by Natasha Troop
I was recently asked to answer three questions about ECT in a way that would establish what our brand is:
Who are you?
What do you do?
Why does it matter?
The goal was to keep it as simple as possible while identifying why what positively separates us from other companies. This is what I came up with:
Who are you?
We are the Eclectic Company Theatre, a member-driven theatre company located in Valley Village, CA.
What do you do?
We allow company members to produce a variety of intimate live performances, including plays, readings, showcases, variety shows, concerts, and workshops in an environment that supports innovation without the constraints of an artistic director.
Why does it matter?
It matters because we are unique among theatres as a collective of artists supporting each other’s visions rather than a group working to support the artistic goals of an individual.
We were speaking about who we are as a company last night at our company meeting, which happens the first Wednesday of every month. The reason we continue to be a viable space for members is that we allow any member to pursue their passion. We provide a space and support and all we ask in return is that our members support each other.
As ECT’s president, it is not my job to tell members what they can or cannot produce. No one here has that job. That’s what makes us special and to me, it is the best reason to choose our company to join over others. It is also the best reason to keep coming back to see what we are doing next.