"I've got three Internets at home."

I attended the Documentation break-out session, which took place in a casual circle on the lawn in front of the Infirmary porch – the same place, in fact, where this evening’s happy hour should take place. If I time it just right, I’ll be able to write a blog entry, post it, and get over there just in time.

Lead by Bob Leonard, the session touched on a variety of ways the work of different theaters can be documented: both via outsiders (the TCG “Observership model has apparently worked out very well for NET companies) and by the companies themselves. Damion Teeko Parran of Watts Village Theatre Company said words to the effect that a small company has spends so much time creating the work and managing the company that they don’t really have time to document the work. Everyone seemed to appreciate the perspective that an outsider can bring on a company’s work and mission,

I had a thought that maybe self-documentation is easier than it seems – it may simply involve changing one’s thinking about what counts as “documentation.” I thought about the subject of blogs, and how blogs are great, foster connectivity and can be great fun to write – if you have the time and inclination. Some people are natural e-diarists, so if there’s anyone on your staff who likes to blog, you should let them have at it. If not, it might not be as fun, and it’s unfortunate when blogs don’t get updated often – nothing’s sadder than a fallow blog.

What struck me is that the nature of what counts as a “viable blog entry” may be more fluid than people think. It would be great if anyone could just sit down and said “We did such-and-such today and it got great feedback,” but few people can. But theater artists and administrators may be documenting their work more than they realize. Think of all the e-mails that get exchanged during the preparation of a show and it’s run: back-and-forth conversations between members of the creative team, marketing ideas, grant proposals, notes from patrons, etc. Some of these things might actually be GREAT blog entries – if the conversation is succinct and informative, or passionate and from the heart, readers will probably respond to them. Things that may look like ephemera might actually have value as documents. It obviously depends on how much transparency a group is comfortable with, but people might be comfortable with more than they realize.

For example, many productions will have post-show audience talkbacks, particularly when they involve hot-button issues. Some might be geared toward the make-up of that evening’s particular audience. A company could simply have its sound/iPod expert record that discussion, and if it’s lively and interesting, it could be a natural MP3 or “Podcast” entry. I’ve noticed that several people want to know and record how their work is received in the community – that might be a start.

Plus, once you get the hang of it, it’s totally easy. Give or take a spelling mistake or two.