I’m so excited to kick off this blog! I’ve got lots of content queued up for you that will dive into a lot of the goings on behind the scenes as well as in my head. I’ve already started some posts addressing some of the most frequently asked questions and often discussed topics. I’ve also started writing down the random musings and tangents I go on as they relate to running a “theater-for-fun” organization.
Backstage Blog

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from YJ Chen!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Cam Lieberson!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Molly Shoemaker!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Jasmine Daniel!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Olivia Kokmen!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Liz Beirne!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Farhin Lilywala!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Bartek Puzón!

What does Shrek do from 9-5? Did you know Pippin also bakes a mean pie? With this series I aim to answer those questions and more as I peek behind the curtain and learn all about our participants' experience with AWT and take a glimpse into their robust lives outside of theater. It's time for AWTea with Mary! In this episode, we get the AWTea from Michelle Vidal!

Language is a strong tool. Aside from the obvious benefit of communication, the words we choose have the ability to strengthen or reinforce our principles and values. I often find myself saying, “that word is not in my vocabulary,” where what I’m actually saying is, “that word doesn’t reflect my beliefs.”

Before I was the ED of AWT, before I worked part-time here running operations, and before I was a board member, I had a neat little career in marketing, working primarily for early and mid-stage startups. My entire career had been in advertising or marketing, and I enjoyed the work…for a while. As I was about to discover AWT as a participant in 2014, I was finding myself getting bored with my jobs quickly, and my tenure at each position was getting shorter and shorter.

I don’t actually get a lot of questions about AWT casting before people sign up for a show. What I do hear about are a lot of reactions after cast lists come out. And when I say “hear about” I mean, people rarely come to me with their thoughts, questions, feelings or concerns, but the AWT grapevine is strong and has many branches. It’s totally ok, casting is a touchy subject.