BAT (used to be BLT) is beginning its 2013-14 season. It will be fantastical. It is a great time to volunteer. But why volunteer?
Over the years I have thought a lot about that. If it was all about the money, who would volunteer? No one. So there must be more.
Volunteering at BAT you are part of something bigger than yourself. You are part of something that helps your community both financially and culturally, but there is more.
Yes, when the lights go down it is about the actors and the script, but that is literally the culmination of the work of hundreds of people. Some do a little, some do a lot, but no one person could get a show up on its feet.
Without volunteers and donors, BAT would die. Because of BAT’s wonderful volunteers, who do what makes them feel better about themselves and helps all of those who come to see a performance at BAT, better live theater thrives at BAT.
But what about the money? Why volunteer when you can get paid? It is funny, say you

spend 5 or 6 hours playing World of Warcraft or reading a book, do you expect to get paid? Why not? How is volunteering at something that makes you feel better about yourself and your community while helping others enjoy something as magical as live theater any different? Is it not.
Many a thing in life is volunteer driven. I recently heard a TED talk by the founder of Wikipedia. It was founded on January 15, 2001. It is world wide, and volunteer driven. In a big or small organization volunteers make the good things in life go round.
So what can you do at BAT that will help make better live theater thrive? In no particular order:
Sort and organize costumes
Paint (sets and the rooms BAT uses in the building)
Build – all sorts of things from props, costumes, sets, shelves, seats …. Well, you get the idea
Marketing (all types including, but not limited to writing, selling, layout, graphics, design, editing)
Web management and maintenance
Facebook and other social media management
Sound equipment maintenance and acquisition
Lighting equipment maintenance and acquisition
Adopt a dressing room
Sell ads
Write grants
Ticketing
Front of house
Theater seats maintenance and acquisition
Secure donations
Help with finding and securing a new theater, storage and build space
Data entry (all sorts)
Office work (all sorts)
Phone contact with donors
Thank you’s for donors
Volunteer coordinator
Volunteer thank you party coordinator
Event manager (for passing out flyers)
Event manager (for other events)
Opening night party manager
Bar tender (and bar manager)
BAT donation manager (supplying ticket to other non-profits)
Flickr site manager
Bookkeeper
Accounting lead or assistance
BAT calendar coordinator
Community outreach coordinator
Theater class instructor
Theater class coordinator
Audition coordinator
Audition staff help
Being on-book during tech week
Sound board operator
Light board operator
Email newsletter writer
Email newsletter editor
New patron development
Script reading
Concessions staffing
Ushering
Picking up concessions
Concession development
Specialty drink development (a couple of interesting cocktails for every show)
New donor development
Postcard and poster distribution helper
Postcard and poster distribution manager
Display board manager
In house photographer
In house videographer
YouTube manager
YouTube content developer
Twitter manager
Tumblr manager
IT manager
Web master
Fundraising events coordinator
Program design
Program writing/editing
Answering office phone
Hospitality
Donor thank you party coordinator
Playwrights Festival coordinator
And 1000 and 1 more things. If you can think of it there is a VERY good chance BAT needs your help with it.