And I reply, “I most heartily am not!”

Sure, there are demands on the free time of un-retired people, what with the vast majority of our time being taken up by not being retired. How to prioritize and cram in all of those other activities in just a few short waking hours?

To me, it’s not really negotiable. I can’t really afford full-price tickets, so this is the best way to see free theater. Plus, I get the benefits of making connections and helping out the harried house managers. Seriously, who doesn’t love being thanked over and over again for being such a tremendous help?

I wish more people under the age of 65 would consider being an usher. The time commitment is not much greater than the duration of the play, and you only have to sign up for one shift at a time. Maybe I’ll come up with a “student usher” program and pitch it to local theaters, high schools, and universities. Everyone needs volunteer work on their transcript, and who knows, a kid may usher for a show that changes his life.

Picture it: Friend A is starring in a local-but-professional theater production. Friend B wants to go see Friend A’s show, but just can’t bring herself to pay the $40+ ticket price (and that’s for one ticket). So Friend B is considering an alternate plan: PRETEND she saw the show, telling Friend A how wonderful she was. Friend B comes to me to ask how she can fake it.

“Is there something I can say other than ‘Oh, you were great!’?” Friend B asks.

I advise her to read some of the reviews, and check the theater’s website. Search for any press photos or B-roll, and make sure you understand what the show is about.

“What if the night I pretend to go is actually a night when Friend A is out sick? And then I tell her how wonderful she was, not knowing an understudy went on?” Friend B is a bit on the worried side.

“Well,” I respond. “I could call the stage manager — he’s a friend of mine — and make sure Friend A went on. Maybe I can get a copy of the performance report.”

Are we insane? Going to all of this trouble, creating this elaborate ruse just so Friend B doesn’t have to blow her budget?

Why are ticket prices in South Florida so high?

NOTE: I am going to see Friend A’s show also — and, like Friend B — I don’t really feel comfortable about paying the $40+. However, in exchange for my free ticket, I must chaperone 30 high school freshman. So the “free” is never really free.

But spend some time away from that circuit, and there’s nothing but complete radio silence.

All of this is really just a fancy, over-long metaphor for the complete lack of “civilian” participation in the performing arts in this region. No wonder interest in theater appears to be diminishing among the young: there’s no outreach and scant information being pushed their way. How are new people supposed to get involved? How will recent transplants to the area find out that there’s actually a diverse, interesting arts scene here that’s worth supporting?

Because I am no longer scanning my Twitter-Matrix all day long, and because it’s no longer my job to stay on top of regional and national media trends, I hardly know what’s going on. What shows are playing? When are they running? If it weren’t for my still-looped contacts sending me occasional emails, I wouldn’t see any theater at all.

How is someone still finding their way ever going to make contact? It’s something I’m worried about, but not sure how to solve.

Buy from the publisher

Buy from The Drama Book Shop

Buy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or anywhere else you find it. Just buy!

Jill Jichetti (Director/Olivia): is a director, performer and writer in several genres. Previous directing credits include Kimberly Patterson’s Goat Song at the Midtown International Theater Festival. Jill is a Member of Rake Theater and the Artistic Director of Lifeblood Theater Company. Jill’s FringeNYC writing/directing credits for Lifeblood include The Boy on the Other Side of the World (2007) and Reference Material [3am Pie] (2002). As a 2008 recipient of an Excellence Award in Literary Arts from the Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island (COASI), she performs her blog-published fiction, “Angels Dares’”, at COAHSI’s Summerfest in June. The story, a fictional serial yet to be concluded, can be found on her homepage JillWrites.com. She has written numerous one-acts and ten minute plays, two of which were presented at Sundog Theatre’s Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry. She has also reviewed theater for OffOffOnline.com. Jill received her Master of Arts from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2001 where she concentrated her studies in Playwriting and Interdisciplinary Ideas of the Postmodern. She has taught several levels of writing classes in the English Department at the College of Staten Island (City University of New York). At CUNY, she has also taught classes in technical theater and stage management.

Martin Soole (Jack): A native of Iowa and graduate of Webster Conservatory, Martin works consistently in Film, Theatre, and T.V. He  can be seen playing lead roles in the upcoming films “The Children of Fleeting Light” and  The Samsung Mobile Fresh Film “Regularly Scheduled Programming”. Martin appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity.

Nicole Serra (stage manager): Nicole is a stage manager/actress/director and graduate of University of Miami, where she received a B.A. in Theatre and English Literature. She has also trained at Queen Mary, University of London, as well as SITI Company and the Barrow Group in NYC. She served as Associate Director of the Drama program at Theatre Arts Center for two years and has also worked with The Foundry Theatre, City Lights Youth Theatre, The Watermark Ensemble, and the CASA program through Queens Theatre in the Park.

Fluency

Produced by Rake Theater

Author: Kimberly Patterson

Fluency is about the relationship of Jack and Olivia, two opposites who fumble through the performance of falling in love. Olivia is a playwright and Jack is an actor; some scenes take place in a real theater, while others exist only on the stage in their heads. It’s a non-linear presentation of their romantic ups and downs, as they try to figure out a successful way of communicating with each other. 

Everyone struggles — at some point in his or her life — with the joys and challenges of dating. Modern technology only complicates things further: Romeo and Juliet never had to worry about cellphones, text messages, or video games.  Fluency is a romantic comedy! While it plays with an experimental structure and flirts with postmodern themes, the characters’ journey is one anyone can identify with, and the show strives for a happy ending.

It’s a light, short, sweet play that is fun to work with. We presented it earlier this year in Florida, and, as the playwright, I’m extremely excited to see it change shape at FringeNYC with a new cast and a new director’s vision. There’s definitely an academic undercurrent to be had (for those who are interested), but our goal is to entertain audiences and offer a humorous look at love and communication.

– Kimberly Patterson, playwright

Rake Theater Presents

FLUENCY

The New York International Fringe Festival – Fringe NYC

A production of The Present Company

August 8^th-24^th

Tickets: $15. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org

Boynton Beach, FL – July 1, 2008 – Rake Theater is proud to present Fluency as part of the 11^th annual New York International Fringe Festival – FringeNYC. Fluency was recently presented at the 2008 Orlando Fringe Festival. This production marks its New York premiere and will feature a New York cast.

Fluency is a meta-theatrical romantic comedy that examines the performance of communication. Jack’s an actor; Olivia’s a playwright. They seem to be better at kissing than communicating. Can they learn the language of love? Together, they explore the pitfalls of the first date and the first phone conversation, and show how 21^st century technology becomes a handy tool. They go through the awkward break-up and hope for a happy ending, never forgetting that they’re performing it all for an audience.

Fluency was written by Kimberly Patterson (Oedipus for Kids!), and will be directed by FringeNYC veteran Jill Jichetti (2002’s Reference Material [3am Pie] and 2007’s The Boy on the Other Side of the World). Ms. Jichetti is a 2008 recipient of an Excellence Award in Literary Arts from the Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSI). Fluency features Jill Jichetti and Martin Soole (Milk Can Theatre’s Galileo).  

Rake Theater was founded in New York City in February 2006. In our inaugural season, we presented the sell-out hit Oedipus for Kids! at the New York Musical Theater Festival. Our home base is now in South Florida, but our members continue to work and thrive all over the country. For more information, visit www.raketheater.org.