Twitter and Regional Theatre

Just to add my thoughts to the ongoing conversation about twitter and theatre professionals -

As a twitter-er myself, I find that web 2.0 helps me to connect to ALL of the "worlds" that interest me. I follow people on twitter (and rss feeds and facebook, etc.) who share my lifestyle - from cooking to travel to working out to, yes, theater.

As a person who came of age in the dawn of internet dating and found my partner through such means, I find this sort of technology helpful in deepening relationships that otherwise would never exist. Matches with people of like minds that I would never meet due to geographic constraints... but, now... I just might!

As an artist, following people can inspire me to engage in projects and explorations. As a Regional Theatre artist, I mostly get to the New York to audition actors, the rest of the time I'm execuating projects here in Norfolk. DC, the closest large theatre hub, is three hours away. But through twitter (which helps to facilitate the blogs, podcasts, youtube, and many other parts of the info web I've created for myself) I'm able to be connected to what is going on RIGHT NOW in New York, Canada, LA, Regional Theatres, DC, and international work.

It also better conects me to things within my state that are just too far for me to visit on a regular bassis. Richmond Shakespeare and Wayside Theatre , while smaller companies than mine, help make up the professional work that is going on in Virginia. It's important that I know what's going on there, too. Not to mention that people in my building and in my city tweet from their different departments.

So, while for some this twitter exploration is one more means of "cheap marketing" for me it creates possibilities of deep and sincere impact.