Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tracey Mason. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tracey, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on would be ASU Kerr, a gorgeous music venue where I have been General Manager for almost 15 years. It is definitely still a project in the works, as it’s success is still such a challenge. It is incredibly meaningful to connect artists with audiences and to again and again experience that spark that happens when audiences get to build community with friends, family and artists in a venue as special as ASU Kerr. It is special because there are so few adobe music venues in the US. It is beautiful, historical and has great acoustics so artists love it, but because it is so small and quite hidden, it can be incredibly difficult to sell seats and make ends meet. So, we are constantly experimenting and trying to find exactly what helps get the word out in our ever-changing marketing landscape. Just when we think we have found the best way to get folks into the venue, a pandemic happens and shuts us down for 19 months, and then business completely changes from in-person sales to online sales, losing some of that personal touch. But when audiences actually do find us, and I see them laugh, cry, re-think something in a Q&A, or express that this artist or that show changed their life or changed their perspective, or just gave them some cultural relief from their difficult life circumstances, it is continuously meaningful and rewarding. One patron was so moved by the solo theatre show we brought in called “And So We Walked, An Artist’s Journey Along the Trail of Tears, by DeLanna Studi, that he said DeLanna had changed his life and he wanted to explore something similar in his own life. These are the experiences that touch my heart and soul, and which keep me searching for the best ways to keep connecting people with artists.
Tracey, 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 currently serve as General Manager of ASU Kerr, a position I have proudly held for nearly 15 years under ASU Cultural Affairs. I also hold the role of Director #1 on the board of the Arizona Presenters Alliance. Previously, I managed the Ruth St. Theater at Prescott High School, where I taught technical theater for 10 years and guided students in building the sets and handling production elements for more than 35 full-scale shows.
In 1998, I co-founded the Arizona Shakespeare Festival (AzSF) in Prescott, Arizona, where I played a key role in its artistic and organizational leadership throughout its existence. With nearly four decades of experience in the performing arts, I have worked extensively as an actor, theater manager, technician, and educator in Houston, Los Angeles, and multiple cities across Arizona. I hold an MFA in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts and a BA in Liberal Arts/Drama from the University of Houston.
ASU Kerr was built by a composer/musician/teacher, Louise Lincoln Kerr. She was a strong woman who co-founded many of the arts organizations in the Phoenix valley. I am grateful to have found her Scottsdale gem and glad to be part of her mission. I think my theater and teaching experience gives me the flexibility, tenacity and courage to jump into any event role and do my best. With a tiny staff we are often wearing each other’s hats for a bit, so we never have a chance to get complacent. I am proud of the variety of shows we bring to ASU Kerr, always keeping Louise Lincoln Kerr’s goals in mind, and I am proud of the service we are able to give our local and visiting artists, as well as the clients who rent the property for large private events. We have learned to do the best we can without significant financial support from ASU. The history of the place is interesting, the buildings are beautiful, and the acoustics delightful, all making this “hip meets historical” venue a blast to encounter.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
It’s simple. Society needs to get out of the house as much as possible and spend just a third of what they spend for TV entertainment, on live events, concerts, theatre and dance, for our collective mental and emotional health. Live artistic events allow us to laugh, cry and share something together, other than how we vote. Our humanity thrives when we spend time together, learning about each other and laughing at ourselves, face to face. It may require effort, like continuing to look for the special deals and buying tickets earlier (yes this requires an earlier commitment). And so, artists and venues need to continue offering special deals to reward those who make an effort.
Another very important thing artists and arts management can do is get better at collaborating. The more we see ourselves as working together for one another’s success, the more success we will all achieve.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I think healthy emotional expression is really important. The arts give us that healthy outlet for expressing the emotions inside, as well as giving others a way to go on that journey, making connections they might not otherwise have found on their own. The arts increase empathy and respect. But it takes effort and exposure to create appreciation and growth. And unless we experience things in a live social atmosphere, we will completely forget how to express these powerful emotions in healthy ways. Then, these emotions will lodge themselves in our physical cells causing disease, stress and more disease. So, I have felt for at least forty years that my over all role in life has been to help facilitate people in feeling their feelings. Whether I am acting, producing, building a set or managing one of the most unique and beautiful music venues in existence, helping people connect with their own emotions, a collective humanity, or someone else’s journey is when I feel most useful to helping create peace on earth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.asukerr.com
- Instagram: @asukerrlive
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUKerr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/asukerr
- Other: https://www.twitch.tv/asukerr
