The Flying P…

• will not be a marketing email. 🚫
  You’ll still get those from the Phipps from time to time, but they’ll be short, to the point, and usually centered around programming or some other Phipps offering. The Flying P’s focus will be the Center itself. What goes into selecting shows? Who decides which pieces of art are displayed in the galleries? Is there a basement (hint: yes) and if so, what’s down there (hint: weird stuff). Every week, you’ll hopefully learn something new and/or interesting about your beloved arts center.

• will come directly from me. 🙋‍♂️
  I’m Ben, the PCA’s executive director. I’ll be the one writing this thing and sending it out every Monday morning, so it’ll be peppered with my individual perspective on things. I’m going to keep my writing style pretty casual. Hope that’s okay.

• is going to be fun. 🎉
  I know, I know…I might be jinxing myself right now, but I will try my best to make The Flying P an email you actually look forward to opening every single week. You’ll have to let me know if I end up succeeding.

EDUCATION

I ❤ SAC

One of my absolute favorite times of the year (I’m in year 2 so I get to have favorites now) is Summer Arts Camp.

Kids are running and screaming, there are activities everywhere, moms and dads dropping off and picking up. I actually collided with a small child running through the lobby the other day. We dusted ourselves off and gave each other a hi-five because THAT’S THE SPIRIT OF SAC!

The energy it brings to the building is truly wonderful. Over 1,000 young people¹ are taking part in the PCA’s various summer arts camps this year, and we couldn’t be happier about that.

PEOPLE

Phipps production values are A+++

I recently signed up to be a scene shop volunteer and was able to carve out some time to help with the set build for Arsenic and Old Lace. Wow! I cannot say enough good things about our Production Department.

Mark Koski (Production Director), Kassi Kulow (Scene Shop Manager), and all the awesome scene shop volunteers are absolutely amazing. I’ve worked at many theatre² orgs across the Twin Cities, and the production work the Phipps turns in is as good as any (and we do it with fairly modest budgets). Then there’s Katie Cherro (Production Stage Manager) consistently working magic in the booth and backstage…it’s all really quite impressive.

I know I’m preaching to the choir, but I just can’t get over how talented these people are. We’re so lucky here at the Phipps!
👏👏👏

👆
my favorite gallery piece of the week
It reminds me of spending summers in South Dakota as a kid.
I worked on a honey farm. It was a blast.

RANDOM

My office view is NOT HELPING

Listen…
Do I enjoy working in the beautiful St. Croix Valley day in and day out? YES. Does the view from my office window make it easy to get work done? NO.

This is a pic I snapped just before the MN Orchestra started playing at the bandshell. Did you attend? If this annual event isn’t on your calendar, you’re doing Hudson incorrectly.

Ease up on the beautiful-things-right-outside-my-window-during-work-hours, everybody!

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Talk to you next week!