Well, dear readers, as most here know I’ve overseen several successful Indiegogo campaigns – Li’l Abner, L.A. Now and Then, a small one for the concert of The Brain from Planet X and, last year, Levi, not to mention the Kritzerland campaign some years ago. I always explain that the tone of the campaign is set in the first two to three days and how important it is to get good numbers on those days. For most of the campaigns, we did so, averaging around 18% of our goal in the first two days. That changed with Levi, when we made it up to a whopping thirty percent in the first two days. Yesterday, we launched our A Carol Christmas Indiegogo campaign. We did about $300 right away, which was a good sign – and then something extraordinary happened. Someone that none of us seem to know took the $2500 be all and end all perk and soon thereafter we hit thirty percent. My already boggled mind was completely boggled. That all happened within ninety minutes. The rest of the day and evening kept going and as I write these here notes we are at 44% of our goal and there’s still over eight hours of day one left. That is just amazing and extraordinary and many thanks to all who’ve helped us get there. We do need to keep up the momentum for at least another full day and I’m hoping we can cross fifty-percent by the end of full day two. That would be incredible and there’d be thirty days left. The ultimate goal, of course, is to fund early and go into stretch mode for the duration of the campaign, during which we hopefully cover the Indiegogo fees and maybe even raise more dough. Every bit we raise goes to making the production the best it can be – a little extra to rent some good lighting equipment, a little extra for the costumes and set. Anyway, what a launch it was. Here’s the direct link again.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-carol-christmas-a-new-musical-needs-your-help/x/9165600#/
Other than that, yesterday was just a good day and boy did we need it. Perhaps the retrograde is gone for a while because that’s something we don’t need at all. I got a nice telephonic call early on that provided a little respite, which was so helpful. At some point I went and had a Chinese chicken salad and a bagel, then picked up a little package and no mail. After that, I came back home, mostly following the campaign and posting tons of updates, which is what you have to do. I had a few telephonic calls, then got ready to judge the Sterling’s singing contest.
I moseyed on over to the El Portal Theatre and joined my fellow judges – of course I knew Kay Cole and Joshua Finkel, but was really delighted to meet and laugh with casting director Beth Lipari. The other judge was also nice – I believe his name is Andy Ferrara.
This year the contest is very different and it took me a while to get used to it. The audience seemed smaller than usual, which I found odd. Anyway, this year it’s not just a singing contest – it’s dancing (although that’s pretty weird, as I’ll explain), acting AND singing. So, we judges had to give a score for dancing based on the opening number. That was daunting since we had no idea who anyone was, but Kay took good notes, thankfully. Instead of twenty singers, we had ten performers. They began with a monologue and then did a song. I believe for last night’s leg of the contest, those choices were their own. I found some of the monologues fine and some not so fine, but the talent of the contestants was excellent. Some of the song choices were not for me, but I don’t hold that against anyone – in fact, most of the song choices weren’t for me. We all gave our little critiques, thankfully no one was long-winded, and I was what I always try to be – irreverent. We all had a good time, and some of the kids really had a lot going for them. Next Monday, all of the judges meet for the final round.
We didn’t get out of there until eleven, but thankfully next week starts a half-hour earlier. I came right home, saw we’d gotten to 44% and said a hale and hearty hoo and ray, answered e-mails, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today, I must do at least two sets of liner notes. I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, I’ll keep preparing the new releases, and at some point I’ll relax. And of course I’ll keep tub-thumping the campaign.
Tomorrow is busy with lots o’ stuff and then I’m meeting Sami and mom for what will probably be our farewell dinner for a while – she’ll be off to New York in a week and Pace University. I’ve worked with this kid so much since she was twelve and I’m sure I will miss her a lot, but not as much as her mother’s going to miss her. Thursday we have our callbacks, Friday I have a work session for the Kritzerland show, then the following week is our Kritzerland rehearsal week.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write liner notes, eat, hopefully pick up packages, tub-thump the campaign, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite monologues from plays? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, positively thrilled at our 44% launch.