We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Timberly Robinson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Timberly below.
Timberly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
There are so many roles needed to produce a theater performance from working on-stage (actors) to greeting visitors, if the venue does not have a house team. The production must have key behind-the-scenes personnel such as sound and lighting engineers, stage manager, stagehands, set designer and wardrobe assistants. This is one of the “hats” I wear as the producer, to ensure key roles of the production are filled, and the selection of vendors, in addition to overseeing marketing and public relations. The bottom line is there are costs. Imagine as an entrepreneur, what happens when someone recommends to see if people will volunteer for certain roles such as greeting guests when they come to the show or wanting to volunteer to design the lobby area, volunteer their photography and/or videography services just because they believe in the theme of the play and desire to be a part of this production. Not to mention, a family member who surprises you and orders a 6ft poster stand with your logo of the play. I’ve often heard the phrase that God has people waiting to help you, but you won’t find out until you take the first step of faith.
There is so much joy that fills my heart when people come to serve as greeters or members of a nursing organization like the Detroit Chapter of the Mary Mahoney Nurse Volunteers who come to serve at community events. What’s great is that they provide their time and can still see a performance of our stage play, 4 Daughters Minus One, 2000 A.D.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Well, believe it or not my background is in research. Yet ever since I could remember, writing has been a long-time desire. Not long after the peak of COVID, I decided to create my own production company to have freedom to create plays that would bring live theater performances to our communities. Our mission at Luvinwhatido Productions is to provide audiences with entertainment that will create everlasting joyful memories. The vision is to provide opportunities for individuals to use or develop their craft in professional performing arts environments. I almost feel like a little kid in a candy store getting to serve as a writer, director and producer.
The first play took me two years to research and finally bring to the stage in 2022 called 4 Daughters Minus One, 2000 A.D. (www.4daughtersminusone.com) Initially, the biggest challenge is having the discipline to finish the script and the rewrites. Then, the paperwork is always fun to establish a business and to submit the work to the Copyright Office. For me, I believe that my work in research and accreditation prepared me because certain processes are the same. One lesson learned is one that many people probably have heard, it’s important to celebrate each victory and to jot it down to remember for the next steps. In thinking about what sets my production apart from other plays that you might see on Off-Broadway, there is no profanity, and so far, the current play and upcoming productions are based on inspiration from the Bible, yet in a non-traditional way. One attendee described it as seeing a modern version of Biblical women. I kind of liked that. Audiences will definitely see the impact of watching old black and white Hollywood movies with my mom which is why I aim to create the glamour with some of the evening gowns and the vintage tuxedos having the long tail. My play is also fictious which allows me to bring in creativity and humor that some do not expect.
When growing up, my mom always made sure that my siblings and I were exposed to the arts. We often took two buses in Detroit to go to the main public library where we could rent a movie for a buck and take home after checking out a few books. We would walk across the street to the Detroit Institutes of Arts. Yet, due to costs, we attended minimum live theater events. That’s also why state and federal funding to support the arts in schools and after school programs is vital. It’s important for people to know that when they attend a performance or donate, it offsets the production costs and allows me to continue our tradition of reaching out to non-profit organizations, churches, and other agencies serving individuals who might not be able to attend a performance. The production has done this since launching the play in 2022. I love to hear senior citizens excited about taking the bus to come to a matinee performance. We work with agencies in Detroit and New York where the show has been performed. One CEO in New York told me that some of their clients had never attended a theater performance before.
This is why I am so thankful for anyone who purchases a ticket or just decides to reach out to me and send a check, cash app, etc. Right now, I still do other work to fund the business. It’s not always easy, but the wins are definitely worth it, and I like the atmosphere we create for actors. I am also open to invitations for the cast to come to other venues to perform and folks can reach out to us on our website. A dear friend of mine who is more like an auntie told me that she likes to read the book before attending a production. If there are others out there like my friend, you can purchase the book of the play on Amazon titled, 4 Daughters Minus 1, 2000 A.D: the Royal Gala.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Although, I have experience in business administration, I did not have theater management experience and had to learn a whole lot to bring a play from the paper to the stage. I spent hours watching YouTube videos while in my basement on the treadmill to learn about lighting terminology. Even though I would hire technicians, it was important for me to learn and respect the field to better communicate my vision. I believe having mentors are very important and if the truth be known, you don’t always have to meet someone who you admire. You can get books or watch interviews which is what I did. Bringing a modern day Biblical story to Off-Broadway required a lot of faith, hiring the right talent to bring the stories of Ruth, Queen Bathsheba, The Woman at the Well, Elizabeth and Queen Jezebel to life; and learning from others. I spent hours listening to documentaries on Andrew Lloyd Webber who introduced the world to Jesus Christ: Superstar. It was fascinating to learn how he used his house to help fund the project initially.
I also remember while flipping the channels, I caught a glimpse of an upcoming interview with Debbie Allen and I don’t want to misquote her, but she said something that really confirmed the path that I am on. I will paraphrase, sometimes you just need to do it even if you may not know everything. This was helpful for me because I knew what a writer does and director. However, I really didn’t know the role of a producer. I just knew that certain tasks had to be filled and was used to creating a plan. That would be my advice to others, just begin your path and listen to wisdom of others who have walked your path. Everyone will have advice, but you should always be kind yet sift through opinions verses wisdom.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
For me, I used savings and retirement accounts and followed wise advise of paying off large items of debt before branching off to focus on my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.4daughtersminusone.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4daughtersminus1/
- Youtube: @4daughtersminusone134
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@4daughtersminus1
Image Credits
Michael Robinson, Delilah Peach