Platforms for VP Tech

Below are the platforms for those who are running for VP Tech in the elections on Tuesday, November 27, free period in the theater.

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Carolyn Holl – Vice President of Technical Affairs

Vice president of Technical Affairs is a huge job. Performing the job well takes not only a good leader, but a hard worker and thoughtful organizer. I realize that this job is not to be taken lightly. If elected, I would do a superb job because of all of all of my background knowledge.

My theater experience is not as extensive as some but I do have a lot of background knowledge from prior positions, before La Salle. I’ve been involved in theater in some way since I was in middle school, and have gained a unique passion for it. I was a sound engineer at my high school and at my home church. I was a sound engineer and on run- crew my freshmen year of high school for The Pajama Game. I was the head sound technician for the rest of my high school career as we preformed Grease, The Music Man, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In high school I became the liaison between the theater and school events. I was in charge of making sure that people who came from the outside to do performances or assemblies were knowledgeable about the theaters sound and lighting equipment. I also have experience leading organizations that will help me if elected to this position. I was my high school’s senior editor of the literary magazine, which gave me great experience in directing and overseeing projects, which is what I would be doing if elected VP Tech. Most recently I have made contributions to The Masque as a sound technician. I helped make improvements to the intercom system and helped run the microphones for Urinetown.

In the short time I have been at La Salle I have committed myself to being an avid part of the Masque. Already I have learned a lot about technical theater and helped in making this fall play a success. I am a fast learner and am willing to admit that I am wrong or don’t know something and ask for help. I am a very approachable person. I am always open to new ideas and better ways of completing tasks. I feel these traits are important for anyone coming into an Executive Board position. I also consider myself to be a dedicated person. When I commit myself to doing something, I don’t take that commitment lightly.

As VP tech I plan on actively utilizing the seniors and other experienced members of the Masque to teach me everything I need to know so that our productions will be as successful as before. If elected I will make sure to take advantage of the skills each TTA member has to offer, to get jobs done on time. In addition I will keep in close contact with the Executive Board about progress, budget and any problems that arise. I will work my hardest to keep in contact with Union Services and Physical Facilities about our endeavors. I am eager to make the TTA even better than the great organization it is today. Thanks to the hard work of my predecessors, (Dave and Greg), I have many resources and tools to use that are essential to the success of the program.

I feel that I would be able to work well with all the members of The Masque and TTA to keep producing the great shows we are known for. It is a transitional time for the Masque, and I am up to the challenge of helping make the transition a good experience. With my dedication, hard work, and knowledge I feel that I am a good person for the job of Vice President of Technical Affairs.

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Angelo Ratini

My outlook on the Office of Vice President of Technical Affairs:

The Masque is a team. Like any team, it must work efficiently and successfully. The office of Vice President of Technical Affairs must therefore be based most heavily in organization and planning. This requires a lot of diligence and hard work on the part of the Vice President. Almost as important to this would be the interaction between the stage crew and executive board with the Vice President. These interactions would not only continue to make the T.T.A./ The Masque a cohesive and efficient body, but also would allow it to continue with the idea of unity in which The Masque depends.

My style of running Vice President of Technical affairs would be that of the facilitator and delegator. I will help wherever I am needed, however, I will not take jobs away from more skilled techs. The more experience a tech has will dictate how much responsibility they will be given and the types of jobs they would be assigned. Each person’s specific talents and skills will be utilized to maximize The Masque as a whole. I will look forward to learning through the T.T.A. and through The Masque the various skills and knowledge that I will use to continue to abide by the high standards of this organization. Moreover, I plan to transcend expectations of what the Masque as a whole can accomplish through unity and hard work.

Goals if elected:
1. Efficient, organized and punctual running of technical affairs within The Masque
2. Helping to realize directorial decisions in a practical and feasible way, without compromising the desired effect
3. Timely construction, destruction, and repairing of all necessary technical aspects of The Masque
4. Adhering to the standards of The Masque, and trying to surpass previous expectations
5. Learning the various facets of Technical Theater and how I can apply them to the position of Vice President of Technical Affairs, such as: Set design, light engineering, light design, intermediate to advanced skills of sound engineering

Experience and skills I can bring to the position:
· Four years working in technical theater
o Eight plays worth of wiring, aiding in odd jobs, different positions such as: run crew, Sound tech, master of sound, lighting techniques, set construction and set design
· Computer and networking experience
· Good time management, diligent, open minded, innovative/ creative, and resourceful
· Leadership qualities in which I strive to hold:
o Honesty, integrity, and a willingness to help whenever and wherever I am able
· Previous leadership experience: Chairman of Grundy Library’s T.A.B, Editor (2 years)/ head Photographer for The Flame (3 and a half years), Master of sound for Holy Ghost Preparatory school’s drama department (3 and half years)

Platforms for VP Publicity

Here are the platforms of those who are running for VP Publicity this coming Tuesday, November 27, free period in the theater.

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(Megan had pretty/fancy formatting, but unfortunately it didn't all translate here. Take a look at the hard copy on the box office for a better idea.)


Part One - Why I want to be VP Publicity
I have always loved art and graphic design. I used to have a box of pictures, greeting cards, advertisements, and Home Depot color swatches - anything paper that caught my eye. I took art lessons from elementary school through eight grade, and then I went to a high school that specialized particularly in graphic design. When it came time to apply for colleges, I was torn for months - art school or Liberal Arts university? Obviously, I chose the latter. Now I'm an English major, and I love it; in fact the only time I doubt it is when I think about graphic design.

The Masque, for its part, is my favorite part about attending La Salle, and I want to contribute to its success in the best possible way. Being elected Vice President of Publicity would allow me an outlet for my love of art, and let me do something I excel at for an organization I love.

Part Two - My Qualifications
Previous Training:

I attended the Communications High School of Monmouth County (in New Jersey) and took three years of graphic design classes, as well as Mass Media, Public Relations, and Enterprise Publishing (magazine writing, designing, and printing). I have been using the applications necessary for this job, Quark and Photoshop, plus Adobe Illustrator, since I was 14, and in my senior year became a published graphic designer with an advertisement for a local bridal shop in the Asbury Park Press. That year, I also worked at the newspaper, writing stories and designing pages for their weekly teen section. Through my classes and experience, I have learned not only to design, but how to sell my client as well.

Personal Characteristics:

Anyone who knows me knows that I am almost too organized in my various classes and projects (if you don't know me... think Post-Its and color-coded notes). I am also very deadline oriented - I absolutely hate finishing things late. If I am behind schedule, I will do whatever is necessary to get myself caught up. As stage manager for Urinetown, I exhibited good leadership skills, the ability to keep other people organized and on schedule, and a high level of professionalism.

Part Three - My Contributions
The Philadelphia Story:

This was the first show for which I ever did tech. I attended almost every tech night, and designed or contributed to the set design of some key elements of the set, for example, the "marble" on the fireplace, the family portraits, and the benches used in the second act. I also came up with the idea of mixing sand into paint to acheive a stucco look for the large outside wall, a technique which I was able to implement again in the set for Urinetown.

Urinetown:

I was Stage Manager for this productions; again, a first for me. I completed my job successfully, and, in addition, designed the amenity and the back wall of the UGC office. I edited the program and designed the front cover. In addition, it was my idea to take headshots of all the actors and directors and hang them in the lobby, in the hopes that a cast memeber would be recognized, and interest in the show would be generated.

Part Four - Ideas for the Future
If elected, I want to work closely with other members of the E-board to ensure that all forms of external communications are well-prepared and, if necessary, aesthetically pleasing.

In addition, I have one large project for the future. I would like to give the image of the Masque a "face-lift" in order to generate more interest and raise house counts. Through conversation with friends outside of the organization, I discovered that the widely accepted opinion of the student body is that we are exclusive and elitist. I would like to attempt to change that opinion without comprimising our integrity. As a small part of a larger community, I think it is important to support other organizations, both to make the student population aware of our productions and form alliances with other student groups. In this way, I hope to cause a greater level of interest and membership.

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Raven Valdes
Publicity Platform

Hello. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Raven Valdes and I am a junior. I am a Communication major with a focus in public relations. I have been involved with the Masque since my freshman year. I have been in three shows, two Mavericks, and helped with the box office.

I believe that what I will bring to this position is dedication, experience, and excellent time management skills. Everything I start, I finish. I will never leave a project unfinished. I will never make promises that I cannot keep, even in this platform. One of the qualities that I believe you need to have for this position is knowing how to manage your time well. This semester I juggled my internship, school, and the show. Nothing I did was ever late or half finished. Everything I was assigned was accomplished on time and correctly. Next semester I do not have an internship nor will I be in our spring production. The only thing I will have on my plate, besides hopefully VP Publicity, will be classes and maybe a Maverick. I will have a good amount of time to dedicate to this position.

At my internship this semester, I gained valuable experience that I believe will help me in with VP Publicity. I did promotions and event planning for different films. At my internship, I had to proofread ads that were to be published in different papers and reports that had to be sent out to different studios. I helped plan Word of Mouth screenings that allowed people to see the film before it was released so that a buzz was created about it. All of this will help me if elected because of the programs that are made for every show and because of the posters. If the posters are not correct, then we will not have an audience for our shows. One thing that I would like to try to do is get our name out there more so that more people will know about our shows, come to them, and see them. We put on amazing shows and our talent, both onstage and off, should be shared with as many people as possible.

If elected, I will put my all into this position. This organization has meant so much to me and I would love to be apart of it in anyway that I can. I hope one of them will be by being VP Publicity. Thank you for reading my platform and please consider giving me your vote for VP Publicity.

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Platforms for VP Personnel

Below are the platforms for those running for VP Personnel in the elections this coming Tuesday, November 27, free period in the theater.

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Doug Phelan
Platform for the Office of Vice President of Personnel
Masque of La Salle University

Firstly, I am honored to have been nominated without solicitation for this position. It is a very comforting surprise to know that people believe I can help this organization in a positive way at the executive level.

If there’s one thing I don’t want to do, it is to be overbearing concerning the social duties VP Personnel performs for the general membership. Social life in the Masque has never been in need of forcing. Therefore, I believe that beyond creating a good atmosphere, I need not—and should not—overdo it. I feel those who have held this position during my time have taken great care in walking this fine line between not doing enough and excessively planning social events. I offer my thanks to Gwen, Melissa, and Sam for a job very well done and exemplifying how this position can be run.

The VP of Personnel serves as a liaison between three main parties: the executive board, the membership, and the rest of the La Salle community. Through my work on the executive board of another major Arts group on campus (the Jazz & Pep Bands), and through my work for the Division of Student Affairs, I have accumulated the necessary contacts at a professional level to maintain the beneficial channels of communication the Masque enjoys with the University and its many student groups. It is in this capacity that I feel zealous representation is key and I would be proud to represent you all in any way called upon.

Concerning the communication between the membership and the executive board, I rely on my years of friendship and conversation with all of you whether that be in the classroom, in the theater, or at lunch every day in Backstage. No matter the outcome of this election, I’ll always be available to you for help, a chat, or just a listening ear because you are my friends and, in many instances in this crazily related organization, my family.

Ah, family. One of the most exciting prospects of becoming VP Personnel would be helping to set-up the inductions process. I remember how special and memorable inductions were for me and I would love the opportunity to give that back to a new class. My Masque MOM being Megan McGee, I have grown to love all of the intricacies of the various trees and subsets that make up the Masque. I would love the opportunity to work with the E-board in ensuring an enjoyable inductions process for all who choose to enter it. We all leave our mark on this organization in different ways, yet there is nothing quite as historically prominent as continuing the growth of these family trees, started so many years ago. I hope this demonstrates, through my reverence for the process, the work and care I would invest.

Planning social events is my last major point here. I believe another characteristic of a good leader is the ability to realize one’s weaknesses. When you think “social chair,” you might not think “Doug Phelan.” I know I haven’t. However, in recognizing that I may not have a multitude of personal connections, I would reach out through the Masque to make our desire to celebrate work well done a reality. The formal has been held—in recent tradition—at Johnny’s, and I gather that it’s a place we look forward to seeing again. Concerning cast/crew parties, I would use all of the Masque’s connections to secure a good location. It is the good reputation of the Masque which allows us to secure off-campus houses for our gatherings, and I would look forward to utilizing and maintaining our good…err…“community ties.” Concerning Meet the Masque, I enjoy how it has been run, and this year’s freshman class has remained very active—so I consider it effective as is.

I know I’m running with a field of great folks for this position. When you’re voting a week or so from now, and you come across “Doug Phelan” on the ballot, there are a few things I hope come to mind: work ethic, personable, and intense desire to make the Masque an enjoyable group both on and off the stage. I feel that as an active member, I’ve reached the limits of what I can do, and I still have the desire to do more for each and every one of you. The majority of my college years having passed, I feel confident in saying that in retrospect, my closest friends have come from the Masque. Please elect me, so that I can be the steward of this organization’s great atmosphere and be part of a team that can bring the wonderful friendship and support you’ve given me these past two years to a new generation of the Masque.


Your Friend,
Doug Phelan

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Pam Woodward for VP Personnel!

Vice President of Personnel - kind of an important job, if you ask me. I mean, you’re only responsible for keeping the organization close-knit, the whole MoM-Baby system going, and organizing the most anticipated event of the year – the Masque formal…no pressure, right? But here’s the thing – I can handle it. Not only that, but I also believe that I have a lot to bring to such an important position. Hopefully, you will give me the opportunity to do it.

We’re in kind of a weird situation right now with a mid-year election – but I have to say I couldn’t be more excited about it, because getting elected now would mean getting to work almost immediately on one of the Masque’s most unique activities – Baby Week and Inductions. Now, while all of the candidates are incredibly qualified for this position, I have a major asset in this area. I have had the opportunity to spend time with almost every single person in the organization, particularly the freshmen on tech and in the show. See - spending every waking hour in the theater does have its benefits… I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know so many of you and am in a good position to make some good MoM-baby pairings with the help of the rest of E-board.

Speaking of always being in the theater – that means I’m really easy to find to discuss what’s on your mind as far as ideas or concerns for the Masque. If I’m not in the theater I’m probably at the table or in my townhouse, which is always open. I really like how accessible the E-board has become this year and I’m interested in keeping that trend going and making communication easier. Plus, I promise to not be too intimidating to talk to. This organization relies so heavily on the general membership – you guys deserve to be heard and as the go-between for E-board and the rest of the Masque, you can rest assured that you will be fairly represented.

Alright, communication: check, Inductions: check – that leaves socializing. It’s common knowledge I don’t drink, but I think we’ve all seen that it doesn’t have much of an effect on anything aside from the fact that with me around there’s always someone with their head on straight to handle any situation that might come up. Urinetown’s cast party was the first in awhile to not be broken up and I’d like to keep things on that positive note. In addition to the usual festivities, I’d like to see a couple of get-togethers take place between the beginning of the semester and the next show, since Picasso doesn’t pick up until February. I’d be interested in taking suggestions for specific ideas. And you can all breathe easy because guess who’s finally 21 come April 1st? That means that the case race and formal will be easily covered. Additionally, I have been known to throw a pretty awesome party and can put together a mean playlist – ask and I’ll get you a list of my references.

Alright guys, here’s the thing: this organization means the world to me. I think I’ve hit on the major jobs of VP Personnel. Hopefully I’ve given you some convincing reasons to consider me. Just think about it – most of you know me and what I can offer without even reading this platform. You’ve all seen how invested I am in the Masque currently. You can be sure that I’d like to do so much more in the future. As your VP Personnel I will do all that I can to make sure that the rest of this year is nothing short of amazing.

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Kyle Michael Abbott
Platform for VP Personnel
And Resident Wizard


Dear Masque,

There comes a time in every young person’s life when the difficult topic of the birds and the bees must be addressed. Thank you for instructing me thoroughly during the Urinetown cast party.

That said I’d like to help you continue such events. Not necessarily in the debauchery realm, but in the role of coordinating such social functions as we’ve all grown to crave. I also realize that the position means more than that. As Megan put it, I would “represent the organization to the E-board” as well as represent all of you. I know I’ve got a reputation for not being around and I can be quite boorish but I think, I know, I can do you all justice.

And not just justice. Integrity. Civility. Citizenship. The entire Affirmation.

Political sentiments aside, I want to help make your second semester a pretty darn good time. I’ve turned positions down before, I’ve verbally crapped on the Masque, but I genuinely want to help out. I feel like I’ve been around the block on campus enough to know that in order to make you all enjoy yourselves, I’ve got to ask you how you want it done. Also, I’ve seen what has worked, and what hasn’t, and want to revamp/create anew and make your times here the ones that people talk about for semesters to come. We’ve got a lot to be proud of and I’d like to help continue to add to the list. For the record, I’m not doing this for popularity, I’m not doing it for power, and I’m not doing it to throw a coup and make Improv the supreme rulers of Dan Rodden (although the thought crossed my mind). From a sincere heart, please send a vote this way.

It’s my last semester (other than grad school), so let’s all go out with a bang. I’ve got some weird ideas, some fun ideas, and the in-between too. Like the “Pie for Picasso on date somewhere close to Pi Day” Meet and Greet.

No guilt, but all I can ask is for you to give me a shot.
Please.
(Violent sobbing)

Thanks for the nomination and have a great break!

With love,

Kyle

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Ok kids, look them over and come to the meeting to hear their speeches and vote!

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