A Bright New Day

So on Friday, after almost six years with the studio, I officially handed in my two weeks’ notice. Starting on the 26th I will begin my new job as the Membership/Operations Coordinator for a non-profit theatre out in Pasadena.

This decision is the culmination of about two years of built up discomfort regarding where my life was headed, which was, frankly, nowhere in particular. I was coasting along in a fairly cushy job that no longer challenged me, in an industry that I was pretty indifferent towards. I loved the work, the people, and the pay, but I felt like I was in danger of becoming an executive assistant "lifer", even though I had technically been promoted to Coordinator last year.

I’ve been thinking of trying to get into the Arts and theatre in particular for some years now. Right before I moved up to Burbank I had seen a posting for the Performing Arts Center of Orange County for a Director of Community Relations, or something to that effect. Basically it was the guy who dealt with all the volunteers and other non-profit organizations that work with PACOC. People and theatre, what more could I ask for? Unfortunately I was not remotely qualified for the job, but I kept it as sort of a holy grail of future employment.

And lo, a few weeks ago my friend Sarah emails me about this job at a theatre I didn’t even know existed. It sounded fairly close to what I was looking for so I immediately applied and two interviews later I got offered the job. Of course, what with it being both non-profit and in the arts I was faced with taking a drastic 30% pay cut, which had me hemming and hawing for a couple of days. But in the end I decided a year or two of lost revenues was worth finding out if this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. If it is, awesome, I can find a way to be happy with what I make and can always keep an eye out for opportunities in larger arts organizations. If it isn’t, well at least I’ll know for sure and can focus my attention elsewhere.

Life is about change. Very few things are ever permanent, and I think a bit of uncertainty from time to time is good for the soul. With each passing day my concerns grow smaller and my exciting grows larger. No one can know what awaits them around the corner, but if we’re lucky it will be a bright new day full of wonder and opportunity.

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