2022 Goals Report Card
At the beginning of last year Steven and I put forth 18 goals we wanted to accomplish (16 of which are listed below,) let’s check in to see how we did!
If you had asked me before I looked at the list I would have said we did dismally, though we actually fared better than my memory suggested: fully completing half of our stated goals, and only entirely failing three: a good showing in a disappointing year.
The Good!
Reestablish Medium and Long Term Goals: Steven and I sat down in March to lay out things we wanted to do. It was a short list, and we didn’t really succeed in laying the groundwork for those goals, but we did list them, so good for us.
Develop Classes and Workshops/Explore Teaching: We didn’t do a full write-up of the workshops we have in our heads, but we did teach two corporate workshops, and are iterating on those lesson plans while looking forward to more in 2023!
Finish, Continue, and Plan Space Train: we decided to end the live production of Space Train at the end of Season 2 and 27 produced episodes, while gearing up for an as-of-yet not announced rerecording of the episodes in a higher quality format (this doesn’t count as announcement, it’s still not announced, no one say any differently.) A rough outline for the story of season 3 and beginning of season 4 does exist, if they ever come to pass.
Pay Performers for Four Shows: We did eleven shows in 2022 which could have resulted in paying performers, our eleven shows at Eureka and the MLH film. The MLH film made back its budget but not enough to payout performers, and of the Eureka shows only two didn’t make enough money to pay people, making this one of our most successful goals! A caveat: Although there were ten or so performers eligible to be paid, almost everybody chose to return their money to the theater, for which we are very grateful.
Pay off company debt: we wrote about this yesterday, but we were successful in accomplishing this! We paid off the last two thousand dollars of debt over the last three months of the year. I’m quite happy since this was my major goal in both 2020 and 2021. Third time’s the charm!
Four or more new directors for Space Train: in the end five extremely skilled new people directed our final episodes of Space Train. Special thanks to Kacie Adams, Chelsea Curto, Lauren Hainley, Ruth McCleskey, and Hilary Ritz
Collect 26 or more rejections: in the end we got 40 rejections on 43 applications in an ego-depleting year.
The Qualified- There were five goals that we didn’t fully complete, but nonetheless made progress on.
Perform in two new venues: Although we were thoroughly rejected from many of the new festivals we applied for this year (and some old ones!) We did have a trip on the books to Montana, which got delayed to this year; we were accepted into the Singapore Improv Festival, but we couldn’t afford to go; and we performed digitally in new places, which Steven accepted as a partial victory.
Experiment with forms: Part of what we did this year at Eureka with SARA was a constant creation of new improv forms, however that was not done with the intent that I think Steven was looking for. I also began work on a new immersive theater project, but it is still in early development.
Throw more Theatrical parties: this should probably be a full success, but “we” did throw “more” in that we threw two, and I was the one who threw them though it was Steven’s goal, so I don’t know if he feels it was successful.
Film four or more sketches: We did make a short film for Magical Lying Hour this year, which was a large undertaking, and we did “film” material for three more sketches, though they sit, unedited and unloved on my computer. This item has an uncomfortable tension in it: I don’t like filming all that much, but I do feel it is necessary to grow awareness of what we do, so my heart isn’t in this goal.
Produce (or abandon) Start Your Endings: What I wanted to do was either do this show or stop thinking about, but I never stopped thinking about it. We tried and failed to get funding for the show three times, and it was rejected from consideration at other theaters four times in 2022. As we look to make more audio productions SYE is in a bad place because it is a highly visual work that can’t be filmed easily.
Failures
Execute a full production: We wanted to, we had an opportunity to, but we had to cancel that show. Full details of that were sent out on our newsletter if anyone is interested in wrapping themselves in our disappointment and embarrassment.
Finish Digital Clean-Up Plan: this was a vague goal that is tedious to complete. I still haven’t done it, but I probably will “soon”.
Write two or more God Kings episodes: after the debacle of the show we had to cancel I got in a creative funk and didn’t write anything, and chose not to pursue more God Kings. Although I love the series, and it is the latest iteration of an idea I’ve wanted to complete since 2014, it didn’t get much attention, seems to lack a market, and overall folks don’t seem to want or care about it that much.
That was our 2022 in goals! I don’t know if we’ll enumerate goals again for 2023, but if we do you’ll find them here!
