(I’m just going to assume, if you are reading this blog,
that you have attended, performed in or volunteered for the Fringe. If you
don’t consider yourself a Fringer, I hope you fix that between Aug. 30 and Sept. 9, 2012!)
I am Anne Cauley, the Volunteer Director for Chicago Fringe
Festival.
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| Marketing manager Tim here, to say that Anne wears MANY hats in her role with Chicago Fringe ... |
That means that I help to organize all the volunteers for
the festival. In fact, the entire staff working on the Fringe year-round is
entirely made up of volunteers. But the volunteers I coordinate specifically
make the running of the festival possible. They help set it up and tear it
down. They work as venue and stage managers to make sure everything runs
smoothly (as smoothly as possible anyway) and on time. Runners literally ride
their bikes back and forth between venues when needed to make sure everything
is stocked and ready to go for each performance. Photographers document the
shows and festival, so that we can remember it long after the fact. Fringe
Centralites do a myriad of things to make Fringe Central your go-to hang out
spot before, between and after shows. Box Officers help attendees buy tickets,
passes and Fringey merch. Hosts welcome visiting artists into their homes. And
that is just a sampling. Volunteers are a part of every aspect of the festival.
Naturally I am bound by my position to encourage YOU to become
a Fringe volunteer. There is a position available for every interest,
experience level and level of availability.
So sign up and get involved. There are a few ingredients
required for an awesome Fringe: performers, venues, patrons and… VOLUNTEERS.
CFF Volunteers are rockstars and don’t you want to be a rockstar?
When I am not fixating on the awesomeness of Fringe
volunteers, here are a few things about me:
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| She pumps everyone up ... |
BOOK I AM CURRENTLY
READING: Ha. We are two weeks out from the festival …
The books I most recently read were Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by
Mindy Kaling for Book Club #1 and Room
by Emma Donoghue for Book Club #2. (Because one book club just isn’t enough.)
SONG CURRENTLY
PLAYING ON MY ITUNES: Sirtaki by Mango. Good summer listening,
Italian-style.
PLAYBILLS CURRENTLY
ON MY DESK: San Diego Symphony Pops with Wilson Phillips. In my opinion,
Ravinia should be performed on a marina with fireworks at the finale. Magic. Mack and Mabel at the Southwark
Playhouse. A show I never thought I would get to see outside of a questionable
community theatre situation. Awesome and bittersweet. And … Twelfth Night at American Players Theater. If you haven’t been to APT, go. If you
have, go again. I hear Skylight is
not to be missed. And the tremendous In
Acting Shakespeare is back.
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| And is ready for any Labor Day weekend cold snaps |
WEBSITES CURRENTLY
OPEN ON CHROME: Volgistics, the Fringe volunteer management program. (Have
I mentioned in the last five minutes that you
should volunteer?) A Bust
Magazine article on this fascinating drag photo project. Facebook, in case
I need a Words with Friends break.
ASK ME ABOUT: London
2012. I went to get a taste of the mania and magic. I attended track and field
(Jess Ennis!), badminton (Yes. They actually played.) and table tennis (China
is FIERCE). It was incredible, if filled will far too many Fish and Chips. Rio
2016 anyone?
DON’T ASK ME ABOUT: Fifty Shades of Grey. Stupid Book Club
#2…
FINAL THOUGHTS: Become
a CFF2012 Volunteer! Right now! (More info: http://chicagoFringe.org/volunteer.php)
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