Welcome to the next in a series celebrating female colleagues who engage with theatre as critics, reviewers, bloggers or content creators. I am using ‘theatre’ to encompass all live arts performances, and ‘reviewer’ to cover all those who add commentary on what they see.
The master list is at: https://loureviews.blog/spotlight-on-female-theatre-reviewers-bloggers-critics-and-content-creators/
If you would like to be profiled as part of this project, please get in touch.
Today, I turn my attention across the pond to Connie, who runs connieandthetheatre in California!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be writing or creating content about theatre?
Hey everyone, I’m Connie. Born and raised in Southern California I’m a millennial with a day job that involves numbers, spreadsheets, and solving business related problems.
I’ve been a fan of theatre since I was a child. A few years ago I was looking for ways to get outside more and I thought, maybe I could attend more local theatre and start documenting it.
Outside of theatre I enjoy traveling, history, social and cultural podcasts, and spending quality time with friends.
If you have your own platform, when did it start and how did you come up with the name? If you write for one or many platforms, which was the first and how did you become involved with it?
When I decided to start documenting my theatre trips I created my instagram page. This was a few years ago. The first name I used was Conniegoesto, and the idea was I would write the name of the show in my caption and then it would say “Connie goes to The Wiz”, but soon enough I was asked for my email address (which I hadn’t made at the time) and I didn’t like “Conniegoesto” as an email address.
I then came up with Connieandthetheatre and really liked it. It’s actually a play on the title from the famous HBO series, Sex and the City. I feel like it represents my journey with theatre!
How would you describe yourself (reviewer, critic, content creator, YouTuber, influencer, other?).
I typically describe myself as a theatre blogger or theatre enthusiast. I’m still developing my voice but I’d eventually like to lean more into criticism.
At the end of the day, I want to encourage people to go out and see and support live theatre, but I also enjoy discussing the production elements of a show and the themes it explores.
What kind of shows do you cover, and in which geographical areas?
I cover plays, musicals, and fringe shows in the Southern California area.
Why do you continue to engage with theatre?
I continue to engage with theatre because it brings me so much joy. Seeing someone give it their all on stage is a thrilling experience.
Being a theatre performer is so taxing on a person and I believe it takes real passion to continue to do it day in and out.
That passion shows in many performances and even creative production design, so being able to witness that over and over again is like nothing else!
What’s the one thing that would make the theatre reviewing/content creating space easier for you personally, and/or for your platform?
Honestly, less algorithms. Putting hours into a post and not seeing it perform well, like not even shown to my half of my followers, can be very discouraging. It would be easier if I didn’t have to deal with that feeling.
Do you have a favourite show – and any you particularly dislike(d)?
My favorite show is Jersey Boys, followed by Come From Away. I don’t have any shows that I particularly dislike with a passion, although I have major issues with Ragtime, but a few shows I didn’t like are: Liberation, The Sound of Music, and Oklahoma.
The theatre commentary space is wide and diverse – is there any other female reviewer/content creator you would recommend, and why?
There are so many creators that I would recommend. I really enjoy following creators from different regions who highlight theatre in their area and speak passionately about the shows.
The list is long but i’ve narrowed it down to a few:
UK – Stalls to Stage, Rachel Reviewed, and The Rendition all do a great job highlighting the Black British theatre scene as well as other shows. I love their passion and everything they do. They give me so much FOMO because I don’t get to experience London theatre often!
NY – That Broadway Baker – She does vlog style reviews as well as weekly theatre round ups with prices. I love her transparency, critical takes on shows, and that she sees all types of things.
LA – Its Rebecca Knowles – She does influencer style content and I enjoy how she passionately describes shows in the LA region (NY sometimes too) and who she believes would enjoy them. I also really enjoy her editing style.
What’s the biggest change you have noticed in the theatre space since you started contributing to it?
I’ve only been in the space a couple of years so I haven’t been around long enough to get a good overview but it does seem, at least on the CA side, that theatres are leaning more into influencer marketing to help sell their shows.
I’m seeing longer campaigns (i.e. multiple posts over time about the same show) from the influencer creators and more specific discount codes given out. I do wonder where that all is going.
And which social networks are you most active on? If you are not on any, what is your opinion of their place in theatre reviewing/content creation?
I am most active on Instagram. I prefer that platform because it seems more amenable to polished content, which is typically want I try to make.
I’m on TikTok as well but I feel like the overall aesthetics encouraged on that app are less suited with the style I enjoy the most, but I try to get on board with it here and there.
Can you pinpoint one of your best reviews, features, or videos?
I wrote a longer piece on my feelings about the musical Parade, which is up on my Substack (oh yeah, I’m on there too lol), that I feel was one of my better pieces. I also really enjoyed the video I made for the play The Recipe.
How can people contact you who want to promote a show?
Through my email address: connieandthetheatre@gmail.com
Thanks, Connie!