We recently connected with Jennifer Decker and have shared our conversation below.
Jennifer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Actually, I have not been able to earn a full time living from my creative work, but it is a labor of love, so I’ve kept it going for 20 years to keep a very worthy mission alive, and to pay other artists for their work.
I started a theater company in 2001, but I did it on my own power, and without any financial backers or significant funding. I did it because I loved making art, and theater was my passion, and I wanted to make some beautiful art with like-minded people. The theater I founded, Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company has grown into a high quality, well-respected theater in Houston. We focus on and promote the work of women in theatre. However, I don’t make a living running it, because the funding that is necessary to produce the shows, and to pay a decent stipend to the actors, directors, designers and crew doesn’t leave much left over to pay me a salary. In addition to producing the shows, I also write grants and do other types of fundraising to keep things running, and we have a ton of small to mid-sized donations that keep the dream alive.
The good thing I have going for me is that while I was doing this beautiful art, I was also pursuing a Masters degree in English as well as in theatre. So I work full time as a college instructor at Houston Community College, while I also keep Mildred’s Umbrella producing female-focused shows that give other artists a chance to shine and to earn a bit of money for their work. This is fine with me at this point. Not everyone has to make a living at their art in order to make a difference in the world. I know I’ve made a difference, and I have earned a good amount of respect for my art, as well. That’s all I need.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
In 2001, I was an actor in Houston,Tx, just freelancing wherever there was an opportunity. A friend asked me to help him produce a show that he wrote, so we started a company. After that show, I kept it going by continuing to produce plays, and within a few years, the company evolved to be solely focused on plays by women, and plays that featured female ensembles. I am the Artistic Director and co-founder of Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company. I have dedicated myself since then to independent theatre in Houston, mostly for my own company, but I’ve also performed or directed for other local theares in my area. I evolved from an actor to a director, and I run the theatre on the business and the artistic side of things, doing everything from managing show productions to grant writing to negotiating contracts, to replacing the toilet paper in the bathroom. I also hold an MLA in English and an MLA in Drama from St. Thomas University, and I am an English instructor at Houston Community College. My writing has been published in Laurels, The Allegheny Review and The Houston Chronicle., as well as my blog, https://lolasumbrella.blog/. I have received a ‘BEST OF HOUSTON’ Nomination in the Houston Press in 2007 for Best Actress, and a nomination for Best Artistic Director in the 2012 and 2014 Houston Theatre Awards.
I am very proud of starting a theatre from scratch that is now part of the artistic fabric of the 4th largest city in The United States, and of giving many young artists a chance to get their feet in the door of the Houston theatre scene, sometimes at a risk, but mostly reaping the best rewards for all parties involved. I am passionate about providing opportunities to women. Our next production, THE MOTHER PROJECT: A COLLABORATION TO HONOR BLACK MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN, was a brainchild of mine that is being brought to life by a team of artists in my company, based on interviews with 5 black mothers about their experiences with motherhood. It is being partially funded by the National Endowment, and will be on stage in May 2022. www.mildredsumbrella.com for tickets or more details.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Art, and specifically theatre, is not a business that makes money. The giant Broadway musicals are generated for money making, but all of that underground, edgy, gritty and authentic art that happens locally barely makes ends meet. If a theatre does not have support in the form of donations and grants, it struggles, and often dies because there is one or a few completely exhausted people working for free to keep it going. If a small production breaks even, that is considered a success. If we were going to charge an appropriate amount for a theatre ticket that would guarantee that we break even, most people wouldn’t be able to afford it. A small theatre is affordable for the patrons. Buy tickets, show up, clap. If you can donate, do so. If you can share with your friends the experience to encourage them to do the same, do that. If you have resources that you can provide, like a space, or a huge selection of vintage dresses you no longer want to keep, give them. We’ll take any of it. Most of us are hand to mouth all the time.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Running an arts organization mostly alone and without much funding sometimes makes any enthusiastic, talented and willing person who wants to take ownership and be a part of things seem like a gift from the universe. I have often given responsibility and ownership to people who seem like they are going to be a very important and useful part of my team in order to have help with things. The reward for them is some pay, and often first dibs on opportunities within the company. Many times, I have been right in my choices. Twice, I was wrong, and I ended up with someone unstable and unwilling to cooperate with me or others in my group because I let them in too fast in my haste to have collaborators and other people sharing the work. One time it turned into a borderline stalking situation with someone who possibly had serious mental issues. I had to learn to take it very slow with people so that doesn’t happen anymore. It’s good to be open and to give people chances, but you want to be very careful who you give ownership to in your group. Get to know them first, and have them work on projects for a while before they are officially part of your collaborative team. Small companies cannot afford to have a bad apple in the mix.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mildredsumbrella.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mildredsumbrella
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MildredsUmbrella
- Twitter: @mildreds
- Other: https://vimeo.com/mildredsumbrella
Image Credits
Tasha Gorel Gentle Bear Photography Anthony Rathbun