Take the Go – Ensemble Theater’s Jill Seltzer

In 805conversations by Mark Sylvester

“Take the go.”

Theater lingo that the Show Director says before each cue. Example, “Get ready for the red spotlight.” “Ready?” “Take the go!” Jill Seltzer, the new Managing Director of the Ensemble Theater at the New Vic met with Mark and Patrick to talk about the company and the venue. With Patricks’ interest in the Arts and Mark’s recent TEDx experience at the New Vic, this was a stimulating conversation for all of us.
My career makes sense looking back, but I didnt see it coming.”
This wide-ranging conversation covered a lot of ground including:
  • How Jill’s career got her to Santa Barbara
  • Working at WBEZ – home of This American Life and Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.
  • The SAG/AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild) Foundation and how that helped her form some opinions
  • What’s an Equity Actor
  • A nice, long discussion about the New Vic and its technical production capabilities
  • An excellent overview of the current productions for the 2016-2017 slate
  • Talking about millennials involved in Theater – including pre-millennials (what do we call them?)
  • How the 300 seat venue is ideal to create a sense of intimacy
  • How can local corporations take advantage of the site and the programming?
  • A bit about her background in theater in Chicago
  • She’s a world-class fundraiser and gave us some tips she learned when she worked at the Prince Charitable Trusts
  • – Understand about the donor and their legacy and how important that is to them
  • – Remember that you are doing them a favor, turning their money into something that matters to them.
  • – It’s all about what THEY care about, not what YOU need
  • Mark asked some questions about the Board’s of Directors – good content here if you’re in charge of one, want to be on one, or are on one now
  • The best part of her job: living her passion – being around people who love the theater.