Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bekah Walsh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Bekah, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

I spent the past year traveling the country on a project I launched called the #POTUSTrail which was inspired by a play I saw on Broadway called POTUS. As a die hard theatre fan, I attend all sorts of productions and events including the annual Broadway Flea market which sells all sorts of props and memorabilia for charity. Last flea, I was disappointed I couldn’t find anything POTUS related. At this year’s flea, I spent most of my time as a volunteer, instead of shopping. Sometime during the day, another theatre fan I recently met walked up to my table and handed me a lanyard. A POTUS lanyard from the Broadway run signed by one of the performers. He said he spotted it and knew I should have it. Moments of spontaneous thoughtfulness like that demonstrate that you know and value a person. It was a small gift with a huge impact. It made my entire day and I still tell people about it.

Bekah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a lifelong theatre kid who decided to explore short form video during the pandemic shutdown, mainly as a way to get comfortable with a new skill and network with other theatre fans. I conducted an audience survey which revealed people wanted to hear about productions onstage beyond Broadway and there wasn’t enough, if any, coverage. I provide influencer content and social media management to local and regional theatres, even traveling the country to see how 18 different theatres produced the same work. I learned quickly how many theatres don’t receive the coverage they need to attract audiences, which is more important than ever post-pandemic. I tell people frequently that I’m not a critic, but a cheerleader of live theatre. I want people to know what’s onstage in their communities and to hopefully connect with their next favorite show or theatre company.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

When I first moved to Baltimore in my late 20s and started attending touring shows at the Hippodrome, I noticed something immediately: I was always the youngest person in the room. Now I’m nearing 40 and often I feel like that hasn’t changed. I know there are young theatre lovers out there, so how do we make sure they have access? My role is to share information – not only what shows are onstage but what ticketing initiatives make it possible for them to attend or details that help them decide if any given show may be a fit for them.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I came up with the idea for the POTUS trail, I knew cost would be a barrier. Even on a budget, flights and hotels add up quickly. I was confident and enthusiastic after brainstorming with other creatives that I would be able to make this happen with a combination of personal funds, artistic grants, and crowdfunding. Society’s view towards content creators has a long way to go – I was repeatedly told by arts councils that I “wasn’t an artist” or “wasn’t creative” enough, which blew my mind. I wasn’t checking off just one box on the form, my work spanned multiple disciplines! Grant applications are time consuming and gate-kept, but I was determined. I asked for a call to discuss ways forward. I applied month after month. I didn’t earn funding during the trail, but I did make it out of the “not eligible” box into actually receiving a score and using the feedback to improve moving forward. I’m still using those lessons learned to apply for funding for my book in process inspired by these lessons learned. I finished the trail without any grants and with crowdfunding donations covering about 5% of overall costs – and I still donated half of the crowdfund to participating theatres as promised!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/broadwaybekahchica
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/bekahchica
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@broadwaybekahchica