75 - Favor

Most of you who know me know that I really don't like asking for help, but I especially don't like asking for a favor on something I can't do much in way of reciprocation. One of the many reasons I would starve if I had to be in sales for a living. Well, we ran into a situation with the show.

The show spans the years from 1893 to 1926. Gus, a local reporter, reads numerous articles to the audience, working in some ways as a narrator as well as a segue between scenes. ABET is a very small theatre, and at times, the front row of audience members will only be a few feet from Gus. It was realized a couple days ago, that if we didn’t have “authentic” looking newspapers for him to read from, it would be glaringly obvious to those sitting house left. As the discussion ensued, I piped up with an “I have a friend that works for the Florida Times Union,” only realizing after I got home that, crap, I had to do what is so very difficult for me – asking for a favor. I emailed BW while still at the theatre, explaining the quandary we were in, and crossed my fingers. I also talked with our Corporate Marketing Coordinator the next day.

Yesterday, our marketing coordinator came through with one of our suppliers donating sheets of 11x17 the same shade as newspaper. She’ll then print the graphics I give her next week. This will suffice for some of the clippings.

Today, I emailed BW at the TU with a formal request from the theatre. Bless her heart, they have also come through. The links for the graphics have been sent to them, and hopefully, we’ll be able to pick up the proof sheets next week.

I feel indebted and know that I cannot really repay this favor. I also know that she is the type person who doesn’t keep count. I will ask this … if you’re here in Jacksonville or the surrounding areas and do not get the TU, please go out and purchase a couple copies over the next few days. I know that I read my news online, but trust me, I will be picking up a paper for a while. If all of us theatre lovers showed our appreciation for BW and the TU’s production manager (whom I’ve never met), it could boost their sales for this weekend.  (And yes, comp tickets to our show will be waiting if they can make it.)

And since we're doing a show set at the turn of the century (the previous one, I mean), I thought I'd throw a little FTU history your way.  The paper, known as the oldest newspaper in the state, began it's life as the "Florida Union" in 1864.  In 1883, the name was changed to The Florida Times Union.  I chose my graphics today on purpose - today's cover (hope I don't get in trouble for copywrite infringement) and an older copy, from 1938.  (I did search online to see if there were any articles available from FTU concerning Lizzie Borden.  Wouldn't that have been cool!)

I do firmly believe in paying it forward, so this kindness will be repaid in some way, shape or form.

TTFN!

PS – as a follow-up on yesterday’s post. Today, we did have 2 support emails, both from the same agent. The first was that the direct link to his agent page wasn’t working. He had the URL wrong. The second was that one of his listings wasn’t displaying. That email was answered with instructions to get with his office administrator. Answering these didn’t even cause any of us to break stride in our development work.