Trek (1 of 7): Club vs. Department Sponsorships

Although I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2001, I am not a current student and this would limit my options in regards to scheduling a venue for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production premiere.

This is one of seven posts relating to my info-gathering trek to BYU on October 21, 2008.

Rather than stopping by at the Campus Scheduling Office unannounced, I set an appointment at 8:30am on October 21, 2008 so I could sit down with the people and not feel rushed in asking questions.

As to be expected, the cost of the rooms vary depending on:

• number of hours needed (with four hours being the base number)
• size of the room
• use of stages, microphones, or risers (up to 5 available)
• sponsorship of BYU department
• sponsorship of BYUSA club

The Campus Scheduling Office could reserve rooms for anywhere on the BYU campus except the Harris Fine Arts Center, the building that houses the College of Fine Arts and Communications. The HFAC was the place I hung out while majoring in Communications Marketing.

If I desired the Gerrit de Jong, Jr. Concert Hall (1,268 seats) or the Franklin and Florence Jepperson Madsen Recital Hall (402 seats) or the T. Earl and Kathryn Pardoe Drama Theatre (509 seats), then the HFAC Scheduling Office rather than the Campus Scheduling Office would be my destination.

Though I have attended many shows in each of the aforementioned popular places in the HFAC building, while at BYU I had to take a peak. I felt my heart pound and my jaw drop as the places looked even more beautiful than I remembered. Something inside me said, "If I can't reserve one of these HFAC places, then I need something of equal prestige."

The only option left would be to book a place off campus.

While in awe of these venues, I still considered the Varsity Theatre at the Wilkinson Student Center. Though not as glamorous as HFAC, the Varsity Theatre still had 396 seats with cushioned red seating and a lovely stage area. It could work.

The prices for Varsity Theatre of minimum 4-hour use:

• $400--commercial
• $200--non-profit
• $160--sponsored by BYU department
• Free--sponsored by BYUSA registered club (such as the BYU Storytelling Club)

I was the president of the BYU Storytelling Club from 1997 to 2001 and the Varsity Theatre was not free during that time for us. Since then, the Wilkinson Student Center is considered the "home" of BYUSA clubs and so there is the benefit of the free use of rooms--any rooms.

I already planned to meet with the current BYU Storytelling Club president, though learning the "free" factor made it more urgent.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller