BILL DELL: TUCSON’S WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The Tucson theater community BBD (Before Bill Dell) wasn’t even a community. Each local theater company had a handful of “friends” who were actors. There wasn’t any sharing of information. All the companies were kind of territorial. It was almost like infidelity if one actor wanted to be in someone else’s show. Feelings were hurt, harsh words were shared.

“I started the email list almost 13 years ago,” said Dell, famous for his climate-controlled wine refrigerator, sitting at his kitchen table with a glass of vintage red. “Jennifer Williams was working with Desert Players. Somehow she got my name and asked if I would do the front of house.

“I got everyone’s email and that’s how it started.”

What Dell started so innocently -- sending out audition notices and other theater announcements to the city’s actors, directors, backstage technicians and patrons of the arts – began snowballing as more people wanted to be included. For those creating theater here, the items were actual news. This information helped them follow the action, to be involved with more productions, to learn about acting classes and find out who was casting for independent films.

No longer was each actor a lone wolf, prowling for rumors, searching for auditions, feeling dependent on a handful of insiders for any kind of stage opportunity.

“I have no idea how many people are on it now,” said Dell, smiling. “I operate it through Yahoo! Groups, and people just sign up.

“One thing I would say about the list serve, it has made actors aware there are more opportunities here. This helps the acting community become more aware of itself.

“And,” he added significantly. “It helps people from outside Tucson, especially in Los Angeles, Albuquerque and Colorado, learn there is a viable community of artists here.

“A number of people on the list serve don’t even live in Tucson.”

An even more important part than sending out new information, in Dell’s opinion, is his role in filtering out unwanted information. Con artists, scammers, the unscrupulous so-called acting coaches and headshot photographers who promise stardom in return for a high fee, preying on “the hopes and dreams of sincere people.”

Dell particularly mentions those who exploit parents, convincing them their child can become a star if the child just pays a hefty price for acting lessons. Another one is the “agent” who promises an actor a role if the actor first pays for an audition.

“My sort of rule of thumb is never, ever, ever pay for an audition. Nobody should ever ask you for money to get an audition,” Dell emphasizes.

Actors are always being asked to work for free, which Dell says can be legitimate in certain cases.

“Young people who have a passion for film and want to test their skills as directors and producers do need actors willing to work for free.

“I don’t want to filter out these students who have a legitimate purpose. And, generally, the actors are willing to support them.”

As an example of how the list serve fertilizes the theater scene, Dell points to the newly forming Arid Rose Theatre Company. Instead of groping around for a few friends who can act a little, the company’s founders were able to send audition notices to the city’s entire acting community. For the actors, this was big news – a new company means a whole new opportunity to work with new faces.

Finding out about Arid Rose began with Dell’s web crawler, which picked up a small announcement on Twitter.

“I spend about an hour each morning on the list serve, with my coffee. I have a couple of web crawlers that look for stuff.”

Arid Rose is still working on its website, but thanks to that Twitter, Dell sent the word out about auditions and the company’s new plans. Arid Rose might still be a work in progress, but the first production is already cast. Stay tuned for details.

“I think really what I can add to the process is this ability to sort out the information, to separate out the illegitimate stuff. I guess you could say it is a combination of talent and skill, something that you can get better at over time.”

This honesty has paid off in credibility. Dell’s daily emails, sometimes numbering a dozen or more, carry weight and do get responses. He says the most important part is being consistent.

“To me, the more people who see the arts the more the audience grows. This isn’t a competitive thing, but a positive growth thing.”

Dell does have his limits, however. He refuses to send out announcements of any auditions in Phoenix. His list serve is for Tucson only. While his email coverage began with theater and expanded to include film, he refuses to expand any further.

“I love theater and the performing arts in general, that’s the only justification I can think of for doing this,” Dell chuckles, but he won’t be adding any more genres. “I do have a day job,” he laughs.

So the idea of adding this website, Let The Show Begin, was a way to expand more coverage of the other performing arts into the wider Tucson community. Dell is also the webmaster for Let The Show Begin, often offering advice even as he is changing airplanes in some far-off city. There would be no Let The Show Begin if it wasn’t for Bill Dell.

Need more evidence of his idealism? Dell’s wife Beth is the general manager of the downtown Beowulf Alley Theatre Company. Yes, he sends out announcements about her company. But she encourages him to keep sending out all those other emails, as well. Together they are committed to encouraging the robust growth of new performing arts in the Old Pueblo.

(the latest entry by Let The Show Begin showcasing Tucsonans supporting the arts community and Doing It For the Love)