What’s “LOVE” Got To Do With It?
In a recent blog, introducing Tympanic's newest kids on the block, McKenzie Gerber posed this question…
"Why is Tympanic Theatre a good fit for you?"
After reading the responses of the newest Tympanites, I started thinking to myself, "Why is Tympanic Theatre a good fit for ME?" Having been a part of Tympanic from the beginning of time, I was slightly embarrassed to admit that I hadn't ever thought about why Tympanic was the PB to my J. So to make up for lost time I thought I would dedicate today's blog post to the many reasons why I love Tympanic. After all, love don't come easy. Without further ado here are the reasons Tympanic sets my heart in motion…
GUERILLA MARKETING
Tympanic is probably one of the few Chicago Theatre's where you will find an Artisitic Director so dedicated to his craft that he'll brave the CTA and down-town Chicago in a Lion-O costume in order to promote a show. Anything in the name of Marketing!
Honestly. What's not to love about folks who take reaching the masses this seriously?
WE LIKE OUR MAKE-UP HEAVY, UGLY, AND BLOODY
It's become somewhat of an unspoken Tympanic tradition to have at least one make-believe, out of this world, type of mythological creature in our season. Call us a one trick pony! Call us geeks! But I DOUBLE, TRIPLE, DOG DARE you to tell me these aren't faces to love.
Trocino as Olga (Musing 2009)
Gotz and Martinez (Gregor and the Squonk 2008)
Gregg as Moss Lady (House of Weird Death 2008)
THESE AIN'T YOUR MAMA'S BEDTIME STORIES
At Tympanic, we dedicated ourselves to producing new work with fantastical, frightening, or absurd subject matter that provokes as well as entertains. We invite our audience to explore new theatrical worlds of fresh, visceral storytelling, and extraordinary characters. While doing all of this our goal is to foster the young voices of today's playwrights. That's a tall order, but with a band of multi-talented, theatre loving, hooligans by your side it's an easy order to fill.
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
I don't know if you've heard, but apperantly we're in an recession? Time's are hard and finding funding for the arts is even harder. It's times like these that make me wish the bartering system was still an acceptable means of survival. Unfortunately, that ship sailed back in 500 B.C. So what is a green theatre company to do when they're in need a rehearsal space? They make the best out of their resources. Yep, that's right folks! At Tympanic we rehearse right out of Artistic Director, Daniel Caffrey, basement. Throw some paint on the wall, sprinkle some production photo's, and add a few black boxes and…TADA! You've got yourself a rehearsal space!
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I 'EAR'?
When your name is Tympanic and your logo is an ear, you better be damned if you don't know a thing
or two about killer soundtracks. Tympanic's shows are always chock-n-block full of awesome tunes (old ones and new ones) that help set the tone of the piece. Hell, we even named our upcoming short play festival after a replacement song, BASTARDS OF YOUNG. We believe in stimulating all the senses and our soundtracks arejsut one of the ways we aim to please.
PASSION IS SO IN FASHION
Bottom line…these cats have a true, hot blooded P-A-S-S-I-O-N for what they do. I can't feel luckier that they have branded me as one the clan. It's family, ya'll! There's something special about gathering in a room full of folks and knowing just by the pure energy in the room that these folks are here for the same reason…to put on a killer show while having a killer time!
Thanks for reading!
Susan