Most general managers

Some theatre General Managers sit behind a desk and write contracts and do thinky things.  My job, is not like that.  Last week I had my "pre-construction" meeting for the beginning of the renovation of the new building.  I thought we were just having a meeting but it turns out its a "thing."  An actual thing which is mandated in the contract... agenda and all.  Good to know.

Friday, we started the roof repair on the Actors House.  Its a five story building, four stories of living space and then a full attic.  That is a tall building.  They started with a 50 ft ladder but decided they really needed the 60 fit one.  Yowza.  See for yourself.  Just even watching the ladder and how it moves while guys are climbing gave me the heebies.

After three days, they've made amazing progress.  Especially since everything to go up and down via the front of the building by trashcan or rope pulley.  I should have taken a shot of the huge boards going up tied in a rope.  Sometimes I couldn't even watch lest they punch through a window of the house... or worse, the house next door!

There's an elderly lady who lives next door and she doesn't seem happy with our project.  Truth be told she doesn't seem happy at all, but I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Even after she yelled at me to keep everyone and everything off her roof.  Then she called me at work to say that something had dropped on her roof and she wanted it off!  Sheesh.  Then there's the guy on the other side who started off the very first morning, by sending a couple of "goons" to impress on us just how much he didn't want us on his property.  If its my roofers who tell me they were goons, I can only imagine!!

The roofers themselves are a colorful as can be.  Joey, the gofer, supply getter, schmoozer and general man-about-the-job is my new best friend.  He is hilarious!  At first I thought he was the foreman, I'm sure he wants me to think that, but he's really just a funny harmless, fascinating specimen of a Philly neighborhood guy.  I'm still trying to get him to understand that I don't own the house, its owned by a theatre.  A live theatre of theatrical productions, kind of theatre.  Its a process.

Here are the guys working on the back roof.  They've made great progress since yesterday, when all I could see was brown rotted wood.   I love the way the steeple across the street from the house is framed in the picture.

Speaking of steeples, here is the one from Christ Church, located right next door to the theatre.  This is a cool church. Benjamin and Deborah Franklin were parishioners as was Betsy Ross.  George Washington and John Adams both attended here as well.  They created a school to educate slaves and the first black priest, Absalom Jones was ordained here.

Here is a cool picture of the steeple from inside the theatre's lobby.

The Arden has a cool apprenticeship program.  We have seven apprentices this year who work full time and do everything!  They will work in every department and get to do it all -- grunt work, paper work, house work, development, marketing, box office, set construction and strike, lights, sound, Assistant Stage Manage on a show and everything in between!  They start tomorrow which means the whirlwind of activity begins.  The first preview is September 27th.  Getting close.

But wait, I forgot the most important part.  I get my keys to the new apartment on Friday and move on September 22nd.  Its actually happening.  I've been so lucky to be able to stay with my sister that its a bit surreal.  I totally get how folks stay with family and how they never leave.  Its like a cocoon. Instant company, people to talk to and other people make dinner.  Hmmmm.  Maybe this  moving thing is over rated....

Have a great week and start thinking of your next visit to Philadelphia!