DR Jeanne ~ I'll try again and type real fast. The AmeriCorps connection is because the theatre is a non-profit civic arts center (got a Gallery, so visual arts too). It's well-established (active since 1969) -- 194-seat venue -- with a $345,000 annual operating budget. In addition to our 6 main stage, there are all kinds of events, programs, staged readings, fundraisers, and concerts (adult and kid choirs) -- and lots of out reach in the community (on many of the fundraisers and events we partner with other nonprofits so the arts benefit lots of folks and kids in addition to enlightening and entertaining them). They have given Cason lots of artistic freedom in addition to his technical directing duties. He's taught workshops and classes on site and at local high schools; directed main stage, Ghost Talk, and new works; produced new play festivals for youth playwrights and adults; initiated Team Tech (a service learning project for teens, college students, and the young at heart ); and has auditioned for and acted in several main stage shows (brought down the house as Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). The stage directing and acting gigs have been on his volunteer time since only his technical directing and community out reach and youth-related gigs can count toward his AmeriCorps hours.
So I think you can see in there where BK's getting him involved in the LACC Theatre Alumni group doing fundraisers, projects, and events; in the producing gigs with Krizterland staged readings and shows for the musical festivals; and through The Brain From Planet X experience, all provided lots of opportunities to hone his theatrical/business skills -- or as I refer to it -- adding lots of useful tools to the ol' creative/business tool belt. A lot of of LACC and Kritzerland tools are in Cason's career belt -- hence my thanks to BK the other day.
