Brand new member Tallie Gabriel tells us about working with the Obie Award winning Bedlam Theatre Company, the time InViolet drove her into the woods for four days, and having her fingers in many delicious pies.
InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?
Tallie: Primarily as an actor, though I currently have a stage managing job! I’m a writer as well but writing plays is new for me. I’m just starting to dip my toes into that, thanks to the Second Monday Socials.
InViolet: You are a brand new InViolet! We’re so happy to have you join us! Tell us about your journey with InViolet so far.
Tallie: Ahh, I’m so excited and honored to be a member! I started stalking InViolet after I worked the benefit in June 2015. I then did a video for Bixby’s Sommerfugl, a play that I totally fell in love with, and went to The Judgment of Fools a few times. Basically I became obsessed with everyone, and was then asked to be in the One Night Stand and invited on retreat, which was INCREDIBLE. Plus Second Monday Social has become something of a monthly church for me. And now here I am!
InViolet: This August you got in a van and let us drive you into the woods for your first InViolet retreat. Brave woman! How did it go?
Tallie: Oh my goodness. It was unbelievable, please put me in a van and drive me into the woods anytime you like. It was such a rich, fulfilling, and inspiring few days artistically and personally. I really felt like I had found a family in InViolet, which is an invaluable feeling.
InViolet: You’ve been a consistent supporter and participant at our Second Monday Socials, event before you were an official member. Thank you for that! What has the SMS experience been like for you?
Tallie: Thank YOU, Marguerite and Bixby, for putting SMS on! It’s been so special. It’s a perfect way to participate as a member of this artistic community- whether you write, read, or just show up, it’s always so fun and fulfilling and I always come out of it with big new ideas. Plus the people are the BEST and it’s in the basement of an A+ bar- honestly, what else could you want?
InViolet: You are Eric Tucker’s assistant at the great Bedlam Theatre Company. Tell us all about that gig! (PS – that picture of you taken the moment Bedlam won the Obie last year should be in the dictionary next to the word “psyched.”)
Tallie: Ha, thank you! That was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. Bedlam is so COOL, and working with them has been amazing. I do a lot of scheduling sort of stuff for Eric, as well as coordinating readings of new plays, setting up meetings, that sort of thing. Right now I’m in the room in the rehearsal process of a new project and that is SO exciting. Eric is an amazing source support and helps me out so much (as do Susannah Millonzi and Kimberly Pau Boston, also of Bedlam), and I am constantly learning tons from him.
InViolet: The same month you became an official InViolet member, you became a shiny new AEA member. Killing it, girl! How does it feel being part of the union?
Tallie: Thank you!! It feels very validating! I feel very recognized for doing this work, which is stellar. Plus I LOVE the idea of being able to sign up at EPAs without getting up at 7am to wait in the non union line.
InViolet: You’ve teamed up with fellow company member Jennifer Bowen to work for her great company, Book Hive. What’s your role there? Must be awful working with someone so kind, talented and hard working, Huh?
Tallie: Ugh, she’s the worst. No but really, Jen is such a star, and I love helping her. We’ve been calling me BookHive’s “social media maven” which feels appropriate! So far I write one blog post a week, as well as coming up with one writing prompt per week that hopefully people will see and use as writing inspiration. I also tweet and post on Facebook. Check out the blog (and the rest of Jen’s brilliant business) at bookhivecorp.com.
InViolet: What’s up next for you?
Tallie: A lot of fingers-crossed sort of things at the moment. I’m currently working on this workshop with Bedlam (title of play to be announced fall 2017!) and would love to keep being in room/theatres with them. I also have an offer from a literary agent in the air, so I’m pinning down a few specifics with that but that’s super exciting! So the next steps would be working to get my YA novel, M, published on top of all of this. I have my fingers in a lot of pies right now (all of which are delicious)! I feel very, very lucky. Oh, and in January I’m going to Thailand which I am freaking out about. So world travel is the other general plan!
Links to your website, social media, etc.:
Talliegabriel.com
Instagram @taleesi_
Twitter @talligator_