Life, the BAT and Everything

As some of you may know, I've been working very hard over this past year or so to help the Brisbane Arts Theatre improve its financial position. After finishing 2008 facing the very real possibility of closure, we head into 2010 with some money in the bank, and more importantly, a brighter, more optimistic year ahead. Because of a collective effort to save our beloved little theatre, we should make it to 2011 - our 75th birthday and a very important anniversary.

I'll be frank - at times 2009 was very hard. I'm by no means an expert in business, or management, or business management. I've just been trying to do things that I think will help - particularly on the media/promotions side, where I've used my experience as a journalist and media contacts to draw as much attention to the theatre as possible. I've also tried to assist by throwing myself into our ImproMafia performances at the BAT (particularly our flagship show Prognosis: Death! ); and of course He Died With a Felafel in His Hand. Sometimes things worked; some things didn't.

So it pleases me greatly to see a positive buzz about the theatre at the moment. Today's Courier-Mail features an article about the BAT's direction and prospects in 2010, which is just fantastic. It's page 44 if you have the actual paper version!

We also had a positive review in the Courier-Mail yesterday; and a glowing review from local critic Eric Scott from Absolute Theatre.

If you live in Brisbane, or are interested in the arts, comedy, theatre and performance wherever you are, then I have the following links to suggest to you:

• Join the Brisbane Arts Theatre's Facebook page. Join ImproMafia's Facebook page.
  
• Follow both the Brisbane Arts Theatre and ImproMafia on Twitter. You can also follow the Twitter feed for St Love Hospital, as we lead up to Prognosis: Death! Pandemic, the third season of ImproMafia's marvellous schlock-medical spontaneous comedy.
  
• You can also book tickets to He Died With a Felafel in His Hand and Prognosis: Death! Pandemic using the Brisbane Arts Theatre's secure online web ticketing system.
  
• There are videos to watch! Have a look at the promo for Felafel - marvel at the beautiful design work for our 2010 season - relive the magic of the second season of Prognosis: Death! - and spend a night with the ghostly inhabitants of the BAT!
  
• Check out both the Brisbane Arts Theatre and ImproMafia websites - but please note, both websites are in line for an overhaul (one of the hardest pieces of the jigsaw that I'm trying to fit into place).

I know this is a lot of information, and I don't mean to be self-indulgent. But while I pimp my stuff quite regularly (and have no shame in doing so), it's rare for me to stand back and actually try to take some pride in the personal work I've done over the past year or so. I have a tendency to feel quite useless, unremarkable and easily replaceable, and I get very down. But the BAT and ImproMafia are my two creative joys, and so by reflecting on 2009 and the state of things at the moment, I hope I can claim that I have made a contribution to both.

For any John Birmingham fans or "Burgers" reading - I'm going to declare next Friday 15 January as our special group get-together night. JB's very busy writing at the moment, so while I'm going to try to convince him to come along, I cannot guarantee it at this stage. But it would be lovely to catch up with all you others if you're keen. So book your tickets now!