Sunday, August 19, 2012

CFF Staff Profile: Anne Cauley

Hello Fringers!

(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.

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:

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.

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)