Theatrical Development Centre

UPDATE 3/12/26:

Theatrical Development Centre

  TDC represents the dream of a Studio Compound that provides all the necessary components that take an idea "From Concept, to Form and Beyond". The "Concept" is a community of artists working together on one or more projects. The "Form" is that of a (seasonal) retreat environment, built around facilities designed to support the creativity and the associated crafts required to manifest a completed product and make it ready to go into the "Beyond".

   Included in this environment will be a legitimate theatre, which will fully match the specifications for a First Class House. But this theatre will be off the beaten path and part of the Studio Compound, existing only for presentation of product produced in "The Theatrical Development Centre", products that are designed and destined to move into a try-out tour on it's way to a First Class Run.

  Adjacent to this goal are the activities that take place to develop the Ancillary Markets and those markets are used to support both IMS/TDC and the production that goes forth therefrom.

   The Methodology of TDC is intended to function as a retreat, whereby producers can bring their crew along with necessary production resources into the facility, and then they can stay for extended periods of time, whatever may be required to; develop and produce the finished product,  presenting that theatrical endeavor before a trial audience and make adjustments based on that "workshopped" production. When the production is refined sufficiently, it will move into a try-out tour, leaving TDC behind.

   The test case(s) that will be used to establish and set up this facility will be one (or more) of the productions that exist within Image of the Mind Studios, of course, other production may also come into play as well, but the initial effort to achieve these goals will take place under the organization of the "Elder Gnomes Joint Venture".

   Eventually, a Board of Directors for a reorganized Image of the Mind Studios (IMS) will take over the Theatrical Development Centre (TDC).

ARCHIVE:

Here's an older page from the Gnome of New Hope Storybook. It has contact info, but more than that, it points out Gnome Gnog, a product line that involves creating a brew. If you are interested in participating in creating that product line, let me know.

I had a most interesting thought today. For many years I worked as a traveling (and stationary) theatre technician. I ended my work in that arena as a Technical Director for The New Hope Arts Commission, working for nine years in that capacity, also doing set construction, lighting design, stage & house management and show operation. When I say ended, it is not so much that I quit doing it as it was that I got tired of building other people's shows and began writing my own musical. Over the years I managed to put over 350 shows under my belt. That's shows, not performances. So, getting wrapped up in The Gnomes of New Hope left little time for doing other shows. For a time, I was doing a fair amount of Gilbert and Sullivan, as a performer, but it got to the point where doing chorus was no longer acceptable and I concluded that I simply could not dedicate my energy to what needed to be done to pursue performance as a principle. My work with Image of the Mind Studios, and the creative projects on the boards, had to take precedence. Quite simply, I am getting old fast and I have a lot of things that need to be finished before I run out of energy and ability.

So today I realized that what I have been doing, in terms of setting up my shop, is precisely what I did for so many years, only now the environment is going to be under my control. Of course, I need to achieve certain business milestones before I can actually achieve that, but I am well on my way to doing that. It all revolves around sufficient capital influx to secure long term stability for the facilities. All else, in large part has been garnered. Of course, upgrading equipment is an ongoing necessity and establishing an HR operation, along with Marketing, Sales and Distribution is also needing to be done, but the foundations for production, not only from a historical standpoint, but from a current status standpoint are moving forward very nicely. There is a very clear overall plan and a work process that advances toward an ultimate goal that is well defined. I just found it interesting to observe how much of what I am doing is solidly founded in my career history. Somehow that was not as clear to me while I was very wrapped up in the publishing end of things. I sure hope that we can create a cash flow scenario that funds the overall plan.

AG