Beyond Annoyed

[ceebeegee]

I am a member of TRU (Theater Resources United), a group for theater producers and other professionals.  I haven't taken much advantage of the classes and workshops they offer, but I have sat in on their annual combined auditions several times, once or twice with Duncan and once for Julie.  That's the main draw for me, those auditions, and why I renew every year.

TRU sends out quite a few weekly emails, advertising their classes, etc. and many (if not all) are from one of the bigwigs, a guy named Bob Ost.  His emails can sometimes have a weird tone, a little too pleading and whatnot.  I wish I could cite examples, but just know that's a trend I've sensed--they sound slightly unprofessional and frankly kind of desperate sometimes.

Last week he sent out an email asking people to respond because they were "cleaning out their email list" or something like that.  This sort of pinged me--if you're getting bounce-backs, just delete them.  I forgot about it and didn't respond, so yesterday I get this email:

I recently sent an email to my entire directors list and asked everyone to email back to confirm receipt, and interest in the list. I never heard back from you, or perhaps I missed your email (I do this all manually - no techno-software to help right now). So if you want to remain on the list, email back to me. If you DON'T want occasional director emails, email back as well. And if you want to be removed entirely from all things TRU, let me know that as well (a merciful explanation of why would be appreciated).

I may also be doing a test through my Mailermailer email service to make sure I have everyone on this list also signed up as a director on THAT list. Eventually I would like to get rid of this one, and just depend on the Mailermailer list, but over a thousand people were subscribed before we started capturing their areas of interest (director, actor, etc.) I may be sending a director survey through that list, to gauge your interest in TRU programs.

Well, here's a test question: Did you get the recent TRU Update Valentine's Day issue? Are you actually signed up for the Mailermailer email service we use to mail to you?

Please be patient with me as I try to improve these lists, and do let me know whether to keep you on or remove you. There is no problem with keeping you on the list, even if you simply have idle curiosity as to what's happening now and then; but I'd like the list to be realistic.

I sent back a one-sentence reply:

Yes, please keep me on the mailing list.

And got THIS in reply:

Thanks Clara, but you haven't opened an email from TRU in seven months. Are we landing in spam? Check your spam folder for an email from Friday headed "Open up for a great big bouquet of TRU opportunities" - let's see if we can figure this out so I can get my mailings through to you in the future. Thanks!

We know each other through Maitely Weisman, don't we?

What. The. FUCK?  Are we dating or something?  Why the hell is he monitoring how often I open my emails--and why should that MATTER?  My dues are paid up, that's what matters.  Good God.  What a passive aggressive pathetic, unprofessional little missive.  "Thanks, but..."  Ugh!  Just ugh.  I don't particularly want to quit but I am very creeped out being challenged about my level of involvement.  Dude, I WORK as a director and an actor.  That's why I don't have time to read your constant emails, or take part in your constant workshops, the salient info of which is in the TITLE of the email so I know right away whether I can or want to do it.   Aren't we supposed to try to GET work?    Isn't that one of the goals of this organization?

And I have no idea who Maitely Weisman is.

Comments

[chillygator.livejournal.com]

I cringed at the "I do this all manually" but then it goes down hill from there.

Your life is so fun (o:

[wonderpanther.livejournal.com]

Just, wow.

[king-duncan.livejournal.com]

Ugh, he's so weird. TRU just stinks of "losers" to me; Bob seems to think he's doing a big service to theatre professionals in New York, but it's mostly just connecting idiots to idiots. I haven't been a member for years, but still get the e-mails and still get invited to be an industry person at their audition events (which I'm not planning on going to this year). And all the playwright information on their newsletters is usually a month out of date, or has to do with John Chatterton.

Maitely Weissman is an acquaintance of mine. She's a producer.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Maybe I should just ignore it and let my membership lapse. I remember last year I forgot to renew, so when I contacted them in March or April saying hey, I forgot, how can I renew online, he just seemed waaaaay too happy and warm about it. And that time too, he was all "Don't I know you through....[somebody else]?" I really like those auditions though, and want the option to continue sitting in on them. How did you get to do that two years ago--were you still a member then?

UGH! I'm getting pissed off all over again! Why does he require a damn interview from everyone? NO1CURR. I don't have time for that shit. I already have to spend far too much time cleaning out my email box--with various soccer endeavors, casting notices, emails related to my current show (especially if I'm directing), RightRides, etc. etc. etc. I get TONS of emails every day. It actually drives me crazy but there it is--I have a busy life. I don't want to have to explain WHY I'm doing deleting some emails. Doesn't he know that's something you let people opt IN to; you don't put them on the spot by demanding they give you feedback. If you want to pay me for my time, I will give you feedback. If not, I have no interest.

[king-duncan.livejournal.com]

I get invited because I'm a producer with a name that people will recognize so they can promote it to the poor actor schmucks who are paying for the privilege of auditioning for me. I've done it every year the last 4 years or so; last year I was just sad about it and didn't come back to the 2nd day.

No, he has no clue about anything. I decided to not re-join after this unpleasantness.

[king-duncan.livejournal.com]

Oh, and they're looking for people to attend the auditions now, I think I got an e-mail about it. If you want to go as a representative of Cross-Eyed Bear Productions, you're welcome to.