Left Hip Pocket
Hey, Diamando! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to talk with you.
Diamando Stratakos
Thanks for asking me
LHP
Let's get the general housekeeping chores out of the way first. Tell us a little about who you are and what you do.
DS
My name is Diamando Stratakos and I am a founding member of Left Hip Productions, a theater company based in NYC. I'm also an actor, producer, director, and playwright
LHP
So, you're a producer. That's almost a naughty word for an artist. Why'd you decide to "go to the dark side"?
DS
When I was in college, I found myself in a highly competitive environment for actors. I wasn't getting the types of opportunities I wanted, so I decided to start creating some for myself. I helped form a company called Up & Running Productions at Syracuse University. That was where I first realized that my obsessive compulsive perfectionism could actually be a positive attribute.
LHP
Well, I can attest to the OCP -- having been on the receiving end of it. Let me ask you this ... do you think being a producer is actually the dark side?
DS
I think being a producer is both light and dark, but most of all, it's necessary. Producing forces people to know everything about the business. Producing has made me a better artist. And I like being in charge, so playing in the dark side of things is fun.
LHP
Fair enough. Take a walk with me. You are at Syracuse University "Up and Running", then you land in New York City. Now you are Left and Hip. Fill in some of the details, please.
DS
After college, I went to Greece for six months to hang out with my family and get a tan. While I was there, I met a famous Greek television actress who ran a theater company in Athens. I took a job as her associate producer.
I had to leave that job to go back to the US.
Then I worked on and off as a stage manager at the Kitchen Theatre in Ithaca, NY until I finally followed a guy (and my dreams) to NYC.
Then, I sort of let my side job of being a waitress take my life over. I wasn't sure I wanted to be involved in theater anymore. Then, in November of 2008, I ran into an old friend from college, Jason Surratt. I had produced some of his work.
Before I knew it, we were producing a festival of 24 short plays, and soon after that, Left Hip Productions was formed. Of course, I never would have had time for any of that had I not injured myself bartending.
LHP
How many shows are you and Left Hip responsible for to date?
DS
I have to take a minute to count them all, but I believe the number is 60 ten minute plays, a full length play, and two one-act plays. Some of those were collaborations with the Gene Frankel Theatre- just to set the record straight.
LHP
In just over a year? So, what do you do with all your free time?
DS
Ha!
Honestly, besides the theater and going to physical therapy, there isn't time for much else. Good thing I really like theater.
LHP
I had to ask. To recap: Is it safe to say ... Tanning in Greece, bad. Bartending, bad. Boys, bad. Theater, good. Dreams, good.
DS
I'm not one to say that any experience is bad. Honestly, had it not been for Greece, bartending, and boys, I wouldn't be at the point where theater and dreams were happening. Also, there is nothing bad about Greece.
In the future, I hope to take Left Hip Productions global with my first stop being in the birthplace of theater.
LHP
Possaic*, New Jersey? (Is that how you spell that?)
DS
I'm not sure how you spell that, but I think we may be referring to two different types of theater.
LHP
Let's talk a little about your type of theater.
DS
Sure, what do you want to know?
LHP
What is Left Hip theater? What's the goal?
DS
Left Hip Productions is all about being part of a community. The people involved in the creative process are the driving force behind everything we do. Collaboration is key to our success.
Our flagship program is a festival called From the Hip. It's a 48-Hour play festival that thrusts playwrights, directors, and actors into a collaborative environment and forces them to create new work.
It's fun and fast and crazy. Through doing these festivals, we have managed to meet hundreds of truly talented artists.
LHP
What are you working on right now? Besides a serious case of sleep deprivation, I mean ...
DS
There is so much going on right now, I'm not sure where to begin.
LHP
Tell me a little about the next show.
DS
Our next big event is the 8x10 Glossy Shorts: Plays from the Left Hip. It is an evening of eight 10-minute plays. Half of these plays were created in our From the Hip festivals, some of them are new plays from playwrights we have worked with before, and one of the plays is from a playwright we have just met.
This series is a great way for us to give opportunities to our community members and cultivate our play development program.
LHP
So, it's not all about fast? Something else is going on here?
DS
Absolutely. Fast is fun and forces creativity and collaboration, but it isn't the be all and end all. From the Hip is a great way to meet people and get ideas for new shows. Right now, our focus is on taking people and product from the fast environment and giving them the time and place to shine.
LHP
We'll be interviewing some of the playwrights, directors and actors later, but tell me something. When all is said and done, what would you like the artists and the audiences to get out of what you and the rest of the Left Hip Productions crew are doing?
DS
I would like people to understand that creating theater is a multi-faceted process. It's not just about the play, or the actors, or the venue. It's about all the people coming together for a common goal. That's what makes theater so magical.
I know that sounds corny. But at the end of the day, if I'm helping create an environment where people can make their dreams come true, I've succeeded.
LHP
So, it's not just you trying to get back to Greece the hard way?
DS
I am looking rather pale these days...
LHP
That's OK. No one is getting a chance to see you anyway.
DS
True. I'm at every Left Hip Productions event though. And there are a lot of those.
LHP
So, if you are looking for a pasty, driven professional with a passion for what she does ...
DS
I'm your gal.
LHP
All right. I'm done laughing now. Let's do a little shameless self-promotion (Or, rather, a little more shameless self-promotion). If someone reading this is inspired to help out, what can they do?
DS
If someone wants to get involved, they should check out our website at www.LeftHipProductions.com and send us an email at submissions@lefthipproductions.com. It also can't hurt for them to come to one or more of our shows and introduce themselves. Our next show starts Wednesday, February 10 at 7PM at The Shell Theatre.
LHP
Details are on the website.
DS
By the time anyone reads this, they will be.
LHP
I don't know, I'm pretty quick with the postings.
DS
I better get back to work and stop talking to you then!
LHP
Fair enough. Diamando, it's been a pleasure.
DS
For me as well. Next time, let's talk on the beach somewhere. I would hate to be known forever as the pasty girl.
LHP
No worries there. It's good to have goals.
DS
Too true. All right, I'm putting my nose back to the grindstone (though I don't really get that expression). Thanks for the chat!
LHP
Any time ... you have time. Check out Diamando's pasty self from Feb. 10-14 at The Shell Theater, 300 W. 43rd Street, The Times Square Arts Center, 4th Floor. She's not just producing this one. There will be some acting and some directing going on. She's a multi-faceted woman.
DS
But still you had to plug me as pasty. Oh well, I can't win them all.
LHP
Don't need anyone stealing your concentration and dedication, Diamando. There's too much theater to make.
DS
I'm on it. See you there.
* It's actually Passaic. We Googled it, so we know it's true.
POCKET NOTE:This is the first of many interviews with Off-Off Broadway's rich theatrical community. Stay tuned for more.
