Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

Last night I dreamed that I was a childOut where the pines grow wild and tallI was trying to make it home through the forestBefore the darkness falls I heard the wind rustling through the treesAnd ghostly voices rose from the fieldsI ran with my heart pounding down that broken pathWith the devil snapping atContinue reading “Straight Through”

Naiveté allows you to make your art against all odds and opposition and to stand behind it and be proud. Humility allows you to look back someday on what you’ve made and cringe because you know how much better it could be. You need equal measures of both.

Generally speaking, you can’t afford to buy a house without having money for a down payment. The same holds true if you want to produce a play. According to TCG’s latest “Theatre Facts” study, intimate theatres (those with budgets less than $500,000) earned less than 50% of their income from individual ticket sales. That meansContinue reading “Ticket Sales and Donations”

If you’re having trouble getting key people to commit to your passion project, a good question to ask them is “What would it take for you to say yes?” After you ask, don’t say anything. Let them think about it and wait for their response. Their answer will inform just how far apart you are.Continue reading “What Would It Take For You To Say “Yes”?”

“You must not be disheartened or sink into sadness if your actions do not attain the perfection you intended. What do you expect? We are all fragile, we are earth, and not every plot of land produces the fruit intended by the farmer.” -Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Letter A paradox… Often we need the bigContinue reading “The Real Value Is In The Attempt”

“The King leaned closer to me. ‘I have only one real applicable piece of advice for you, he said, his perfect diction piercing through the noise of the crowd. ‘Have a boring life and make your art thrilling.’ –A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke “Be regular and orderly in your life, so thatContinue reading “Be A Jekyll And A Hyde”

You know that feeling when you’re watching a play or any kind of live performance and you just love it so much? Emotions are stirring. You’re moved to your core. You don’t want it to end. You look around at the audience and wonder: “Is anyone else seeing what I’m seeing?” You just feel blessedContinue reading ““Is Anyone Else Seeing What I’m Seeing?””

“I think there is much more going on than we are aware of and sensitive to and perceptive about , and the more we think we know what is possible and impossible the more we are foolish and arrogant and imprisoning ourselves in an idea.” – “The Daoine Sidhe” Essay from “One Long River OfContinue reading “Love The Quotidian”

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” –Hamlet “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster; And treat those two impostors just the same…” –If by Rudyard Kipling “When something is wrong of going bad, you just look at me and say, Good.” -Jocko Wilink One of the many giftsContinue reading ““How Can I Use This?””

Inspired by The Criterion Collection’s “Three Reasons” film promos. (watch this as an example; and definitely see the film!) here are three reasons to check out filmmaker Ed Burns and his work. (1) “Head down. Ass up. Keep moving forward….What other choice do you have?” His mantra. Listen to this podcast. (2) From superstar debutContinue reading “Ed Burns: Three Reasons”