Well, it’s the time of year where my work-study job with the Department of Fine and Performing Arts (DFPA) begins to pick up.

Today is my first production meeting of the semester. In production meetings the goal is to go over all the set up and program details for an upcoming concert. This planning involves many different dimensions ranging from room reservations, equipment moves, setup diagrams and tech rehearsal requirements. We also need to discuss the concert order and figure out all the ensemble moves, light changes, audio needs and any other number of special requirements for the event.

Luckily these production meetings, and subsequent productions, have gotten easier with time. I have followed a discipline of creating event run sheets and event reports for each separate event. This means that when we have a similar event, say for example an Orchestra & Chorus concert, I can go into my records and pull up the last run sheet and event report. After doing research I can figure out what we needed to accomplish last time, how we solved our problems, and what kinds of things went wrong for which we had not prepared.

This method follows the RPIE (Research, Plan, Implement, Evaluate) method I have learned in my Public Relations classes. It has helped me create a virtuous cycle in which every event builds on the successes of the last and works to improve the mistakes.

Since this is my last semester, I am especially glad to have this kind of blueprint for my replacement. One of my main concerns this past year has been how to gracefully finish my stay at the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. I have been delegating more event tasks to my staff over time so that they are all capable of coordinating their efforts and producing a well-run show. At the same time, I have been creating these event reports and run sheets so that someone may sit down at my old desk and have a wealth of resources upon which to draw when managing events.

Here’s hoping for a final successful semester of events!