The plan was that we would be announcing a couple of things this week (a fundraiser, a class or two, etc.), but we have to wait until some paperwork gets... worked, I guess. There's a lot of "hurry up and wait" when it comes to starting a new business. I'm trying to get used to that.

In the meantime, let's talk about two reasons (out of many!) why I'm so damned excited for this theater!

Reason One: The main purpose of this theater is to build a home for sketch comedy, storytelling, and poetry. These are three communities whose circles probably wouldn't overlap if you Venn Diagrammed that shit five years ago. However, we've recently seen some folks crossing those boundaries and trying something new. Sketch comedians performing at poetry slams. Storytellers and poets getting into improv and sketch comedy. Berets everywhere. It's neat! It's challenging, and out of challenge comes growth.
We saw the improv community explode due, in part, to the opening of Huge Theater (a space dedicated to offering a stage and a home the local improv scene.) It's not hard to imagine a similar thing happening to the sketch comedy, storytelling, and poetry scenes with the opening of Strike. With these three communities working in tandem, we'll be witnessing the start of something really special.

Reason Two: We're partnering with the SEIU Local 26, and that's tremendous. Why? The members of this union (janitors, security guards, window cleaners, etc.) have incredible stories to tell, and Strike Theater will be a place for them to tell their stories and to let people laugh and cry and scream along with them. It's so much more fun to be in a scene when diverse voices are welcomed and celebrated. It's also something that's sorely needed in this world of divisive politics and the echo-chamber nature of social media. I'm not naïve enough to say that Strike will change the world, but I do believe there is power in this partnership to create some wonderful conversations. Conversations that will probably change the world.

See? Exciting.
Now back to waiting.

Last week, Allison wrote about all of the FEELINGS associated with opening a theater.  Well I'm happy to report that none of those feelings have dissipated at all. We're a mix of excitement and nerves. I suppose that's what happens when you go after something you really want, right? I hope so, because I haven't slept for more than 3 hours a night in about a month and a half. I'll be lying in bed and counting sheep when all of the sudden one of those sheep will turn to me and ask, "How are you ever going to pay for that fire grade door? Bah bah bah."

ANYWAY, want to see a preliminary drawing of Strike Theater? Cool. All of this is subject to change of course, but we wanted to give you all a better idea of why we're so excited. There's a chance that a lot of this will change. Dreams and financial realities aren't always neighbors. We might end up with two lights and a tiny platform made out of cardboard, but that's fine. We're building a home for original comedy and spoken word. A place where you will come to see shows and perform in shows and drink beers with pals and it's all because you (like us) want to give words a place to live. If that is the case, then I will sleep very well.  

by Allison Broeren 

You all! What am I doing? 
This is a question I've been asking myself frequently the last month. 
At the heart of it, I'm trying to live my dream. Of starting a theater. Of providing a home to amazing artistic communities. Of having a stage of my own to share with people. Of having a theater dog that wears a tuxedo. Of having a space to make ideas into reality. Probably not of having a glitter cannon though, because Mike and Joe think that sounds messy. 

I'll admit. I was the nervous one when we announced that we were opening at HUGE's Anniversary Show. Did I want to tell people? Of course. But I also wanted to have every shiny permit and detail buttoned up so there was no room for error. The response we got that night humbling, as all the responses we've got since then. I've been moved to tears multiple times by people's offers to help in so many different ways. 

Since then people have been enthusiastic to perform, to sign up for classes, to be in the audience. People keep asking when our doors will be open. It seems surreal. It feels like it'll all work. I'm so excited to be working on those things. Those are things we're so good at. 

But people keep asking for an update on all the fun stuff. And it's coming. I promise. But right now if you are wondering where we are at, we're doing all the stuff that we aren't good at. Like figuring out permits and how to install a sink through cement, and if we need a crane, or can just roll an air conditioner around on the roof, or what price point barn doors come in, or taxes. Why, not matter what, is there always taxes? This stuff is the scary stuff. The stuff that makes us all nod our heads quietly at each other in meetings. The stuff that makes you think, "What am I doing?" 

So, what am I doing? Learning to meditate, for one. The Headspace app is saving me. I'm also writing fears down and putting them in the mouth of this little stuffed monster and zipping them away. They say it's supposed to help little kids let go of their fears. It can't hurt, right? 

What else am I doing? In those quiet moments, being so excited. For years I've tried to find the right words, the right community, the right circumstances to make something like this happen. As Strike was born, it all came together-really weirdly-but just perfectly. The partners, the partnerships, the place, all of it. I don't think it'll feel totally real to me until I'm sitting there watching our first show happen. And maybe that's just it. That's how it feels as your dreams are coming true-like you are dreaming.