Community. Whether it is the atmosphere we create in our classroom, the feeling in the audience when many different people come together for a performance or the people we keep in touch with, we build community every day. We recently moved to new cities. Ruth moved to Boston where she's closer to family and works at The Wang Center for the Performing Arts, while Kassie and her husband moved to Fayetteville, AR to be closer to family and start a professional theatre for youth. As a result, we both have had to take stock and evaluate how we build community in our new locations and remain connected to our old communities.

There is no one definition of community. In fact, we are all members of different communities at the same time: whether they are local, regional, national, or international. With an abundance of technology, it has become increasingly easier to stay connected to our multiple communities, especially those separated by long distances. In addition, many individuals now consider themselves part of virtual communities through chat rooms, listserves, etc. With this increased access to multiple communities comes the challenge of still remaining active members of our local community and not becoming isolated from those nearby. After all, how many of us actually know our neighbors?

As much as the community plays an integral role in the work we do, communities are also valuable resources for accomplishing our missions. With our insanely busy schedules, it is easy to become absorbed in our individual work and lose touch with what's going on around us. We need to schedule time to get re-inspired and refreshed about the work we do. The following ways to remain in touch with our TYA community bear repeating:

Join local and national service organizations. Become a member of ASSITEJ, AATE (American Alliance for Theatre and Education), and TCG (Theatre Communications Group). These national service organizations educate us about what issues are at the forefront of the national and international theatre/TYA communities. In addition, don't forget to join local or regional theatre service organizations. It's always surprising how many people nearby have similar interests.

Schedule a Meet-up to see other people's work. With our busy schedules and limited budgets, it's difficult to find the time and muster the energy to see other plays. But if we can't support each other's work, how do we expect non-theatre people to recognize its value? Viewing other theatres' work can also revitalize and inspire new approaches to our own work. Based on Howard Dean's model of getting out the word, we propose that we "Meet-up" at different theatres to see productions or attend classes. What are we waiting for? Pick a theatre, pick a show/date/time and e-mail other ASSITEJ members within a 5-hour radius to see if anyone else wants to come. Even if people can't come, they'll love you for extending the party invitation. FYI - If anyone wants to join Kassie, she is planning a Meet-up in Kansas City, MO to see The Coterie's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on October 30 at 2:00pm. We'll meet at the theatre and have a dinner/drink fiesta afterwards. Email her at tyadirector@yahoo.com if you're interested.

Schedule a Play Date. We don't need to wait for a grant to play with other TYA professionals. Stop talking about working with your far-flung colleagues and just do it! Last spring, a handful of directors and playwrights met at Metro Theatre Company in St. Louis for an all-day Saturday play date. We came from Fayetteville, AR; Champaign-Urbana and Chicago, IL and South Bend, IN. We spent three hours on each project, exploring themes and styles with Metro actors and Carol North, Metro's Artistic Director. Afterwards, we headed out for dinner and drinks. The cost was minimal: gas, hotel room and food. We're planning on doing it again this fall or winter. Who's within driving distance that you would like to play with? Schedule a date, make it happen and then tell NEXT about it!

Read everything. Publications such as TYA Today, Teaching Artist Journal, Youth Theatre Journal, American Theatre, and the Sunday New York Times Arts section are invaluable in helping stay informed, learn about key players in the field, and provide resources to prevent from always feeling forced to "reinvent the wheel."

It's really all about relationships. The best way to be connected to a community is a willingness to meet and learn from others. This goes beyond the schmoozing that most of us hate. This is about establishing genuine relationships with others, not being afraid to ask questions, and always taking the time to keep in touch. Ivica Simic, an ASSITEJ Executive Committee member from Croatia, created a network of theatres called Epicentre in central and southeastern Europe. This network includes many parts of the former Yugoslavia that were at war 12 years ago. When asked how he was able to start such a community, Ivica replied, "I got in my car in Zagreb [in Croatia], drove to Belgrade [in Serbia and Montenegro]. Parked, got out, stuck out my hand, and said hello." If we all take the time to send that e-mail, return that phone call, or attend that show, that goes a long way to bringing our community closer together.

Building and staying connected to our communities is not something that happens by itself. It takes time, commitment, and effort. However, the benefits far outweigh the work involved. Plus, it's really fun to see each other more than once a year!

Ruth Mercado is the Manager of Community Programs at The Wang Center for the Performing Arts in Boston, MA. She previously worked for The People's Light & Theatre Company in Malvern, PA and is a graduate from Arizona State University's MFA program in Theatre for Youth. She can be reached at ruthmercado@earthlink.net.

Kassie Misiewicz is the Co-Artistic Director of Theatre Squared in Fayetteville, AR and has her MFA in Theatre for Youth from ASU. She's an Executive board member for ASSITEJ/USA. Currently, Kassie and her husband are preparing for a small addition to their family, due to arrive early April 2005. She can be reached at tyadirector@yahoo.com.

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Building Community: Internationally, Nationally and In Your Own Backyard

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