBA from Yale School of Management, and a BA in Theater from UCLA. At Yale, she was the recipient of the Morris J. Kaplan Award for Theater Management and Co-Chair of the Internship Fund. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Emika has previously held positions at Yale Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, as well as fellowships at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theatre Group, and Artists Repertory Theatre. Emika is passionate about the intersection of art and business, and the essential role that theatre can play in activating individuals and strengthening communities.
MIKE SCHLEIFER (Managing Director; Alliance Theatre) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2014 as General Manager, and in 2016 became Managing Director. While at the Alliance, Schleifer has led the administrative team on more than 50 productions and was one of the architects of the “On the Road” season, in which the Alliance produced 12 shows at 12 venues. He is proud to have started the Alliance’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and to serve on the League of Resident Theatre’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. Previously, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage, working as Associate Producer, Production Manager and Resident Stage Manager. While in Baltimore, he spent seven years as an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and guest lectured all over the East Coast. Schleifer began his career as a Stage Manager and has dozens of stage-management credits in New York and regionally. He is married to theater director and educator Laura Hackman and is the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.
DAVIORR SNIPES (Director of Diversity, Inclusion, & Engagement; Alliance Theatre) is Theatre graduate from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is also a member of Actor’s Equity Association. He currently serves as the Director of Diversity, Equity & Engagement for the Alliance Theatre. As a professional actor he as appeared Off-Broadway with the Ensemble Studio Theatre and has toured nationally with Theaterworks USA. He is a Peabody Award winner for his work on the NPR Podcast, Buried Truths, and has also appeared in the BET tv series, American Soul. In addition to his work at the Alliance he regular performs around Atlanta with companies such as Vanguard Repertory Theatre and Working Title Playwrights.
For more information about our work in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion please click here.
For more information about the Alliance Theatre Podcast please click here.
Are you a teacher, delivery or food service worker, frontline or essential worker, high school or college student, a community organizer or part of a community chorus? If so, we want to hear from you.
The Alliance Theatre invites you to participate in a musical production of WORKING, part of the Under the Tent series at the Woodruff Arts Center, April 22 – June 6, 2021.
This unique concert production of WORKING includes a sound design based on interviews with Atlanta’s workers. It celebrates the strength and fortitude of our community gathered and working together this past year and spotlights the contributions of Atlantans that make this city work—those like you!
You can participate in two ways:
1. Self-record part of a song
Record yourself singing along to moments in the opening and closing numbers of the show.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
You will need two devices (phone, tablet, or computer), one with a MICROPHONE to record your singing, and one device with internet connection and earbuds/headphones to listen to the music.
HOW DO YOU RECORD?
On the device with headphones, open the YOUTUBE song track. On a different device with a microphone, open a recording app (i.e. iOS has voice memo) and record yourself singing along to each song. Upload file below with your contact info by clicking on the SUBMIT BUTTON below.
WHERE TO LISTEN TO THE TRACKS?
TUTORIAL W/MUSICAL DIRECTOR BRANDON BUSH
NEED HELP RECORDING YOUR VOICE? See troubleshooting document here.
You can also join a Zoom recording session singalong with the Associate Musical Director of WORKING, Gary “Stello” Clark:
Friday, April 9 at 4-4:30pm
Register
Sunday, April 11 at 2-2:30pm
Register
2. Self-record a short interview
Find the right script for your role and record a reading of the script with answers about your work and life.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
A device (smart phone, tablet, computer) with a microphone and a way to look at your downloaded SCRIPT for your role.
HOW DO YOU RECORD?
Open a recording app on your device (i.e. for iOS there is voice memo). Record your reading of the script and upload the file along with your contact info by clicking on the SUBMIT BUTTON below.
NOTE: If for any reason you are not able to record yourself, you may participate in writing. Simply fill out this easy form here.
NEED HELP RECORDING YOUR VOICE? See troubleshooting document here.
SCRIPTS:
- DELIVERY & FOOD SERVICE WORKER | SCRIPT
- TEACHER | SCRIPT
- FRONTLINE WORKER | SCRIPT
- HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE STUDENT | SCRIPT
- ORGANIZER | SCRIPT
SUBMIT INTERVIEW HERE
Privacy Note: your words and singing may be shared with the public during the production and in marketing materials.
Participants will receive credit in the program and Alliance website, complimentary tickets and/or an invitation to a special preview performance of WORKING.
For questions, email Margarita Kompelmakher, Community Engagement Manager, at rita.kompelmakher@alliancetheatre.org.
B.L.A.C.T.
B.L.A.C.T (Black Leaders Advocating for Cultural Theatre) is a group seeking to serve the black theatre community. They desire to represent each point of view as their goal is inclusivity in their service and efforts. These include, but are not limited to, community outreach, social gatherings, advocacy, and workshops.
Free99Fridge
Free99Fridge is an Atlanta-based grassroots organization committed to fighting for food justice & addressing the needs of our neighbors through mutual aid founded by Latisha Springer. Find a fridge in your neighborhood and drop off some food for neighbors who need it!
The Empowered Readers Literacy Project
The Empowered Readers Literacy Project is a non-profit dreamed up by a 5-year-old little girl who set out to tackle illiteracy by helping families build strong reading rituals and by getting kids excited about reading. “We believe that literacy is not something that is simply taught, and it does not start when a child begins schools. Literacy is a complex process that starts at birth and requires family and community connection. We are helping kids and families change the focus of reading by engaging them in imaginative Adventures and tapping into their creativity. We believe that books with diverse, engaging content shared in connection with real human interaction will get kids excited about reading on their own and with their families.”
Black Men Smile
The Mission of Black Men Smile® is “To Create A Space For Black Men To Celebrate The Way We See Ourselves. We Ask Black Men What Makes Them Smile…And Work To Create Sustainable Environments Where We Can Do It More Often.” Creator, Carlton Mackey, posted the first image with the hashtag #blackmensmile in September 2014. Today there are over 90,000 images tagged with that hashtag on Instagram and over 50,000 people follow the Instagram page. “Black Men Smile because we love ourselves. This platform is not about respectability politics. It is about radical expressions of self love. It is about resistance.”— Carlton Mackey. Follow them on Instagram @blackmensmile and check out their website for blogs, merchandise, and more black joy.
Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice
Founded by two Alliance Theatre staff members, Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice started as a small group of artists hoping to rally together at BLM protests during the New Age Civil Rights Movement. They soon found themselves heading a 1500+ coalition of artists eager to help in the fight for equality in any way possible. They provided these artists with a network to share daily information on current protests, a way to donate supplies, and mobile protest support units to deliver the supplies to protesters. More recently, ATAJ has lent their support to both elections, providing resources and information to help end voter suppression in Atlanta. They also started a series of intensives aimed to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in various fields of theatre. Follow them on FB and Instagram @atl.arts4justice
Just Add Honey Tea Company
684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave, Unit E
Atlanta, GA 30312
Started by Brandi Shelton, aka “the Tea Lady”, Just Add Honey Tea Company is “a sophisticated twist on a southern tea tradition”. Few things bring more comfort than a well-made cup of tea. Just Add Honey Tea Company is on a mission to provide fresh and flavorful tea made with all-natural and pure ingredients that make for a stimulating and soothing experience with every sip. From black tea and herbal tea to fruit and specialty teas, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy here! You can visit their shop on the Beltline, purchase their products from another retailer, or even order online.
Mouthwatering Must-Try: Berries on the Beltline
Imagine cranberries, apple, hibiscus, orange peel, rose hips, elderberries, cinnamon, ginger infusing together in your delicious cup of tea. It’s sweet and spicy. Great hot and iced. refreshing, delicious, and just lovely.
Tassili’s Raw Reality Café
1059 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd
Atlanta, GA 30310
Located in the Historic West End, Tassili’s is the raw, vegan cuisine paradise you didn’t know you needed. About 8 years ago, Tassili Ma’at was determined to make the best kale in Atlanta. One bite of the Spicy Kale Salad and you’d probably agree that she succeeded. From wraps to salads, you’re sure to find something that tastes good and makes you feel even better!
Mouthwatering Must-Try: Spicy Kale Wrap (it’s huge!)
Fun Fact: Tassili’s Raw Reality Café is featured in our original picture book In the West End which is being adapted into a virtual theater experience this spring!
Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours
1133 Huff Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
If you haven’t gotten the chance, you should run, not walk, to Chef Deborah VanTrece’s Twisted Soul Cookhouse. This contemporary soul food restaurant offers dinner and brunch. Formerly located in Decatur, Twisted Soul now calls West Midtown home. Chef VanTrece is inspired by food from all over the world and it shows in the thoughtfully curated menu. Current standouts include Cacio e Pepe Buccatini with Ellijay Mushrooms, a Coastal Seafood Hot Pot, and Hoisin Oxtails.
Mouthwatering Must-Try: Twisted Soul’s menu changes with the season, but anything with their signature fried chicken shouldn’t disappoint. Don’t forget the peach cobbler!
Le Petit Marche
1984 Hosea L. Williams Dr. Ste
Atlanta, GA 30317
“The Little Market” began as a true market, selling fresh breads, cheeses, pestos, and other items. In 2008, the focus of the market shifted from retail to prepared foods and, for that, Atlanta will forever be grateful. The restaurant continues to attract patrons from all over and has established itself as a neighborhood hangout during its beloved breakfast and lunch. Head over to Kirkwood for a flavorful and delicious meal!
Mouthwatering Must-Try: Try the French Toast Sandwich for breakfast. You’re in for vanilla-rum battered french toast, scrambled eggs with your choice of pork bacon, local fave Delia’s chicken sausage or veggie sausage all drizzled with hot buttery syrup and powdered sugar. Yum!
Dat Fire Jerk Chicken
226 Northside Dr SW
Atlanta, GA 30313
Craving a Jamaican vacation, but not feeling the hassle of traveling right now? Look no further than Dat Fire Jerk Chicken on Northside Drive. Chef Jay John is known as the “Jerk Pro” because he’s an expert in mixing and grilling with Jerk seasonings and spices. He also prides himself on making healthy Jamaican food so there’s nothing stopping you from indulging! If you want authentic food with a welcoming atmosphere, Dat Fire does not disappoint.
Mouthwatering Must-Try: Jerk Chicken (obviously)! Pro tip: they can adjust the spice levels to fit any taste, so you don’t have to actually feel the burn. Also, if you miss the plantain, you’ll regret it.
Unsuccessful actors come into the rehearsal room knowing all the answers.
Powerful actors are open to learning and allow themselves to be surprised.
At the beginning of every rehearsal process, the cast is given a major challenge – find the most engaging and compelling way tell the story. Curiosity is the engine that propels this work forward. At times, this creative process can be complex and frustrating. An actor who thinks he or she has all the answers can quickly shut down the flow of creativity. A successful rehearsal requires the actors to explore, question, try, fail, and try again and again. To actively engage rehearsal after rehearsal, the ensemble must remain open to learning something new, be willing to be surprised, and embrace uncertainty – in other words, stay curious.
Why is staying curious important?
We have all been in those meeting where the conversation stalls – where people are dug into their own points of view or cannot move past “the way that we’ve always done it.” Staying curious can disrupt our assumptions and allow us to see what is really going on and what could be. When we stay open to learning and allow ourselves to be surprised, our experiences are not limited by our lack of imagination. Curiosity is the gateway to creative problem solving and innovation. Being okay with not knowing all the answers invites solutions to emerge in unexpected ways and from unexpected places.
Staying Curious with Real Questions
Asking the right questions help actors decide, at any given moment, the best choice to make. The art of good questioning comes from genuinely wanting to hear the information and meaning in the answer. However, often we do not ask real questions. Instead, we ask leading questions. We ask limiting questions. We ask questions that assume a certain answer. To stay curious, we need to ask real questions that are in search of real answers.
Real questions…
- Support cooperation
- Encourage others to share information about their ideas, concerns, and feelings
- Show respect and interest in others
- Demonstrate a willingness to connect and spend time with others
How do I ask a real question?
Ask more open-ended questions. These Why, How, and What questions invite the other person to share in a more thoughtful way. Just consider the power of a What If question. What If questions spark our imaginations and anchor the discussion in possibility. Creative conversations flow easily with open-ended questions, giving space for the other person to show up more authentically.
Ask more neutral questions. When we ask leading questions that express an existing opinion, the other person is not likely to contradict us. A neutral question that is looking for accurate information or an honest opinion is much more helpful. And beware of turning yes/no questions into statements of opinion. For example, “Don’t you think it would be good to work together on this project?” Try this instead, “What do you think are the potential benefits to us to working together? And what are the possible challenges?”
Ask for stories, not just answers. Stories express more than just the facts. Stories provide context, paint a vivid picture of what is going on, and help us see things from other perspectives. Asking for stories builds rapport and creates connection and empathy.
Then listen. Don’t interrupt. Listen (with and for understanding) to the full answer to your question.
- Don’t Calculate a response – Allow yourself to be vulnerable and trust yourself to listen to the end of the other person’s statement. Then respond instead of reacting to what has been said.
- See them as a Coach – Allow the other person to be your teacher. Stay humble and don’t assume you have nothing to learn.
The performance you want takes practice.
Ask yourself these guiding questions to build your awareness of when you’re curious (and when you’re not).
- What if I replace being critical about something new with being curious about it? How would that change the outcomes of my conversations?
- What do I need to let go of to be more open to learn in stressful situations?
- Do I ask yes or no questions that are really statements of opinion?
- What if I listen fully to the whole response to my questions? What would happen?
Learn More
Ready to learn more about how Alliance@work can help your company?
Unsuccessful actors perform different masks.
Powerful actors remove the masks to share the truth of who they and their characters are.
A powerful performance is an authentic one. Legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner defined acting as “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances”. Authenticity on stage involves the actor being honest with themselves, with the character they are playing, and with the other actors in the ensemble. Compelling acting is having the courage to be open, vulnerable, and truthful, performance after performance.
Your given circumstances aren’t imaginary. And you are where you are for a reason. What you bring to your team is unique and will contribute is specific ways to the group’s success. Your role is to recognize your specialness and allow your contribution to take the shape and the form true to you. Own your authenticity and share that truth with others. Start believing in and telling the story you want others to hear and retell about you.
Why is being authentic important?
Effective communication is not just a transactional brain dump of information; it’s also about sharing meaning and making connection. To communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively, it is critical that you connect with the ‘irreducible core meaning” of who you are, your situation, or your message – the Big Idea.
How to Find Your Big Idea
To find your essential Big Idea, think about your lived experience, your education, your hobbies, your hopes, what you know to be true.
Consider these questions.
- What is unique about you that leads to your happiest times and best performance?
- When, professionally or personally, do you operate in a way that feels the most real?
- What are your signature strengths and how do you use them?
Take these personal reflections and restate that information in as few words as possible. Turn those ideas into a headline (your Big Idea) — a short, engaging phrase that speaks to the heart of the matter.
Then investigate further to determine what you really mean. Consider and complete the following statements.
- My word means that…
- We want…
- We need…We believe…
Hearing my Big Idea, you would be…
- Surprised to know that…
- Relieved to know that…
- Proud to know that…
This is a process of self-discovery. On the other side of this process, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what your Big Idea really means and better ability communicate that understanding to others.
The performance you want takes practice.
Ask yourself these guiding questions to build your awareness of when you’re being authentic (and when you’re not).
- What are the three words that most describe me?
- What am I doing when those descriptions are most true?
Next time, we will be pulling back the curtain on Staying Curious.
Learn More
Ready to learn more about how Alliance@work can help your company?
We need your help.
And it’s easy! No money, just the power of the people. People like you who love the arts and what the arts bring to Georgia.
(Hint: Each year the creative arts business sector accounts for 200,000 jobs while contributing $37 billion to Georgia’s economy. In comparison, the coal mining industry accounts for 53,000 jobs in the entire country.)
What is Georgia House Bill 226?
This bill would restore tax-exempt status for ticket sales at non-profit performing arts businesses in Georgia. This credit was in effect from 2017-2020, and we used the funds to build the spectacular sets and costumes for your favorite Alliance productions like MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, EVER AFTER, and ANGRY, RAUCOUS, AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS and to provide jobs to the incredible artists who call Atlanta home.
Again, we are not asking our state to cut a check, but rather to reinstate tax-exempt status to our ticket sales. The arts are a bi-partisan issue, and this piece of powerful legislation has been introduced by an incredible bi-partisan team. This is huge for the state that is 49th in arts funding.
3 Things You Can Do Today:
1. THANK the members of the Ways and Means Committee who support this legislation and its sponsors.
Committee members need to hear from you—residents in favor of legislation that supports small business and businesses in the non-profit sector.
- Shaw Blackmon (R) Chair of the Ways and Means Committee – (404) 656-5103
- Bonnie Rich (R) Ways and Means Committee Member, Bill Sponsor – (404) 656-5087
- Ron Stephens (R) Ways and Means Committee Member, Bill Sponsor – (404) 656-5115
- Debbie Buckner (D) Ways and Means Committee Member, Bill Sponsor – (404) 656-0116
- Chuck Efstration (R) Dacula, GA, Bill Sponsor – (404) 656-5105
- Gregg Kennard (R) Lawrenceville, GA, Bill SPONSOR – (404) 656-0202
- Spencer Frye (D) Athens, GA, Bill Sponsor – (404) 656-0265
2. ALERT your representative(s) that HB226 is important.
Share your favorite theatre memory or talk about the impact a summer drama camp had on your child. Remember, we need bi-partisan support, so the more Republicans and Democrats contacted the better. Also please remember to be kind. No more yelling. It is too exhausting.
3. SHARE this call to action with your friends, family, neighbors, and ask them to email or call their representative today.
Continuing our celebration of Blackness in America, this week we are sharing five incredible Black-owned Atlanta businesses.
Good Books
Owner: Katie Mitchell
Good Books is an online and pop-up bookstore curated by Katie Mitchell and her mom Katherine. It marries their two loves—books and Black folks. From Toni Morrison to Tupac Shakur, they pay homage to Blackness through literature.
The Village at Ponce City Market
Owner: Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon
African American buying power is currently $1.1 trillion, and yet only 2 cents of every dollar an African American spends in this country goes to Black-owned businesses. Black-owned businesses have a life span of 0 to 3 years and only have yearly earnings of $58,000, which is 11 times less than white-owned businesses. The Village at Ponce City Market is changing that. They empower entrepreneurs through education, purpose-driven events, and community engagement.
Men Not Myths
Owner: Eugene H. Russell IV
It is said that the tongue holds the power of life and death. In the case of Black fathers, they have been spoken of in terms that are not only destructive but ahistorical. Somehow the myth of the “absentee Black father” has overshadowed what has actually been a longstanding legacy of Black fatherhood. The mission, through Men Not Myths, is to encourage fathers who look like me to reject the myth and embrace the legacy.
Fun fact: Owner, Eugene H. Russell IV, is the composer for our animated short Sit-In and will appear in our family concert Beautiful Blackbird Live! this spring Under the Tent.
Cascade Skating Rink
Owner: Greg Alexander
Greg Alexander didn’t realize the impact that opening a skating rink would have on his community. Shared community and history is what the people gravitate to. This is about Atlanta culture and when you make it about the community, everything else falls into place.
Creative Soul Photography
Owner: Regis & Kahran Bethencourt
With more than 10 years of working with hundreds of children, families and brands, Creative Soul Photography specializes in lifestyle photography and authentic, visual storytelling. Their holistic approach to capturing one-of-a-kind moments has allowed their work to be featured in Teen Vogue, CNN, Glamour magazine, Vogue Italia, Black Enterprise, BET.com, on The Real daytime talk show, BBC News, the OWN network and more.