One of the Babes: Adrienne Dawes
Portrait by Consetta Rubel
Featured this year as one of Austin Monthly's "Women We Love," Adrienne Dawes is nothing short of a creative genius. As a full time employee for the non-profit LifeWorks, Adrienne has somehow managed to squeeze in writing and creating her very own play Denim Doves (a 3-year project), as well as directing Love Me Tinder (a show that has run for about two years), all while managing her own process-focused production company, Heckle Her. Learn more about Adrienne and her creative process below:
Q: What inspired you to start working in the field/Industry? Did you have any role models?
A: I started writing when I was a kid—short stories, poetry, longer fiction pieces. I got into theater via performance poetry . . . Also because film just seemed too expensive of an art form with too many barriers. Theater also felt more welcoming to me as a young artist. Growing up here in Austin, I felt like I could always scrounge together the money for a venue, put up my work and someone would show up (even if it was just my dad). Comedy has always been a thread in my work, but I didn't seriously get into writing or performing until college. I am a huge goof, but very shy and introverted. Writing has always been the best vehicle for me to say all the silly things I want to say. Producing/directing occurred naturally, because my work was constantly getting rejected from things and in the beginning it was really hard to get anyone to work with me. I would get really impatient waiting for people to open doors for me and instead use my Virgo organization and resourceful friends to find cheap/easy ways to get it done.
My role models include playwrights like Suzan Lori Parks, Naomi Iizuka, Sarah Ruhl and Dael Orlandersmith; comediennes like Gilda Radner, Madeleine Kahn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. I also love anything Richard Ayoade does . . . And Noel Fielding . . . And Chris Morris and Graham Linehan . . . My life in Chicago used to be just Googling random British comedians and buying everything they ever made or appeared in on DVD.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Make friends with people outside of your field/industry. Not only will they show up and support your shit, they will help you be a human person. I am all for the hustle and being ambitious, but there really is something to be said for hanging out with friends that want nothing more than to spend time with you. I also have to say, the funniest people in my life are not comedians. The just give you the truth and what is true is what's funniest/best.
ALSO IMPORTANT: BLOCK OFF TIME ON YOUR CALENDAR TO DO NOTHING. I have to do this, especially after two to three months of non-stop projects, or I will never take a break.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: Collaboration can sometimes be headache and heartache, but when you approach it with a generous spirit and lots of love it always produces the most interesting and inspired discoveries. I always have to remember to shut up and let go. And trust the process. Trust my collaborators. The first draft will be shit. The first run-through will be messy, but before we get to something polished and coherent, we gotta get through the muck. I think some of my favorite rehearsal moments began with someone saying, "Hey this is a really dumb idea but . . ." I also like the saying "strong and wrong." Like, let's do this STRONG AND WRONG; let's not be afraid to be or look stupid. Some of the smartest, funniest moves I've ever seen have come from actors just committing to the bit, even if it made them look totally stupid.
Photo by Adrienne Dawes
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: I fail a lot. Rejection is pretty much a daily occurrence and it always hurts. A big challenge has been to figure my way through that because it will always be a part of my creative life. No matter how "successful" I become, my inner "Editor Bitch" is the voice that screams at me anytime I open up my computer. "You're worthless, you don't know how to write, stop wasting everyone's time!" She's a sneaky, mean bitch. I have to get creative with how I distract her, so I can actually focus on making work. If I listened to her, I would never write and I certainly would never try to share it in a public way. Some weeks, some days this is easier than others. Again, she's a sneaky bitch.
Outside my own head, the challenges in Austin involved in making new work always revolve around money/resources and being able to afford a venue or space to make it work. The growing population brings in some wonderful, new things and great, new people, but it also has driven away some really great artists and shut down all of my favorite arts spaces. In the comedy community, there's not many people of color or women in leading roles, directing, coaching, producing, or teaching. So that means onstage there's very few shows from that highlight or show the perspective of performers of color. Sometimes the biggest challenge feels like just sticking it out and showing up. The most radical thing I can do is show up to comedy and theater performances with my hair down and take up as much space as possible. Remind people, this is what a comedy writer looks like. This is what a playwright and sometimes a director looks like. It shouldn't be a radical thing, but it feels like it is.
Q: What's your day job (if this business isn't your day job)?
A: I work full time in Development for a social services non-profit. I get to interact with incredible staff and clients with amazing stories. I really believe in it's mission to help youth and young families (often from homeless or foster care backgrounds) become self-sufficient. They are very flexible with my schedule which is the only way I can balance both my day and art job(s).
Photo by Adrienne Dawes
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: I love running away into nature. I don't have many opportunities to unplug and get out of town, but whenever I can, I always appreciate it. Taking a long walk or bike ride also helps me reset. And I love playing music just for fun . . . Karaoke is a part of my regular self care (private rooms > bars).
Your favorite band at the moment: I like too many to name a favorite, but at the moment Anderson Paak's new album is on repeat. Rihanna/Beyonce/Jessie Ware as just the background/white noise/soundtrack of my life.
Your favorite book at the moment: I want to open up Carrie Brownstein's memoir and actually read the words inside it (it's been on my bedside table since it came out).
Your local Austin gem: "Tourist Friends" (aka friends visiting from out of town) always want me to take them to "see the bats." No, boring, gross. I'd rather take people to one of my favorite swimming spots. I have a few that are top-secret, but one I can share (without pissing off my friends) is Krause Springs.
Photo by Adrienne Dawes
One of the Babes: Faith Chonko
If you have any interest in surreal beautiful artwork, then check out babe Faith Chonko and her magical collage art. Faith's beautiful pieces capture her creative vision with magazine cut outs and Mod Podge. Make sure you visit her website and show your support for this local girl boss.
Photo by Faith Chonko
If you have any interest in surreal (and beautiful!) artwork, meet Faith Chonko and her collage art. Using Mod Podge and magazine cut-outs, Faith's pieces are glimpses into her creative process and vision.
You can view more of her work on her website and read our Q&A with the Austin-based artist below.
Q: What inspired you to start working in the arts? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: I went through a lot of Mod Podge in college covering boxes and things, but it wasn’t until I moved to New York in 2010 that I started putting them on paper and getting something out of it. A friend of mine there kept these incredible journals full of written entries and collages, so she was a big influence on me at the beginning. After that, I kept making work on my own and started feeling like I needed to collage to deal with things in my life.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: I guess I would say to respect your own process and not measure yourself against others. I’m a slow creator in that I don’t collage all the time. It used to frustrate me and still does sometimes, but I’ve come to realize it’s not a fault. In the times I feel creative but am not inspired to collage, I try out other mediums, go to art shows, or spend too much time getting lost/inspired on Instagram.
Photo by Faith Chonko
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: I can’t think of a specific moment, but at some point it dawned on me that I had developed a style. That was kind of a cool realization to stumble into.
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: The hardest thing for me was and is sharing my work with others. I think there’s so much of my life and emotions in them that showing other people puts me way out of my comfort zone even if those feelings aren’t obvious in the images. Last year, I decided to do things that scare me and putting my work out into the world was definitely on that list. Right next to making a website. But, I’m glad I did both.
Q: What's your day job?
A: I work at a start-up called Tugg, where I help set up national and international film campaigns through crowd-sourced screenings.
Photo by Faith Chonko
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: I run to Half Price Books to buy more magazines.
Your favorite band at the moment: Not a band, but I listen to Chillville every Sunday morning and always discover someone new that I like.
Your favorite book at the moment: I just started Women Who Run with Wolves. The introduction is the most promising I’ve read this year! I’ll have to get back to you on the rest.
Your local Austin gem: I really love the Walnut Creek bike trail.
Your social media handles: Find Faith on Instagram.
Community Spotlight: 3 Announcements You Missed
We had to push a couple announcements at our April meet to accommodate for Wendy Davis' (incredible) visit. Here are the few you missed:
1. "Shameless Dames, improv based on Broad City and Girls, opens in Austin this week. We don't f*cking care if you like this show. We're not going to smile. We're not going to apologize. Shameless Dames runs April 29th to June 3rd, Fridays at 10pmat The Institution Theater. Go to their website for more deets. You can get tickets for the event here. Use code: bossbabe for 20% off."
2. "#THEWANTABES are putting together a new membership program for girls (6th through 12th grade) in the Austin area. We are on a mission to plant a seed and help build the foundation that will allow girls to live the life of their dreams and become exactly who they #WANTABE. In order to make this program beneficial, we need badass women who love what they do and would want to volunteer their time to offer mentorship, host master classes and allow job-shadowing, as well as general program volunteers. The program will start August 2016. For details, visit us on our website and on Instagram. Shoot an email to info@thewantabes.com."
Local Gem: C.R.A.F.T
Meet Jamie Dorobek, author of "C.R.A.F.T."
Photo via C.R.A.F.T
If you like Creating Really Awesome Free Things (aka C.R.A.F.T), then check out this local blogger and momma, Jamie Dorobek, who just wrote her own book on 100 seriously awesome and super easy projects for kids. So proud of this babe!
Q: What inspired you to start working in the field/Industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: I’ve been crafting with freebies ever since I can remember, I just had no idea I could make a living doing it. I decided to start a blog after seeing a link to a blog all about crafts on a family friends blog almost six years ago to this month. I started C.R.A.F.T. the next day!
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: If you love it, do it. Make. The. Time.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: Oh man, that’s a tricky question! I’m typically the most creative when I have a real life problem to solve. For example: What can I hang above my fireplace that is not a TV, inexpensive, and huge? And then I decide to make a giant, lighted peace wreath and am still loving it!
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: The most challenging thing in my career so far is trying to find the right balance of “stay at home” and “work at home mom!" I have an almost 2-year-old son and a newborn. The struggle is real, y’all!
Q: What's your day job (if this business isn't your day job)?
A: I’m fortunate to call blogging my day job. I used to be a high school special education teacher and took the plunge to blog full time in 2012, before kids!
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: I run away from the project that is discouraging me and likely run to take my son to the park or somewhere fun and likely outdoors. Taking my brain away from the discouragement allows me to refocus my energy and look at the project with a fresh brain when I’m good and ready.
Photo of Jamie Dorobek, via C.R.A.F.T
Your favorite band at the moment: I’m so bad at this question! I listen to the same Spotify playlist almost every day. I just checked out my list, and the only artist that has two spots on my playlist is The Hot Sardines!
Your favorite book at the moment :I’m much better at books! The last book I read, is mom-related (shocker!) and titled, "Bringing up Bebe." It’s written by an American expat living in Paris with two littles and speaks to the differences of parenting in France versus the United States.
Your local Austin gem: I’m obsessed with this new vintage furniture store called Vintage Fresh. I got an awesome dresser and a giant map in the last month!
Your social media handles:
C.R.A.F.T. // Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Subscribe by Email
One of the Babes: ZuZu Perkal
Meet yogi and local artist, Zuzu Perkal.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
On the blog today, learn about badass independent artist and yoga babe Zuzu Perkal. On top of teaching and practicing yoga, Zuzu works on team sprATX, a collective of over 20 established artists in Austin, Texas.
Q: What inspired you to start working in your industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: I started practicing yoga about seven years ago. Ever since my first class, I knew that yoga would be a major part of my life. I've now been teaching for almost two years. My teachers, Gioconda Parker and Erin Dudley are my mentors. I'm continually inspired by the Austin yoga community and fellow teachers.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Do what you love and don't ever stop dreaming big.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: Every single class I teach and every painting that I work on has bursts of creativity and freedom embedded in the experience.
Photo via ZuZu Perkal
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Surviving financially as an independent artist and yoga instructor. It's a continuous grind and hustle, but I love every minute of it. The challenges make it all worth it in the end.
Q: What's your day job (if this business isn't your day job)?
A: No day job. Can't do the 9-to-5 lifestyle. I work with the local street artist collective and gallery, SprATX, teach yoga at City Surf Fitness, and paint murals and commission pieces on the side.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: When I'm having a rough time, yoga is always the best way for me to decompress and find my happy place.
Your favorite band at the moment: Twenty One Pilots
Your favorite book at the moment: "Fierce Medicine" by Ana Forrest
Your local Austin gem : SprATX !!!!
Your social media handles: Find Zuzu on Facebook and Instagram.
Local Gem: Vita Wellness Massage
Meet Autumn Elias, the boss behind Vita Wellness.
Photo via Vita Wellness
Created and led by entrepreneur Autumn Elias, Vita Wellness Massage Boutique offers signature massage-based wellness programs to anyone in need. Their motto? Vita thrives and strives to "we believe a massage can change the world!" Learn more about Autumn's beginnings and how Vita Wellness got its start below.
Q: What inspired you to start working in your industry? Did you have any role models or learn from someone, in particular?
A: Over 10 years ago, I was ‘pulled' to seek out new career opportunities. I left my sales position and went to massage school—I just leaped. If I had known how much personal growth would come from growing my own private practice and business, I [laughs] never would have said yes! I sought out a fabulously supportive business coach to keep me focused, learning and expanding my vision.
(You can learn more about Autumn here.)
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passions, in general?
A: Nurture it/them. Surround yourself with people that also support your passion (or even different passions). The key for me is having a diverse support network that is unified by the commitment to manifesting our visions.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity?
A: My most memorable game-changing moment came when I graduated from UT. I finally had the time, energy and space to choose building my business (over my degree) and get creative about how I wanted to go about doing just that.
Photo via Vita Wellness
Q: What have been your most challenging moments in your career, thus far?
A: Staying the course. It is SO easy for me to get excited by all the sparkly ideas out there. The most challenging has been making decisions based on the cold, hard numbers over my emotion and desire to ‘make it happen right now.'
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: When I’m discouraged, I dance. I’m addicted to latin dance, salsa, bachata, merengue. I’ve also been known to eat a bag of Skittles in 12 minutes or less…
The Vita Wellness team (Photo via Vita Wellness)
CRAFT(HER) Portraits by Stef Atkinson Photography
CRAFT(HER) was the first in a series of career-centric meets for #bossbabesATX. All of these photos were taken by Stef Atkinson at Friends & Neighbors.
Everything You Need to Know About Your First #bossbabesATX Meet
Got questions? We have answers.
Are you a #bbatx newbie? Here's a quick, little rundown as to what this meet is like!
WHAT'S THE VIBE?
Our meets are basically huge babe parties. We are not gender-discriminant and we are not career-discriminant, although we DO exist to serve self-identified women in creative industry. We will not question if you are woman enough or "boss" enough for this event, and we ask that you don't question others, either (pretty please... If you ever feel unsafe b/c of an attendee, please approach the BBATX team!).
WHAT DO I DO?
When you check in, you'll receive a name tag. We have vendors, a photobooth, activities, a DJ, babe announcements, etc.
For the first hour, it's just unregulated mingling (checking out vendors, introducing yourself to people, etc.) and signing up for our babe announcements. THIS IS THE TIME TO BE AWKWARD. EMBRACE THE AWKWARD. LET YOURSELF BASK IN THE AWKWARD. *You won't make friends with everyone, and that's okay. We don't expect anyone to show up and behave like a contact-making droid. Whether you meet your new BFF or your new employer, keep an open mind and remember everyone's probably just as nervous as you (if they aren't, they've likely come before).
What are Babe Announcements?
Babe Announcements are an open-mic: Women proclaim their passions/their purpose/their intentions to the community (mostly about work or a project they've got in the making, collaborations they're seeking, etc.). We let 35 women onstage and sign-ups are open to EVERYONE. We also have an ASL interpreter for this portion (her name's Monica; she's the raddest).
After announcements, the mingling continues. The vendors are still open, you hopefully feel like the ice has been broken and our CEO (her name is J, she emcees the event) will prompt people to to continue introducing themselves to others.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
We suggest bringing business cards, as well as paper and pen to take notes on during announcements!
IS IT OKAY TO HAVE QUESTIONS? CONCERNS?
Please remember that we aren't perfect (as a people, generally, as women, generally, and as an organization). We are attempting to create a safe space, so REACH OUT. We've thankfully had people reach out in the past, and that's made our events all the better. Ultimately, we love y'all and want you to have a good time within the parameters of the event. Feel free to email thebabes@bossbabes.org if you have any questions.
She Talks: A Conversation with Sloane Ivy and Devri Velazquez
This is our third guest post in the #bossbabesATX series, "She Talks." "She Talks" is a blogging series, featuring the work and thoughts of self-identified women in #bossbabesATX community. Would you like to submit something to "She Talks?" Please email blog@bossbabes.org.
#bossbabesATX note: This is our third guest post in the #bossbabesATX series, "She Talks." "She Talks" is a blogging series, featuring the work and thoughts of self-identified women in #bossbabesATX community. Would you like to submit something to "She Talks?" Please email blog@bossbabes.org.
For this edition of She Talks, we feature an interview between local vlogger Sloane Ivy and fellow Austinite Devri Velazquez, the author of "Pretty, sick. Chick." Devri was diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, Vasculitis, in 2010 as a college senior. In this interview, she describes her disease, explains auto-immune diseases, discusses her life beyond the sickness and her blog “Pretty, sick. Chick.”
"I am very new to the vlogging/youtube community, but I am driven by life—which to me is a masterpiece comprised of small, little stories. I listen and seek out individuals with beautiful stories to share and for others to learn from," Sloane says. "This interview taught me so much. Not only about a rare auto-immune disease, but about strength—the strength to be great despite statistics or anything an expert tells you. Ms. Devri Velazquez embodies this strength in such an eloquently and downright badass way. "
About Sloane Ivy: "I am Sloane Ivy; I’m 26 and from Houston,Texas. I have a BA in Communications from LSU. Geaux Tigers! I work in the non-profit sector, and my passion is conversing with any and every individual I come into contact with and turning their story into something to be shared with the masses. I turned this passion into 'Conversations with Sloane Ivy.' As you've probably guessed I have conversations with people from all walks of life on any topic. I also live in North Austin with two boss babes and cannot get enough of Kerbey Queso!"
About Devri Velazquez: Devri is a 26-year-old native Austinite. She's a poet, thrifter, music lover, autoimmune disease (Vasculitis) conqueror, women's and equal rights ambassador and pretty sick chick.
Join #bossbabesATX for a Feminism, Fertility and Modern Culture Panel at "Denim Doves" on Jan. 29!
Come on out for a viewing of "Denim Doves," a recent work by writer Adrienne Dawes. #bossbabesATX co-founding member Ashlee Jordan Pryor will representing our organization on a panel about feminism, modern culture and fertility following the show.
On Friday, January 29 at 8 PM, join us at the Salvage Vanguard Theater for "Denim Doves," a theatrical production by Austin-based writer, Adrienne Dawes. Along with Bedpost Confessions and YWCA of Greater Austin, #bossbabesATX will host a talk-back following the performance of Denim Doves (moderated by Bedpost's Julie Gillis). The panelists include playwright Adrienne Dawes, clinicians Laura Gomez-Horton and Shelly Oliver, #bossbabesATX co-founding member Ashlee Jordan Pryor and BookPeople's Sarah Holdgrafer.
Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, with a starting price $10. BUY TICKETS BELOW:
MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:
SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATER PRESENTS:
DENIM DOVES
Written by Adrienne Dawes
Salvage Vanguard Theater (SVT) announces the world premiere production of Denim Doves, a MADE IN THE SVT PRODUCTION written by local playwright Adrienne Dawes.
“You are safe here, Sister.” Inside the compound walls, five fertile sister-wives enjoy many freedoms. Free sleep. Free Welch's grape. Free laughter. Free denims of every length. Set in a dystopian future (which feels a lot like the mid-1990s), Denim Doves is a collaboratively devised feminist farce that explores themes of women in subjugation and the hilarious consequences of a rigid dick-tatorship.
CREDITS
Written by Adrienne Dawes
Music by Erik Secrest and Henna Chou
Lyrics by Cyndi Williams
Devised in collaboration with Salvage Vanguard Theater
Directed by Florinda Bryant and Jenny Larson
Dramaturgy by Meredith Robbins
Cast: Kerri Atwood, Florinda Bryant, Henna Chou, Alyssa Dillard, Judd Farris, Jenny Larson, Renna Larson, khattieQ, Erik Secrest and Cyndi Williams
Design: Kaci Beeler (set), Robert Fisher (sound), Natalie George (lights), Jessica Gilzow (costumes) and Rachel Long (props)
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Jan 21st TO Feb 3rd 2016 (Thursday — Saturday nights) at 8 PM
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Adrienne Dawes' plays include Am I White, You Are Pretty, Jesus Loves Good Christians, and Heritage, Her-i-tage, and Hair-i-tage. Her work has been produced by American Repertory Theatre of London, Live Girls! Theatre, Little Fish Theatre Company, New England Academy of Theater, New Jersey Repertory Company, Hyde Park Theater, St. Idiot Collective and American Theater Company (Chicago, IL). Her plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc, Smith & Kraus, Heuer Publishing, Heartland Plays and Vintage Books. Adrienne is the recipient of the Stanley and Evelyn Lipkin Prize for Playwriting. Her play Am I White was a finalist for the 2012 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and semifinalist for the 2012 Princess Grace Award. Am I White won the David Mark Cohen New Play Award (2015 Austin Critics Table Awards), an award for Outstanding Original Script (2015 B. Iden Payne Awards) and was honorably mentioned by The List (The Kilroys) of recommended new plays by female and trans authors. Adrienne is a member of ScriptWorks and a company member of Salvage Vanguard Theater. Austin, TX is her hometown (#townie).
ABOUT MADE IN THE SVT: MADE IN THE SVT are theater works created, produced or presented by Salvage Vanguard Theater.
ABOUT SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATER: Salvage Vanguard Theater (SVT) is a theater company and performance hub located in East Austin. SVT creates and presents transformative high-quality artistic experiences that foster experimentation and conversation.
Visit their website, or contact Jenny Larson for more information: 512-474-7886 or jenny@salvagevanguard.org.
*This project is funded and supported in part by a grant from Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts. Art Works, and in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department/Cultural Arts Division believing an investment in the Arts is an investment in Austin’s future.*