It has always been theater
When I was ten, my parents got me the cast recording of the Broadway show Annie. "Tomorrow" was a "car song". One of the tunes my dad and I would belt out at the top of our lungs on our many, many long distance drives. I listened to that tape (yes, a cassette tape) till I wore it out.
It has always been about theater.
The next year we moved to a new state. New town, new school, and while I was wandering around the new downtown with my mom, we discovered the best new thing ever. A new theater.
The stage had just been painted and the carpets were in giant rolls along the wall, but they had just started a theater group for girls (through the Girl Scouts) and was I interested in trying it out?
It has always been about theater, and I have been doing it all my life.
When You Love It, You Share it.
It was never my intention to teach theater. While most of my professional experience prior to teaching was in youth theater and with TYA companies, I never saw myself in a classroom. The opportunity presented itself, however, to take a position as the technical director for a fast growing high school program that had a large artistic staff, a fantastic facility, and district support. It was less about teaching technical theater out of a book and more about getting students hands on with the materials, in support of the shows on stage during the season.
When you love what you do, sharing it, teaching it, becomes an act of joy.
Why make it a business?
I have worked with many schools and many directors who do not have the benefit of on site technical staff, budgets to achieve their goals, or the ability to hire in people to help them. Sharing what I know, and bringing in a few generations of students who now design and work backstage to help me, is the next step for me in sharing what I love.
Building Backstage AIC as a business to support other teachers, volunteers, and working artists to create great theater with their students is my "next". It continues the teaching theater that has been my whole life.
Thank you for playing in our sandbox.
-Jodi
What our customers have to say
"Jodi was exceptional throughout the entire process. She was always available to answer any questions I had, making communication seamless and supportive. The instructions she provided were not only clear and easy to understand but also very useful for both myself and our builder and my students. You don’t need to be a construction expert to follow Jodi’s instructions!"
-Colin Swanson, Director
"I was just asked to build these same boxes today! I’m so happy, this will save me time and the theatre money! You are awesome!"
-Tim, Technician
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