Illustrations ©Julie Hachey
It’s baffling to me that my one year blogaversary is here. Oh, and that I still don’t look like that illustration above is baffling, too. Time flies when you’re having fun pursuing show biz blogging and maintaining a diet of coffee, carbs and cheese! You betcha!
Thanks to this website, I am energized daily not just from the cupcakes but by the people I’ve met (cyber or otherwise) not to mention the talent I’ve witnessed on screen and off. I truly value the connection I’ve made to an amazing group of people, you included. Knowing nearly 9,000 of you visit this website monthly is truly amazing and very motivating for me! I’ve been quietly focusing on some core business strategy for the coming year and hope you all enjoy how that develops. You’re at the heart of what materializes.
Moving forward, I’m super thrilled to be partnering with Broadway.com as an affiliate for content and ticket sales. Always remember I am happy to be your theatre concierge and help you make decisions on which shows to see when you come to New York. I’m that giving. Just email me or click on the Broadway.com link to your right and you’re on your way to great theatre content and ticket access. I’m also delighted to be partnering with Music Theatre International as a contributing writer focusing on their Broadway Jr. catalog and continuing my plight to guide the StageMamas and StagePapas out there to be the best (behaved) they can be.
So I sat down this morning and put together some reflections on you, my audience. You’ve shared much with me, via Facebook, Twitter, eMail, even across the table from me at Starbuck’s. You’ve helped me crystalize who we are and how we roll. Some thoughts:
WHO WE ARE
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We’re a collective of (mostly) women (and the gays who love them) who share a lifetime of passion for arts & entertainment.
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We may have dabbled in music or acting, but now are juggling a household, a job, kids and a partner who probably sees nothing wrong with Labron James getting paid $4 trillion dollars to run around a basketball court.
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Some of us were theatre majors in college, but now we’re dentists or marketing directors or teachers.
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Some of us still pursue careers in television, film, theatre, music. We contribute to the wide and varied spectrum of participation in the performing arts.
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We are old enough to know that Julie Andrews and Barbra Streisand are our guiding lights, but Audra McDonald and Kristin Chenoweth make our day.
HOW WE ROLL
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We want to raise (possibly) talented kids the right way by providing them opportunity, exposure to quality work and connection t0 the best mentors and teachers our communities have to offer. We let our kids discover their own passion, take their own journey and let their talent grow. If they don’t have” it”, we let it go. That’s the StageMama mantra.
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We know full well that nationwide, we dominate ticket purchasing and decision making when it comes to how our families spend their entertainment dollars. We embrace that 70% of us are making those purchases and an even more impressive 83% are choosing the show/film/television show!
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We’ve maintained our subscription to People magazine even though we read the scoops online first. We’re that brand loyal. The Kardashians and Real Housewives are guilty pleasures.
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We know how to seek out the best deals on theatre tickets, free local arts events and keep up on what’s new and exciting in pop culture.
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We are tech savvy and early adaptors to social media. We’re influencers in our social networks and communities.
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We are passionate about arts advocacy – when we can find the time to think about it (usually after our kid’s class play that was missing scenery and had no costume budget.) We want to do more.
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We cope by singing show tunes softly in our head or passionately from our shower. It depends on the situation at hand.
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We see nothing wrong with making the day’s most substantial activity be dancing around the living room with our kids, “Ella Fitzgerald Swings Lightly” playing from our iPod stereo.
And finally, from our hearts collectively, we live by the wise words of Betty Comden & Adolph Green:
“Fame, if you win it, comes and goes in a minute. What’s the real stuff in life to cling to? Make someone happy and you will be happy too.”
To you, my smallish but mighty tribe, here’s to year two! (Are there “terrible twos” in the blogosphere?)
Yours in show tunes,
Julie
Congratulations to Daughter #1 on the successful completion of her first year!!! We are bursting with pride in all you have accomplished. You do us PROUD!
Love you, Jules!
Awwww… my dad finally figured how to comment on a blog post! A million kisses. xoxo Julie
Dearest Julie –
As Edwina Spoonapple would say, you are a stage-mama extraordinaire. Keep up the amazing work, and thanks for all your support! Love, Marcy
Congratulations on an amazing year. A baby and a blog! What a shining star you are in our lives, bringing smiles to our faces each and every day. I can only speak for myself but can’t wait to spend another year with you!
xoxoxo, ~L
Julie,
I love your witty, funny style! Thank you for bringing a bit of New York City to sleepy little Kalamazoo, MI!
Yours in Liza, Julie, Bette and Nathan (Lane of course!!)
Nancy
Big kiss, StageMama to be! xoxo
As always you crack me up. Love reading what you come up with next! Keep on blogging!
Awwww… Will do. Hey Lindsay, will you watch the girls while I go to a show for a quick 2 hours? (God sent me a blessing when a neighbor becomes an adored friend!)
Julie: Congratulations on a wonderful first year! And sincere thanks for the content and perspective.
While I’m quite different from the typical reader, I find the information you source and share to be truly pertinent. Quite often you’ve provided the scoop well before I’ve learned of it from a rather deep and wide net of connections. What fun!
Most importantly, I greatly appreciate your focus on families–getting them to the theatre, getting them to support the theatre, and helping them to understand that play-going and play-making experiences expect things from them while providing great rewards. To do all this with personal disclosure, wit, intelligence, and warmth (while still living and loving your “real life”), well….let’s just say I’m as impressed and I am thankful.
So looking forward to what comes next!!!
Onward!
John, you said it better than anyone could have possibly. Am so grateful for your words and perspective! Hugs, Julie
Congrats, sissy. (2nd try on my part to leave a reply. not very web savy on this end……….lol)
Hey Julie … I love your blog and smile on every word, and chuckle often. It means more to me at age 57 (in Nov) than one might imagine at first blush. I am wise enough to know that it matters. Thank you.
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All the best
Nicholas
Let’s try that smiley again …
OK. See now THAT’s why I married into the Madelung family. The boys are stellar! Thanks Nick xoxox
Great things to come I’m sure!
Love what you are doing here. What a creative and fun way to look at theater and the arts.
Bravo!
Oh, big ole MWAH! And please check out Patrick’s amazing EMMY NOMINATED Children’s Show, http://www.comeonover.com for the best in kid’s television.
Oh, and Patrick can prat-fall down the stairs like nobody’s business — wait. That was 20 years ago. Nevermind.
Long time reader first time poster. Julie you have such a great perspective and I can’t wait to see what you’ll write next. I love the Broadway Baby pictures and captions. Congratulations!
Lissa
Melissa, I’m going to sound like Oprah’s Gail — I love me my first time posters! Thanks so much and I hope you keep coming back!!! Cheers, Julie
Congrats Julie! You’re so fantastic!
Thanks, Henry “Talent Galore” fellow GC alum! xoxo
I will certainly be rolling with you in year two! Bring on the second course of carbs & cheese, I’m in.
Yours in show tunes (and opera)!
Annalise
There’s nothing like Bacharach, Chenoweth and cheese — on stage and off! xoox
Mazel Tov on one year! Love reading your blog and talking about theatre with you!
Hugs and kisses to the other redhead in the ‘hood. You are one of a handful of folks who can even get my obscure theatre references which makes you a golden friend to me! xoxo
Julie I’m so glad I found this blog on Blogher. It’s really fun and I love to read your perspective on parenting kids. My girls are 4 and 7 and they just love HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. Thanks for the great website!
I’ll be at the Blogher conference in NYC. Will you?
Congratulations, Julie. Keep it up! I’m a gay who loves ‘em.
Oh, my heart is full of you and so glad you enjoy. xoxo
You blow me away. Looking forward to meeting you and perhaps working together someday (Grin!)
Happy blogiversary. Encore! Encore! Ever After
Ann
Mwah! Thanks for your inspiration and great writing, Ann.
For those bloggers, blog lovers and/or anyone with a sense of humor reading this, check out Ann’s Blogher Voices of the Year nominated blog post “What To Expect On Your First Blogiversary” by Ann Imig. (Click the colored text there, Dad. I know you still get confused in the blogosphere.) Anyway, it’s spot-on and freakishly true!! Cheers, Julie
Julie, happy first year. You have such a great blog and I’m proud to send people your way. I can’t wait to visit NY next fall. I’m almost all those things you listed above, too.
Mari
Thanks Mari! You know I appreciate your support!! Cheers, Julie