We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Musette Caing Hart. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Musette below.

Musette, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

As a Filipino immigrant and daughter of medical professionals, I was always expected to do something to follow in my parents footsteps – get a degree that would add initials at the end of my name. That was great, but after finishing Nursing school being a nurse was NOT what I wanted to do. I got married, had 4 kids and settled into motherhood until I needed to do something other than waiting for my kids to get home each day.

I took a risk, not knowing a thing about operating a customer-based business and I ended up opening a dance studio at the age of 31 using the knowlege I had through college courses, taking Checcetti ballet exams – just so I could operate a business that my family could also be involved in. It grew from just a small studio to a competition dance training studio with more than 1 location as well as a dancewear store. And it was successful – until it wasn’t.

I didn’t have the hard business models and executive board oversight to help me grow and protect me from the dangers of jealous friends, mothers, customers, etc. Everyone wanted to be my best friend. My kids were the most popular everywhere they went, and with our last name on the studio marquee and on merchandise shirts – EVERYONE knew who they were. I also didn’t learn (fast enough) about non-compete contracts and two years in a row had two different teachers whom I trusted and thought of as close friends steal my student rosters and business model to open up dance studios of their own. It was brutal.

After a significant battle of trying to recover and re-grow my business my ex-husband and I, along with our four kids, moved to California, With no friends, in a state that was 2Kmiles away from “home”, I filled the role of “stage manager mom” for a while by enrolling my kids in pageants, searching for agents, and getting them into recording studios and talent contests and we finally settled into a local community theater.

Like most, the community was clique-y, and wasn’t impressed with my credentials, despite being a national award-winning choreographer and dance studio owner for nearly 6 years. But one of the highly-respected directors (who ended up being my mentor) and her husband cast my entire family for their production of SOUTH PACIFIC. Although my kids had been performing at dance competitions since of the age of 5, acting and singing was a new bug to catch and boy, did they catch it. They were naturals, considered “triple threats”. For me – I got in on the production end as choreographer for many, many shows eventually winning several awards.

My husband and I divorced, my kids grew up, and my role evolved in the theater to include Assistant Director to eventually Director. But the higher up you climb, the more popular (AND unpopular) you get, and if you’re any good, you become a threat to the establishment. And at that particular establishment, especially if you’re a BIPOC woman.

After devoting 16 years of my life to that theater where my kids grew up, I had met my current husband, and made so many friends, the Operations Manager decided it was time for me to leave and without any warning, allegations regarding my directing ethic was cooked up and I ended up in a defamation lawsuit.

Initially I had a lot of support, but when that support looked like they would eventually suffer the same fate, I was abandoned by the very same people who urged me to pursue the lawsuit in the first place. What was in it for them? They became Board Members, directors, and were suddenly the blazing stars of the theather. As for me? I became public enemy number 1.

Eventually, I was invited by the board of Olive Branch Theatricals, a non-profit production company, to direct their 1st show post-Covid. With no more kids at home, I jumped back into doing what I loved to do; create performing art on stage. But the company was only 4 years old and nearly 2 of those years were spent in lockdown. They’d produced only 1 show per year, whereas I had been accustomed to being involved in 3-4 shows per year. And who knew if I’d ever be asked to direct again.

Before I had time to settle into a depression, my husband Timothy, who has been my biggest suporter and cheerleader urged me to take a risk and start a production company of our own. I was absolutely thrilled but also scared to death to take another risk. There were already 19 production companies that had popped up, and we’d just be one of many with no money to start and no place to rehearse or perform.

As I presented problems and issues to my husband, he continued his encouragement and said, “You’re really good at what you do. And it doesn’t matter what the potential outcomes are – because I believe in you. All of it will come at the right time, you just have to take the risk and start”. So we started the process of opening a non-profit of our own and 24 hours after we received our offical non-profit letter, the Board of Olive Branch Theatricals called us to tell us they were leaving the state in pursuit of other things and offered us the business along with all of the assets. We accepted without hesitation and before we knew it, We were operating a production company with a rehearsal space, costumes, props, etc. whereas 24 hours early we had nothing but a letter from the State congratulating us on our new business.

Fast forward 2 years and my husband and I are discussing the costs of producing shows, but having to split profit costs with stage rentals, and at times, mandated custodial costs (for facilities run by schools). Within the 2 years and 4 shows we produced, we’d paid over $12000 in rental fees, which left us barely enough to produce the next show. Meanwhile, we’d been renting a space at a commercial mall, which had taken (like all other brick & mortar businesses) a hit with businesses closing after the global pandemic. If we can’t produce shows, we can’t pay rent, and if we can’t pay rent, then we lose our storage and rehearsal space. We needed to do something.

This time it was me who asked my husband to take a risk and open a performance space of our own. We decided to take a chance and approach the new mall management for another space to use for performances.
Expecting mall management to laugh at us, they said “yes” and allowed us a 6K sq ft space that had been empty for years. With the help of our very bare-bones skeleton crew, we opened our arts space for open use to share with the Arts Community. In 2023 we produced 2 shows. In 2024 we produced 4 shows and co-produced 3 shows. This year, we will be producing a minimum of 4 of our own productions while renting the space out for use of other production companies.

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.

I’ve become a Jack-of-all-trades out of necessity; When you don’t know anyone, have very much money, and nothing more but an itch to go start something, you have to be a self-starter. In owning and running other small businesses in the past, I’d gained experience in designing my own promotional materials, posters, show programs, souvenir programs, etc. With the internet and Social Media I was able to expand my knowledge and experience through various platforms.

Being a GenXer, I’m a rule follower, but I also like to stay around that edge that provokes critical thinking. Let’s take a risk while playing it “somewhat” safe – whatever the case may be, I’ve learned we can’t grow if we stay in the exact same spot.

What I’m most proud of is the ability to stay fluid and flexible. I’m either a fit for potential audiences/partners or I’m not. We want the artists that come into our space whether involved in one of our productions or as a partner using the Share Space to feel comfortable. I’m willing to bend over backwards to make sure they walk away from an experience with me as positively as possible. And I’m always willing to learn and grow. If we can both grow positively together – that’s even better.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative is, of course, seeing a project made manifest – whether it’s building a theater, choreographing a number for people who “can’t dance”, or just “doing it” when others said I couldn’t.

When I first told my parents I was opening a dance studio my mother told me, “Are you crazy!? You may have made the (dance) company when you were younger, but you were never as good as Suzy!” Well guess what? Suzy was never a mom (of children), suffered several marriages or owned a company of her own! In fact, she lives a nice, quiet, single life with dogs and manages a corporation.

When I was unceremoniously dismissed from the last theater company they said, “We don’t want you here – go start a theater company of your own!” and also, “You’ll never work in theater in this town again!” Guess what? Not only have I done that 3 years later, but actors from that theater have come and acted in our productions!

Getting things done, especially in the face of adversity and negativity is one of the most rewarding feelings. My husband gifted me a sign I keep in my office that reads, “Underestimate me. That’ll be fun.” Tell me I can’t and I’ll prove you wrong.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I grew my social media presence because there was a NEED to get the word out about our production company but print media has just gotten so expensive. There are SO MANY social media experts out there now – flooding feeds, enticing and inviting and all at a cost. It’s all so overwhelming and dizzying.

I believed in myself and believed in the work I was doing, but there was always someone whispering “you’re going to fail without “professionals”, “we need a marketing person”, “you can’t do it all”. At first, we were lead by a “social media expert” who never had the time because she was just “so busy” with other accounts. I had ideas I wanted to put on our accounts and she completely dismissed them saying “you can’t just entice people by post behind-the-scenes stuff. That gets old and no one is really interested.” When i grew the followers from 48 to 4900 overnight, I decided to fire her. Besides, she nearly never answered emails and was always canceling appointments with me at the last minute.

Bottom line – if you’re self-promoting, do your own research. If you have a product or service, look up similar accounts and grab some ideas. You know what you want your audience to see. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Ask your friends & family to help spread the word by reposting stories, reels, or posts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.olivebranchtheatricals.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivebranchtheatricals/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivebranchtheatricals
• Other: https://tob-scv.org

Image Credits

Credit: Olive Branch Theatricals