Gratitude & Anticipation: the Saturday before TIC's Fall Season Begins

It's early Saturday morning and so many thoughts are running through my head.  Errands, To Do lists, last minute production reminders.

Tongue in Cheek Theater's 24th production. Whoo wee!

But the most important item on my to do list should be: enjoy that incredible feelings of gratitude and anticipation as Tongue in Cheek's fall season officially starts this week.

When I founded TIC in early 2006, all I knew was there was this play I wanted to do, The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel.

Now 8 years and 23 productions later, we are mounting Vogel's most seminal piece, How I Learned to Drive, along with 4 nights of TIC's 10th Plus 1 Solo Show Festival and a special one-night only performance of How to Behave/Places, Please.  That's 14 nights of theater across three weeks.  Hard to believe it all started with a three-person play and a cute logo I drew on the back of an envelope of a joyful penguin.

Today entails a trip to Home Depot, house cleaning, and if I'm lucky, a nap on the couch after watching NY1's Onstage.

On Sunday, we have one last rehearsal to crystallize every last entrance, exit and a bit of four-part harmony.

On Monday, my production stage manager and right hand Allison Lemel and I will load into The Bridge Theatre @ Shetler Studios.  When the actors arrive that evening, we'll run through all the transitions, light and sound cues.

On Tuesday,
website www.StageBuddyPro.com will interview me in The Bridge about running an indie theater, tips for solo show artists submitting to festivals, and casting for indie theater.  (More on those video interviews as soon as they're live!)

On Wednesday, Maeghan Donohue, TIC's production photographer, will capture our final dress rehearsal.  Can't wait to share those pics.

On Thursday, we open How I Learn to Drive, and then it's go, go, go.  Holy...

Okay: deep breath in.  Deep breath out.   This moment is pretty great.  I thank everyone who has been a part of the many auditions, rehearsals, performances, accolades and most importantly, audiences.  One more deep breath.

And now I'm off to Home Depot!

If you haven't purchased your tickets for TIC's fall run, please do!  We've already sold out 1 performance of How I Learned to Drive and would love to see your smiling face in the audience.

How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel runs Oct. 17-19, 24-26, 31-Nov. 2 at 8 pm at The Bridge Theatre @ Shetler Studios (244 W. 54 St., 12th Fl.).  Tickets are $18 online or call 212-868-4444.  Featuring Lynn Berg, Michael Edmund, Holland Hamilton, Jake Lipman, Shelley Little and Joan D. Saunders.  Family dysfunction and foam rubber fumbles.

Series A of the Plus 1 Solo Show Festival runs Sunday, October 20 & Monday, October 21 at 8 pm 

Tickets are $20 online or call 212-868-4444.  Series A features Aizzah Fatima, Dale Davidson, Anna Fox and Nora Vetter.  Google, fear, OCD and big dreams.

Series B of the Plus 1 Solo Show Festival runs Sunday, October 27 & Monday, October 28 at 8 pm 

Tickets are $20 online or call 212-868-4444.  Series B features Kaitlan Emery, Alan Fox, Rose Andrez and Andreanna Buccheri.  Mormons, rapping, the suburbs and big hair.

How to Behave/Places, Please by Connie Perry/Allison Lemel runs Wednesday, October 23 at 7 pm.  Tickets are $10 and include a glass of wine, go online or call 212-868-4444.  A glimpse backstage at the humor and grace involved in making magic happen onstage.

More about TIC at www.tictheater.com or on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/tictheater.