the first time

The first time is always special, n'est-ce pas?
Last month, one of my new friends had posted a link on his blog, a link to a proposed festival of short plays. I clicked the link - and was hooked! Titled "A Midsummer Night's Play Festival", it promised a unique experience. Actors, writers, directors would be granted only twenty-hour hours to create, script, direct, and learn the lines of brand-new ten-minute plays. WOW! Even better, the Festival would take place at my favorite new venue in town. Sweet! And it would include the artistic renderings of several folks I know. Hey, how could I possibly resist being part of that myself???
The link also served to introduce me to Kickstarter. Billing itself as "the world's largest funding platform for creative projects", Kickstarter allows the populace at large to "put their money where their mouth is". See a project there that you think is a good idea? Well, buddy, YOU can become a backer with just a few clicks of your mouse and taps of your fingers on the keyboard. If that project is deemed worthy by sufficient folks' pledges, then it gets funded and becomes reality; if the project does not reach its funding goal, then you have lost nothing from your wallet.
Kickstarter allows each of us multiple opportunities to be part of something greater than ourselves, a unique new endeavor, a creative good. And, as if being part of such would-be works wasn't reward enough, each project allows its donors gifts at each participation level. Just have a couple of bucks to throw into the pile? You might be granted a shout-out at the event, a handwritten thank-you, a grateful email. Want to donate the cost of movie popcorn and soda toward new art? You just might get a dvd of the short film, a painted magnet, a special weblink to the new music. At the highest gift levels, you might find yourself an honorary director, a character in a new video game, the owner of a truly one-of-a-kind painting.
Go on, check it out - www.kickstarter.com. You never know what you might find or how a project you help fund might impact the world.
Now, I have wonderful memories of a fun evening with so many thespians and writers and directors, some I know and some new to me.
I also own a physical memento: a signed artwork by the designer of the poster and program.
What a great birthday gift to myself!