A Troubling Tony Winner

Posted on by Michael Roderick
scottsboro0360

The very first show I had my name on as a producer on Broadway was called The Scottsboro Boys.  Those of you in the theatre may have heard of it, but many people will not know the show because it only ran for two months on Broadway and while almost every interview I have done has asked me about how I became a producer, I have never been asked about why I decided to raise money for that show. For those who have never heard of the show, it was a musical that dealt with the famous Scottsboro case in which 9 Black […]

July 2020: Awakening

Posted on by Ciara Pressler
never waste a good crisis

And then suddenly, everyone woke up. Well, not everyone. And not fully awake. But no one can deny that the past month has seen a remarkable wave of increased awareness in America about the perpetual problem of racism, and how society cannot be healthy when we insist on viewing ourselves as individuals whose actions and worldview don’t affect anyone rather than part of a system where everything is connected. To me, waking up is the point. It’s the process. As in, THE process. The purpose of life. To be continually evolving, learning, growing, connecting. It’s difficult because there is no finish […]

An American Intervention

Posted on by Ciara Pressler
whitney plantation

Photo: The author inside a human cage at The Whitney Plantation, the only American plantation restored to honor the memory and plight of enslaved African people. Welcome to the week of waking up. I am watching the stream of Official Statements from various organizations from the back of the room, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, side of my mouth turned up and brow furrowed. This week of black squares on social media has been what the rainbow logo is to Pride week: easy, convenient, trendy. Meaningless unless followed by tangible, measurable action. Businesses that declare support for […]

June 2020: Career Stories

Posted on by Ciara Pressler
map

Watching President Obama’s virtual commencement addresses in May, I was inspired to do something to support this year’s grads. If I could give them one gift, what would it be? The answer: self confidence. Not in the swagger sense (although I wish them some of that too). I’d wish them that centered, calm state that they’ve got this, that things will work out fine, that it’s all good, and that a sense of “it’s all just a game” can relieve the anxiety of feeling like you have to have it all perfectly planned out from the kickoff. The best way […]

Making Concessions: Covid While 40 Weeks Pregnant

Posted on by Christina Noel Mitchell
toilet paper

I am rarely surprised or frightened by the world around me. When COVID-19 first came out and I kept hearing people worry about it, I kept becoming annoyed by it all and saying, “Yeah yeah yeah. Relax people. Why aren’t we worried about the common flu that kills between 12,000 and 61,000 people every year just in the US? Or heart disease, which kills 650,000 people in the US every year? Or car accidents that kill 35,000 people every year in the US?” I kept saying, “this is a media-driven panic, goddamnit! Turn off your TV!” I heard a very […]

Join Pregame: Virtual Membership Now Open!

Posted on by Pregame Magazine
Pregame Virtual Workout

Pregame is all about helping you achieve your goals with the support of a team. We’re excited to open Pregame Membership to players everywhere. [learn more] Virtual membership has always been part of our long term game plan, but thanks to the coronavirus, we stepped up and moved everything online overnight. The silver lining? Now we can welcome you to our team, no matter where you are. For the past four years (plus five years of events before that), we’ve exclusively held our daily workshops in person. Nothing matches the magic of live interaction… or so we thought. It turns […]

That Time I Crashed Bloomberg’s Victory Party

Posted on by Ciara Pressler
As Seen on TV, 36in x 48in, Oil on canvas

No matter what anyone says, it’s more fun to be on the winning team. Losing with dignity is a nice idea, but a mirage – even Red Sox fans had to invent The Curse so they could feel like they accomplished something every year they were met with a certain pinstriped team from The Bronx. So in the fall of 2005, when the candidate I’d been volunteering for in a pivotal New York City council district won on election night, it felt good to party, good to be thanked, good to be part of the team people wanted for the […]

Love and Lessons

Posted on by Christina Noel Mitchell
pregnant wonder woman

I’m not going to make up statistics, but it seems like most people become parents on accident and then improvise as needed, accepting their new role, as humans do, fairly easily. I think I may have a skewed view of that, and the ‘accidents’ just stick with my memory better, but it does seem that more times than not, it’s either a true accident or something along the lines of “well, we weren’t NOT trying.” I love that one. Nothing like a double negative to soften a vulnerable position. When I decided at 39 to get pregnant, I had my […]

February 2020: Legacy

Posted on by Ciara Pressler
ripple effect

We all have an urge to create. To put our stamp on the world. To leave a legacy. I learned this from Nick, a friend with whom I’d recently reunited. He had become a priest, serving as a hospital chaplain. Sitting in Madison Square Park, we caught up over coffee from the Mud Truck one spring afternoon. I was fascinated by the sheer amount of time he had spent with dying people; more than anyone else I knew at our age. I asked, “What’s the one biggest takeaway you have from being around people at the end of life?” He […]

The Pursuit of Immeasurable Impact

Posted on by Paige Webster
crafts

“Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops.” – Henry Brooks Adams I began my first career as a high school English teacher, full of idealism about the impact I would have on my students. The reason I went into teaching (aside from being completely clueless about what else I might do with my life), was because I wanted to have a positive impact on kids. Yet, I don’t know what impact, good and bad, I had on my students. I know some of the impact I had on some students. If the reason I went into […]