I found this little gem of a graphic a few months back via Susan Cain's Facebook page. If you haven't heard of Susan Cain, you should check out her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts here: http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/ I read her book last year and it was mind-blowing, I definitely recommend it for introverts, extroverts and all humans alike!

Here's the little visual from Susan Cain that depicts the so-called creative process. I found it during the homestretch of working on editing my play SafeGuard and found it incredibly reassuring and encouraging. What do you think? Does this encapsulate the creative process for you as well?

Telling someone you identify as a feminist often garners a variety of reactions. Respect, fear, vehement disagreement, admiration, and confusion are just a few of the responses I have encountered when I utter the often dreaded "F" word. Saying that you are a feminist aloud should not feel as if you've said something controversial, but I believe that we are still living in a time when it feels that way. Why is this? After all, to me, being a feminist means that I believe that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Complicated as the individual issues may seem, that's what feminism ultimately boils down to for me. Equality. The right of a woman to control her own body, mind, spirit, and destiny. Basic human rights we're talking about here. Pretty simple. Right?

Nothing is simple. I recently came upon three sources of information about the inequality of women in the performing arts industry, and needless to say that the statistics reported are shocking. It should be said that while this post is centered on inequality of female actors, directors, playwrights, and screenwriters, I think the conversation about gender inequality in the arts certainly extends to writers, visual artists, and other forms of artistic media, not to mention the role of women in science, medicine, and leadership roles. We'll start with the performing arts here.  


1. New York Film Academy's 2013 Infographic on Gender Inequality in Film: 
http://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/gender-inequality-in-film/

This infographic is pretty clear in reporting the gap between male and female actors, screenwriters, producers, and cinematographers. Just to give you a preview, the released findings of this report reveal that only 10.8 % of film casts are balanced equally with male and female characters, and only 25 % of producers are women as opposed to 75% that are men. And did you know that only 2% of cinematographers are women? 

In the last few weeks, I've been hunting for film auditions in Boston to attend, and I've been feeling these statistics in a very real way. If I wish to have a speaking role (however small), do not wish to be nude in the film, and don't feel like wearing sexually revealing clothing, the number of roles available for me to even audition for plummets. It makes me seriously consider focusing more on being a writer/performer, creating my own material in order to feel like I can take a small step towards turning this giant ship around.

2. A review of "The Summit", the first evening in a series hosted by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. aimed at promoting discussion of the current state of the American theatre: http://www.2amt.com/2014/02/19/climbing-thesummit/

My Facebook page exploded with comments about this evening of discussion held at Arena Stage earlier this month, with women and men friends alike outraged. The conversation was hosted by four men and one woman, all well-known directors in the D.C. theatre community. When the panel addressed the role of women in theatre today and their dedication to be inclusive, one of the panelists stated that he did not believe female writers were being produced more often int he American theatre because there aren't enough plays written by women "in the pipeline". This explanation hinges on the prerequisite that in order for a female playwright to be produced, they need to already be a produced female playwright. It also insults the many women I know who have been diligently writing and sending out their work for years. I am not trying to take this comment out of context or overreact, however, when we combine these words with the fact that since 1998, Arena Stage has produced plays or musicals written by 110 men, but only 35 women, it becomes clear that there is a problem.


3. The Bechdel Test for Film; three simple rules for evaluating gender equality in film: 
http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/10-famous-films-that-surprisingly-fail-the-bechdel-test.php

The Bechdel Test is based on cartoonist's Alison Bechdel's musing about how to determine gender equality in film, using three simple rules. In order to determine if a film passes the test and achieves gender inequality, one should ask:

• Does the film have two or more women in the case, particularly with names?
• Do the women talk to each other at any point in the film?
• Do the women talk to each other at any point in the film about something other than a male character?

That's it. It's amazing how many films with female leads don't pass the test-Breakfast at Tiffany's, Run Lola Run, and the original Star Wars trilogy are just a few. While this test is hardly the authority on gender inequality in films, it's definitely an interesting way to start looking at film and television. In fact, now I can't help but do this when I watch something.  For films that do pass the test, check out: http://tribecafilm.com/stories/10-films-that-passed-the-bechdel-test-2013 


For me, the upside to all these gloomy numbers is knowing how many incredible, creative women I know that are consistently making new work and doing it without asking permission. The passion and dedication are there, even if we do need to keep pushing for more. How have these trends in the media affected you either as a producer or consumer? How do you feel about the creation of all female theatre companies and production companies? Is there anything that has been very effective for you or your company in not just addressing but taking action in the fight for female equality? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas for change. 

This post is for anyone who likes to create anything at all;  for the writers, the actors, the painters, the designers, the woodworkers, the chocolate chip cookie bakers, all the beautiful souls I know who make so many beautiful things, no matter what they are. Let's admit it, as human beings we are creative beings, but most of us have "day jobs"--you know, that place you go to eight hours a day in order to pay the rent, buy groceries, and generally get along? And while some of us like their day jobs, we can probably come to an agreement that at some point, we've all done (or are doing) a gig that isn't our life's passion. We might only have to do it for a little while until we find something else, or we might have to do it for a long while while we pursue our passion outside of the job.

Yes, this can sound depressing, and can definitely be the cause of a heap of woe and worry.  I've had many day jobs since graduating college: drama teacher, substitute teacher, Hollywood Video clerk, Bed Bath and Beyond clerk, children's museum manager, waitress, administrative assistant to a circuit court judge, lumber company office manager, and surgical scheduler. Needless to say, I've had a lot of time to reflect of having a "day job" and pursuing my art on nights and weekends. I've tried to do a lot of thinking and experimenting with how to take back more of my day, and while my musings have not resulted in a surefire formula that leads from "day job" to "job I love", I've come up with a few ideas on how to maximize my life while working in a position I'm not in love with. Rest assured, they are prescriptions based on my own ongoing struggles to make peace with jobs I don't love. Here goes:

1. Don't give your commute away to worrying/planning/thinking about your day job. Whether you walk, drive, bike, or take public transportation to your day job, don't surrender even fifteen minutes that is yours to claim. Read, listen to music or an audiobook, recite a monologue, plan your Saturday night dinner menu. Claim it. Own it. These intervals add up; for me, commuting take up a good two and a half hours of my day, and I am becoming less and less tolerant of wasting any of those minutes.
 
2. Don't give your lunch break away. As with your commute, it's tempting to go on Facebook or scroll through CNN's newsfeed when you  get a free moment. Try writing five sentence of your first novel, search the classifieds for a job you might enjoy more, or read a blog post about meditating. Also, if you are able, try leaving your desk. In my experience I feel a lot better when I've stepped away for half an hour during my day to take even a short walk around the block and get some fresh air.
 
3. Dress like you. Sound weird? It did to me too, until I realized recently that I spent years dressing like a completely different person for work. Dressing like a different person during the day took me away from myself more than necessary at my day jobs throughout the years. I'm not saying we should dress like we would to hang out with a friend on a Saturday afternoon, but if you need to wear a dress or suit jacket to work, at least make it personal. "Dress casual" does not have to mean black and white, heels and hair in buns. The point is, the more you can feel like you, the less you'll feel robbed of yourself during your day job.
 
4. As much as permitted, decorate your workspace with quotes, photos and reminders of who you are and what you love. I once substitute taught for a music teacher who had twenty (count them!) framed photos of Jesus Christ on her desk, along with a collection of Disney figurines that would rival the Magic Kingdom itself. I'm not saying you should go overboard, but I think it's helpful to bring a few things with you to remind you of who you are outside of your cubicle walls; a plant, a card from a friend, and a few photos of your favorite vacation make a world of difference, especially during a tough moment during the day.
 
5. Allow yourself to vent about your day for five minutes when you get home, then move on. There is almost nothing worse than having to spend eight hours doing something you aren't passionate about, and then using two more precious hours of your evening or weekend lamenting those eight hours all over again. Not worth it (believe me, I'm SO guilty of this). Once you blow off a little steam, go enjoy the rest of the time that is YOURS any way you like!
 
6. Make a list of all the things your day job has afforded you. For me, I can think of a film acting class I took last year, a recent vacation to Vermont, and a new pair of boots that all came from the work I put in every day. Not to mention the peace of my that comes from paying my rent, the ability to get a good twenty minute walk in at the beginning and end of every day, and having great proximity to downtown Boston after work to run an errand or meet a friend for coffee.  Make a list and watch 'em rack up!

7. Recognize that having a day job means that you belong to a community. It might not be the community you planned for, but I look back on my many jobs and realize how many amazing people I've met and worked with, people I never would have gotten to meet hadn't it been for the job. We've spent time at holiday luncheons, celebrating birthdays and getting to really know each other in bits of conversation tucked into the tasks of the day.  One of my dearest life-long friends came out of my time working as an office manager for a lumber company. Who would've guessed?

In conclusion, an inspiring video that has nothing to do with day jobs and everything to do with unspeakable courage. Here's actress Ellen Page's amazing coming out speech at the Human Rights Campaign's Time To Thrive Conference:



 

Happy Tuesday! I am going to keep it short and sweet this time--Here are some of my favorite links and videos this week from around the web, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

21 Time Management Tips, from The Creativity Post

What It Really Means to Fail from Creative Something

Elizabeth Gilbert's Advice to Women: Get Out of Your Own Way from The Shriver Report

Brene Brown's TED Talk on the power of vulnerability:

Elizabeth Gilbert's TED Talk on creative genius: