November 11th "Buzz"

Things are moving fast now after the Board meeting.  We decided that we needed video representation of what our events, and PREformances are capable of looking like so we are staging a Gala!  ( a real one would take months of planning and we want this to be November 11the)

Think of a movie scene that included a Gala and now think of that as being half real and half "Created".

I have some great Broadway performers coming up to perform for us. See the video below as an example. Kim Stengel from Phantom of the Opera (also a recent Steven Speilberg film) is coming along with some other Broadway friends to actually perform a short concert of their favorites. While the "guests" look on with martini glasses in hand.  All the while this is getting filmed.  

The rest of the "event" is more of a casting feat.  Lisa Durke, producer, and casting director here in CT is helping me cast the "guests" all dressed in tux, gowns and wealth.  I contacted a meet up group of photographers and have about 12 "paparazzi" who want to shoot the event as the guests and bway stars arrive on the red carpet.  Gotta find a red carpet.

Since all these Preformances are a chance to demonstrate our mission statement to the community before we are even in a fixed spot, I have asked a quarter of jazz sax players from my class at Western CT State University to play on the red carpet as the fancy cars pull up to let off the stars and the guests. Education outreach.

Then we move inside for the 'concert'.  All of this is actually being filmed by Mark Holleran Media Productions (awesome producer, also on our board) and will be turned into a 2-3 minute promo that we can show different corporations around Stamford, Greenwich and Norwalk.  "Wow, see what you could be a part of?"

It's basically creating our own hype too.   I have some actual press coming as well so that we can make a huge statement right out of the gate.  My board has been asked to invite 2 or 3 VIP's to be a part of the "Making of" this event as well and they will get to see themselves in the video and perhaps be a part of our "tribe".

Everyone will be asked to whip out their phones and do a short little video of their own experience that night too, and we will let them post on our website and facebook page.  I will also ask the audience for any non profits that they support and who might want to use a Broadway singer or two for their own real Galas.  We, the New Paradigm Theatre, are happy to provide.

Branding:  Arts, Education, Non profit outreach and Internet marketing.  All elements present and creating our own Buzz.

See the video below for my backstage audition in NYC yesterday where I met Kim Stegel.   She knows Jamibeth well and has agreed to be in on the November 11th Preformance Buzz Gala.

First NPT Board meeting

We had our first Board meeting of the New Paradigm Theatre Co this Sunday.  I knew we had picked great folks to be on the board, but everyone really complimented each other as far as their skills and contacts.

Jamibeth came in from NJ and we ran the first meeting together.  I started by bringing everyone up to date on the progress and contacts we have already made, listing it out in a time line.  Even though things move slower than I would like, I realized that we really have done quite a bit already.

We have some fun stuff coming up soon too.  Planning a "movie shoot" of one of our Gala events so that Mark Holleran (board member) can shoot a 3 minute video ( he is a professional producer/director of commercials and film)  that we can share with corporations when we want to show them what they can host with the help of the New Paradigm.  We will need "guests", "models", "paparrazi" and then I will invite some of my professional singer friends to be a part.

Right now it looks like beginning of November for the shoot, but I will let you know in case you want to be a part. As my blog subscribers, you get first dibs on being featured in the video...especially if you have a pretty gown or tux. :)

Feel free to check out this video below as we prepared for our first board meeting.  I know you can't see this on your phones or sometimes in your email, so feel free to come back here to the actual blog to see the video. It's very short.

Young American Heroes shoot

Today was my first day on the set for "Young American Heroes".  See the videos below (all under 1 min) for a Behind the Scenes look at the shoot.  My own voice student, Kara Burgess, who is 16, plays my daughter.

I met the woman who runs the Palace theatre in Norwalk at the shoot. She and her husband own the Palace which used to be a performing house and is now a tv/film studio.   We talked about brainstorming as they are very into educational elements and liked the idea of linking arms with a theatre like ours.

This is a goal that I have had since the beginning of our founding so it will be good to speak with folks who understand that being diverse in any industry has it's advantages.  Being a regional theatre who will be brining folks up from NYC to perform in shows has its advantages for a film/tv studio who wants great talent for their own productions. Why shouldn't theaters producers combine with film producers within a city like Stamford, Norwalk or Greenwich?

See below for the short videos behind the scenes.  If you can't see this on your phones, just go to the blog itself.