We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelci Schlierf. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelci below.
Kelci , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I’m the second and smallest child out of four, and grew up with authoritarian parents. I learned from a young age that if I wanted something badly enough, I’d have to fight for it. But it also taught me that not every battle is actually worth fighting. I learned early on to choose my battles wisely and conserve my energy for those causes which I cared most about.
I also had a strong sense early on that injustices needed to be combated, and that empathy always wins. When you’re young, kindness can be seen as a weakness, but as you get older you realize that leading with empathy and kindness is a sign of strength. I knew how awful it felt to be bullied, and to be left out, and I wanted nobody to feel as isolated as I often felt.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I grew up in the theatre, because it was the only place I ever truly felt like I belonged. I was always the odd one out at home, at school, on the soccer team, basically anywhere. I was painfully shy and had a difficult time making friends, because I was so afraid of being judged. But on stage, I could be somebody else and inhabit another world, where I could be anyone I wanted to be and have the confidence to do things I’d never do in real life. I had permission to be loud and weird, and no one told me I was being annoying or “doing it wrong”.
As a director and artistic director today, my main goal is to help other artists to feel accepted and seen in ways that they may not always feel. It’s important to me that actors who audition for me know that their time is appreciated, even if they aren’t cast. When we recieve submissions from playwrights, it’s important to us to respond personally to each one, and actually read every play. When we began this company, one of the programs we decided to offer was free dramaturgical support to any playwright who requests it. We still do consultations and feedback sessions with playwrights today. We believe in supporting and developing new work because we know how difficult it can be when you’re just starting out in any artistic field. You complete your training and have no idea what to do next. And that’s where we come in.
Part of our mission statement is: We produce both new and unfamiliar works that embrace a compassion for all aspects of humanity. At it’s core, art is about connection. It’s about bringing people together and communicating the complicated emotions that we can’t always express through words alone. We find it most important to use art to create a community and to allow artists to communicate who they are and how they feel . We provide a springboard for artisits to launch careers and reach audiences they may not otherwise connect with.
We just closed our production of Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, the original tragic play that inspired the hit musical. That production speaks to everything that Sewer Rats is about. This play is about young teenagers coming of age and trying to learn about themselves from a world that would sooner see them dead than give them what they need, It speaks to the dangers of barring children from education and information, and the importance of mental health treatment. It shows characters begging to be seen and heard, and despearate for connection. We are all those children, and it’s my hope that Sewer Rats can be the kind of people that those children so desperately needed.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first quality is empathy. I feel strongly that by leading with kindness and seeking to understand the perspectives of others, we are able to achieve consensus and make choices that are best for the production or project as a whole. I believe in respecting the agency of all others in the room.
The second is flexibility. In the arts, and in life, you always have to be prepared for your plans to be upended at any moment. Resources fall through, people have emergencies, any number of things can cause you to need to change plans at a moment’s notice. Part of having a well-thought out plan is knowing that you may need to throw out that plan and start over at any moment. You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and do what you can, with what you have.
The third is listening, and understanding that sometimes, your idea isn’t the best one in the room. As a director and producer, a big part of my job is assembling the right people in the right roles, and getting out of their way. I believe in a very collaborrative approach to problem solving, and part of that is allowing everyone in the room to voice how they’re feeling and what they think is best. You never know where the best idea is going to come from, so it’s important to allow everyone in the room to have an equal voice,
My advice for early-career artist and producers is to get yourself in as many rooms as possible. Volunteer where you can. Accept assistant positions, audition for productions, work backstage. Ask questions! Learn what you can from every experience, take with you what is useful, and shake off what isn’t. Sometimes the best learning expereince is learning what not to do, and why. Every experience is an educational one if you allow it to be.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Sewer Rats Productions is always looking for new collaborators! We are always open to reading new scripts and connecting with up and coming playwrights. Whether you’re looking for feedback on a script, looking to stage a developemntal reading, or are interested in having your show produced, we’re open to reading any and all submissions.
We would also love to connect with up and coming directors, actors, designers and technicians! We are really seeking to build a community of like-minded artists and continue to pool our artistic resources and connections for the betterment of all aritsts involved. If you’ve worked with us even once, we consider you family, and we are always looking to expand and connect with new creatives.
If you’re interested in working with us, send us an email at [email protected]!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sewer-rats.com/
- Instagram: @phillysewerrats
- Facebook: @sewerratsproductions
Image Credits
Christina Morganier Sarah Billings Spencer Ventresca
