Meet Essence To Crux Theatre | Theatrical Productions with Grit

We had the good fortune of connecting with Essence To Crux Theatre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Essence To Crux Theatre, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
There have been many junctures where we have wrestled with the idea of liquidating Essence To Crux and hanging up our production hats, but each time we were able to convince ourselves to try one more time with new tactics in place in order to rectify previous shortcomings. When we are met with struggles and strife, we reconnect with one another, have honest discussions about what we need on an individual level and what our partnership is lacking. We discern what needs to change. Then, we dive deeply into the art that recharges us most and collaborate with new artists in refreshing ways. We try again but differently; fail again but grander than the time before, and suddenly the magic is back. In this time of COVID-19, we are certain now more than ever that life without Essence To Crux is lackluster at best. We have had countless talks about how much we miss theatrical production and how hard this community-wide “intermission” has been for everyone. It would be easier, in many ways, to allow 2020 to be the end of Essence To Crux’s narrative; however, we can still feel traces of that collaborative energy and the magic that it brings to our daily lives. This year has been difficult because we had massive plans in store for our 2020-2021 season, and the pandemic has effectively terminated all of our momentum. On January 1st, 2020, the Co-Founders sat down together and planned a year of exponential growth for Essence To Crux. We had an entire lineup of shows prepared and venue dates already booked. Despite our company’s reduced size and monetary limitations, an ongoing goal of ours has consistently been to begin partnering with Charitable Organizations that benefit our community based on the themes relevant to each production we produce. We have frequently discussed partnering with local charities and organizations for fundraising/donation opportunities as well as offering our stage as a platform for post-show Q&A’s. Prior to COVID-19 closing down all theatrical production, our goal for our 2020-2021 Season had been to seek out community outreach partnerships for each of our productions this year and finally start implementing that plan into our programming. A year full of cancelation calls, refunds, and postponements has taken its toll on our confidence and enthusiasm for the future, but it has also affirmed in us exactly how much this company and our journey as producers truly means to us. We will know that it is time to give up when all remnants of the magic are gone. But we have unfinished business within the Atlanta Theatre Community. There are too many plans left in notebooks and stories left untold for us to quit now. No matter how long it takes, there will be an end to this hiatus, and when the theatre world reignites, when venues open for rentals, and when the community feels safe, Essence To Crux will be here.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Generally speaking, it is safe to say that no one choosing a career in the arts does so for the money; you have to love what you do, and on an individual level, we both chose to chase the goal of having theatrical production be a part of our daily lives (and ideally, someday, the source of our livelihood) for the love of production and the catharsis that creativity can bring. In terms of the catalyst for Essence To Crux, we were in search of a company that put the quality of its storytelling and the health of its collaborating artists at the center of all of their administrative choices. Obviously, a company must consider monetary gain, ticket sales, and strategic planning within the business model when making its decisions, but we were hungry for a safe, creative space that prioritized things differently than that which we had seen in our careers thus far. We realized that we were not finding a company that truly felt like home for us, so we made the decision to create our own production company and be the change we wanted to see in the theatre community to the best of our ability. Above all else, we wanted to create a company/atmosphere where everyone (regardless of life experience, race/ethnicity/origin, religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, or mental/physical ability) felt safe and welcome to join the space and build art together. We wanted to operate under the philosophy that there is more success to be cultivated by a company that nurtures the heart, health, and fulfillment of the story of the play as well as the artists that create it over the prioritization of exponential growth of the company’s bank account. The singular endeavor to begin building our company was a massive risk: We were young women that had started our careers out of state, so our pre-existing networks were miles away, and we had only just begun accruing surplus money for our own personal savings, nonetheless the beginning of a production company. That first year (2017), even with so many people cheering for us, we were acutely aware that we were risking everything: our personal savings, our reputations in the theatre community, our emotional wellbeing, our friendship, and so much more, but we also knew that choosing not to try was a risk that we would never be satisfied by. So we took the leap, and we have been taking continuous leaps of faith ever since. Our three most consistent risks remain 1) monetary decisions, 2) play selections, and 3) saturation, and honestly those three points go hand in hand for a production company. There are difficult decisions to make at every venture, and each decision comes with a long list of risks and potential outcomes, opinions, and domino effects. We are not too proud to say that we did not always make the right decisions early on. We struggled with honoring our own work-life balance in the early productions, and we struggled with being confident enough to network properly, but we pride ourselves on always being willing to learn, evolve, and do better next time. We are fully open about what we are certain of, and we are fully honest about where we can grow. If there’s one thing that listening to the ATL Theatre Community throughout this pandemic has taught us, it is that ATL is hungry for a theatre company that is willing to listen, grow, and consistently seek self-aware improvement. That is something we have been passionate about since our start in 2017, and that is what keeps our brand successful.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Stop #1 has to be Carroll Street Cafe in Cabbage Town. It’s just 15 minutes from the Hartsfield Jackson Airport. It opens early and closes late, so truly, there’s not a single reason not to go and EVERY reason you should go: delicious food (that isn’t too expensive), perfect coffee, and the staff are always super friendly. Plus, we can walk off the food-coma by touring the gorgeous murals painted all along Carroll Street. From there we ought to take in the city from afar; everything looks prettier from far away, and you never forget a first impression, so it’s off to Skyview Atlanta. Day or night this is a top-notch introduction to our beautiful city. Next, since we aren’t in any hurry, exploring Centennial Olympic Park is the perfect post-ride activity. Just a quick 8-minute drive takes us to the High Museum of Art, and there’s no better place to achieve your step goal for the day while taking in some art and culture from all over the world. Once the exploring has inspired our appetites, it’s another short trip to Agatha’s for A Taste of Mystery because nothing beats dinner and a “who done it” show. Five courses and an interactive murder mystery is the perfect way to way to end the day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We believe that the root of our personal success is the people that believed in us from the very beginning. Though this company was built by us, we were built by those that lifted us up when we needed it most. Without these people in our corners, Essence To Crux would be nothing but scribbled ideas over lunch breaks and coffee. We have been blessed with the gift of unwavering love, support, motivation, accountability, feedback, and morality from not only our families but also friends and fellow theatre professionals. In the beginning, we had empowered women like Kathy Blum Blandin and Dede Vogt to empower us with theatre management guidance and a failsafe venue deal. Compounded with our parents’ love and affirmation was their endless construction assistance. Tracie Hicks went from friend to devoted CPA, helping us through the incorporation process and each tax year thereafter with precision and patience. Jessi Reed trusted us to completely up-end the youth arts camp format in Sautee with our new ideas as we discovered how education would best be included within our mission. Melanie and Logan Stevens donated time, designs, and tools to our production shop, asking nothing in return other than our fearless persistence to continue. Creative professionals such as Benedetto Robinson, Halley Tiefert, Imani Joseph, Peter Davis, Charles Bedell, Seth Latoni, Katie Malloy, Tatum Williams, JJ Wallace, Zachary Grizzle, Wes Milton, Ben Monckton, Hannah Marie Craton, Caroline King (and so, so many more) evolved from collaborators to friends and life-long partners. Lastly, a limitless amount of appreciation goes to Eddie Owen, Carolyn Sheppard Choe, Amber Clarke Rampy, and Sam Ross who graciously allowed us the use of their venues, their advisement, and their time. Without these incredible individuals, we in no uncertain terms would not be the people we have become today.

Website: https://www.essencetocrux.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essencetocruxtheatre/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EssenceToCruxTheatre/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0OauYe5uCwUZDSGeiM0HQ/

Image Credits
Wes Milton of Creative Raven Media