The Sabbatical - The Project Period Audit
Part of the purpose of The Sabbatical is to take a break from this thirty-four year juggernaut that I am going to call The Project Period. I have never been particularly successful at engaging in sustained attention to a traditional career path, but have instead lurched somewhat compulsively from one engaging project to another. Often juggling multiple projects at the same time. This post, which I will probably have to edit over time as my memory allows, is dedicated to a listing of the activities of The Project Period.
Many of these projects are in addition to the employment that I had at the time.
S&T Enterprises - 1979 to 1981 (or so????) Entrepreneurial activities with Scot Torkelson that included Firewood Sales and Insulation Services. Brief. Intense.
UMN Hospitals Materials Services Renovation Project - 1980-81 -- Student job that turned into a bizarre little student fiefdom in the UMN Hospitals and Clinics. Also with Scot Torkelson.
Theater in the Round Technical Advisory Board -- 1981-8? -- A period when I was working with Teresa Blanchard to help this wonderful community theater continue its work to provide quality technical theater support for its productions.
Non-Aligned Players - 1985? - A short lived theater company, also with Teresa Blanchard.
Kapers for Kids and Funsteps to Learning -- 1988-2000 -- Shepherded a small, family business through two existential crises. Worked with Bev Greene, Jeanne Balzum, John Marzitelli, Sheri Sheeks, and a host of other folks who were touched by this project (which still lives on). Although this overlapped with some of the work I did at Theater in the Round, this was a period when I was pretty focused on this one project. Of course, I was experiencing a new marriage and the birth and parenting of two great kids throughout this period.
Plymouth Jr. High Program - late 90's and early 2000's?? about eight years -- Worked with Bonnie Janda.
Plymouth Playshop Theater Camp -- Provided technical and acting coaching for this growing theater camp with Jo Holcomb and Janice Hardy.
RAHS Drama - 2001-2012 - This was a huge project in which I really learned what it means to provide an educational experience within a theatrical environment.
Eat Street Players - 2006-2012 - Artistic Director with Jo Holcomb. Lots of energy here.
MN Thespians - 2009-2012 - Established the MN Thespians State Chapter Conference -- Established a great relationship with some cool folks from The Guthrie and from MN high school theater programs.
The Infinite Academy - 2010-2012 - Efforts with Sam Tanner to find a home for a new way of doing education. This project never landed but was critical in helping me to develop my thinking about theater and education.
Roseville Area Schools Staff Development -- 2007-2012 -- Tried to figure out how to have an impact on education within the system. Tough nut to crack, there.
Families Moving Forward at Plymouth Congregational Church - 2011-12 -- Small but intense projects to provide short term housing for homeless families.
All of these activities happened on top of or along with the day to day process of having a family and earning an income.
This is a rough sketch that I'll add to as I think about what I've been up to. It's good to know where you've come from as you consider where you might want to go.
Many of these projects are in addition to the employment that I had at the time.
S&T Enterprises - 1979 to 1981 (or so????) Entrepreneurial activities with Scot Torkelson that included Firewood Sales and Insulation Services. Brief. Intense.
UMN Hospitals Materials Services Renovation Project - 1980-81 -- Student job that turned into a bizarre little student fiefdom in the UMN Hospitals and Clinics. Also with Scot Torkelson.
Theater in the Round Technical Advisory Board -- 1981-8? -- A period when I was working with Teresa Blanchard to help this wonderful community theater continue its work to provide quality technical theater support for its productions.
Non-Aligned Players - 1985? - A short lived theater company, also with Teresa Blanchard.
Kapers for Kids and Funsteps to Learning -- 1988-2000 -- Shepherded a small, family business through two existential crises. Worked with Bev Greene, Jeanne Balzum, John Marzitelli, Sheri Sheeks, and a host of other folks who were touched by this project (which still lives on). Although this overlapped with some of the work I did at Theater in the Round, this was a period when I was pretty focused on this one project. Of course, I was experiencing a new marriage and the birth and parenting of two great kids throughout this period.
Plymouth Jr. High Program - late 90's and early 2000's?? about eight years -- Worked with Bonnie Janda.
Plymouth Playshop Theater Camp -- Provided technical and acting coaching for this growing theater camp with Jo Holcomb and Janice Hardy.
RAHS Drama - 2001-2012 - This was a huge project in which I really learned what it means to provide an educational experience within a theatrical environment.
Eat Street Players - 2006-2012 - Artistic Director with Jo Holcomb. Lots of energy here.
MN Thespians - 2009-2012 - Established the MN Thespians State Chapter Conference -- Established a great relationship with some cool folks from The Guthrie and from MN high school theater programs.
The Infinite Academy - 2010-2012 - Efforts with Sam Tanner to find a home for a new way of doing education. This project never landed but was critical in helping me to develop my thinking about theater and education.
Roseville Area Schools Staff Development -- 2007-2012 -- Tried to figure out how to have an impact on education within the system. Tough nut to crack, there.
Families Moving Forward at Plymouth Congregational Church - 2011-12 -- Small but intense projects to provide short term housing for homeless families.
All of these activities happened on top of or along with the day to day process of having a family and earning an income.
This is a rough sketch that I'll add to as I think about what I've been up to. It's good to know where you've come from as you consider where you might want to go.
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