Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
A new Grants Pass native. Steven Sabel works as an Information Coordinator for the City of Grants Pass.
Beyond insightful conversation about working for the city, we then venture into his hit podcast he hosts called, Don’t Quill The Messenger and just what is the Shakespeare Authorship Question?
Also head over to the link below and get your tickets (physical and virtual) for his upcoming theatre event. Steven and his wife Annie will be lead roles in Pygmalion, at the Barnstormers Theatre, starting on October 23rd, 2020 (dates below).
Get Tickets today – https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=barns
Dates and Times for Pygmalion at Barnstormers Theatre
Friday Oct 30, 2020
7:30 PM – 10:00 PM PDT
October 23rd – November 8th
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM
Sundays at 2:00 PM
No performance on Halloween
Take a listen to the Don’t Quill The Messenger Podcast that Steven Hosts – https://shakespeareoxfordfellowship.org/
Transcription
Brian: Steven Sabel is the Information Coordinator for the city of Grants Pass. A position he’s held for the past year after moving his family to Grants Pass from the LA region of Southern California where he owned and operated his own Theatre Company for eight years.
He’s an award winning producer and director with more than 130 successful productions to his name. He has an extensive background in journalism, public relations, marketing and the performing arts.
Welcome to Grants Pass VIP.
Steven: Well, I’m thrilled to be here. I don’t consider myself a VIP in any terms or under any circumstances. But I’m thrilled to have been asked to be your guest today and talk to you about how I came to become a Grants Passien.
I don’t even know yet if that’s exactly how you refer to Grants Pass residents. But it’s the one that I’ve seem too stick with since moving here.
As you mentioned, in the intro a little over a year ago, my family and I are very proud to be Grants Passien’s now. And I’m happy to be here.
Brian: Yeah, that’s great. So why Grants Pass of all places? How did you end up at this spot?
Steven: Well, you know, my wife, her mother and stepfather moved here almost 15 years ago, to be closer to her brother and his family who lived in the Salem area. And so they chose Grants Pass as a means of not having to go quite so far north, so they could still venture down into California to visit California family and relatives. But to be in Oregon, and not California, and to enjoy all that Grants Pass and its surrounding area has to offer, which as you know, is one of the best places in all of Oregon, if not all the country, if not all the world.
So when I met Annie, my wife 10 years ago, very early on in our relationship, we knew that it was going to become a very serious relationship. And that sparked our first trip up here.
It was the, you know, come spend some time with mom and step dad and sister and brother in law who also live in Eugene close by. So it was sort of, you know, this guy’s really a thing and get to know the family better, kind of a weekend trip.
And that was my first introduction to Grants Pass. So over the 10 years that we’ve been together, we’ve been married seven. Now we just celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary on September 14.
Over that 10 year span, we would come up here at least once a year, usually two to three times a year, over that period of time. So during that time, I came to know more about the community, I came to know more about the Rogue River.
Their property is right on the Applegate River. I came to fall in love with our beautiful historic quaint downtown area and district.
Started developing my favorite restaurants and places to go to, you know, marvel that you could walk in and still get a phosphate at the Grants Pass Pharmacy and soda fountain, for you know, just a few cents here and there.
Like that kind of thing appealed to me always from the get go. During the course of our relationship and marriage, we now have three magnificent, beautiful children.
Our eldest had reached the age where it was time for us to figure out what we’re doing for her for school to start kindergarten. And that was last year. Through the spring and summer.
As we started approaching the fall, we went okay, we need to know what we’re going to do. We had purchased a condominium in Southern California in the North Valley of LA.
And we bought what we could afford at the time wasn’t necessarily the best location and definitely not the best with regards to school opportunities. So that was putting some pressure on us as far as making a decision on what we’re going to do.
And we started looking at what our options were to get out of LA, to get out of Southern California. And we considered several different areas.
The company my wife worked for at the time had locations in different states and we considered a couple of those locations. Atlanta, Georgia was one Houston, Texas was another.
We had some family connections in New Mexico and we had considered some areas of New Mexico. And then of course, we knew that her mother was here in Grants Pass so we weighed out all of our different options and ultimately we decided, Okay, Grants Pass in Southern Oregon is where we’re going to go and that’s what started the move.
Ironically, once we made the decision, we said, we’re doing it, Grants Pass, we actually were returning from a visit to New Mexico. And it was during that New Mexico visit where we’d like crossed New Mexico off the list. Okay, it’s gonna be Southern Oregon.
And when we got home, and my wife said, Well, how do we start?
What do we do first, as well, the first thing we do is we start looking for jobs. And the very next day, I did a job search. And lo and behold, this position, the city Grants Pass, had posted about five or six weeks, maybe just a little over a month prior to when I was looking at it. And it was closing like three days, like I had three days to submit.
I turned to my wife and I said, We don’t have time to deliberate and consider. is this the job I want to apply for or not or whatever, I just have to apply or I won’t be able to have to get in my application.
So I submit, but we’re not even ready. Like we don’t, I mean even packed like nothing, like we’re supposed to be looking at the job market not already applying for a job.
I said, Well, it’s a perfect job for me and I’m perfectly qualified, I have to submit. So I did.
I remember saying this, I said, What’s the worst thing that could happen? They offered me the job and we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Well, sure enough.
That’s exactly what happened.
Then, when they call me for my first interview, it was so serendipitous because it was, it is, a perfect job for my skill set and my experience and what I’ve done in my previous life in previous careers, but also, when they contacted me and said, Here’s why we want you to be here for an interview.
I was already scheduled to be here on an already pre-scheduled visit to be a part of a small symposium of Shakespearean scholars in Ashland, Oregon.
And we’re already planning to be staying here and Grants Pass at my mother in law’s and to did the interview, did the symposium in Ashland and we were in the car driving back to California. We had just passed through Ashland, and we’re ready to go up Mount Ashland, then go over the Siskiyou’s. When I got the call from the city Grants Pass Human Resources Department saying they wanted me back for a second interview.
We had to turn the car around, drive back to my mother in law’s house. We pull up the driveway.
She goes What’s going on? You left two hours ago.
You’re back already? What’s going on?
Said, well they call me back for a second interview. So we just stayed a couple extra days. And it was like, I had to tell them I have to be back in California on this particular day. It was like a Wednesday I had to be back. They called me on Monday. I said if I can come in on Tuesday, I have to be back on Wednesday, because I was in the middle of a production.
We were doing Henry IV parts one and two. I was playing Henry and I was the producer of the show, while we were doing it as sort of an encore performance at a secondary venue. And that production was that Thursday, Friday night.
So I had to be back on Wednesday to load the show in, get it set and perform it the next two nights after that. So it was really just the perfect window and it all fell right into place. As if it were guided by a force from above truly. True blessing to in the way it all panned out.
Brian: Fabulous. Yeah. Wow. That’s incredible.
So what’s an Information Coordinator do?
Steven: I don’t know?
I’ve been trying to figure that out for a year.
No, it’s really, it’s actually a very detailed position. Because there are a lot of departments in the city. You know, we have our major departments, the ones that most people are aware of like public works or community development, Department of Public Safety, for instance.
But within each of those major departments, they’re are also a plethora of different divisions beneath those major departments.
So for instance, in community development, you have a whole parks division, you know, in public works you have the most right, because you have the water treatment plant, the water restoration plant, water distribution, wastewater collections, streets, property management.
So one of the things I do is I coordinate information between those departments when necessary, or where I can help in making sure that everybody knows what everybody else is doing. we compile information from each of those departments and divisions to then disseminate to the public to keep the public informed of what’s going on with the operations of each of those divisions and departments. Provide press releases on major information that needs to go to our media outlets interact with those media outlets, when they require additional information or interviews with staff members of various different expertise that relate to a topic they’re interested in covering.
I managed the city’s social media platforms, of course, because those are major sources. As you know, as everybody knows, now, like social media is one of the whether we love it or hate it. One of the key sources of information now for most people, not only in Grants Pass, but around the globe.
So I manage multiple platforms for the city as well.
And then other things like producing and distributing video content.
I also sometimes just answer the phone, because I work for the administration department. And we’re the frontline when people call and they’re not sure which department when you’re doing that you’re also providing information. Because most of the time, the person on the other end of the phone has a question or needs some sort of information or direction to the proper department or division to help them get what they need or the services they’re looking for. So that pretty much sums up most of my responsibilities I do.
Brian: Oh, that’s interesting.
So what in your past do you think led you up to doing something like this, had you done things similar before?
Steven: I served as a community journalist for more than 12 years for small community newspapers, in communities, some smaller than Grants Pass and some a little bigger than Grants Pass. So I have a media background. And that, of course, helps you to understand how to interact with and connect with media outlets, and what their needs are. Special things like AP style in a press release, formatting, attachments, and what kind of specs they require for different attachments, photo images, how high resolution etc. That background, of course, has served me very well.
I do what’s called a crossover. When you’re in journalism, and you go from journalism into PR and marketing, they call it a crossover, crossing to the other side. I did that many years ago, and spent more time in PR and marketing after my journalism career than I actually did in journalism.
Not a lot more but, but more.
And I worked for a variety of different industries as well in PR and marketing, but primarily a big part of it was working in entertainment, PR and marketing.
Because I have always been a theatre artist, and I’ve always either been a producer or a managing producer or owner of my own theater or theater organization. And so oftentimes, you also have to wear the chief Public Relations and Marketing hat, as well.
But I also worked for the solar industry, estate planning industry, I worked under contract for heart and surgical hospital and the startup of that, and served as their PR and marketing director for that. So I’ve had a little bit of experience and in a few other areas.
One thing I can tell you about PR marketing is it all pretty much translates the same. You know, it’s kind of like a plumber, right? A pipe is a pipe is a pipe, water or sewage is just flowing through it. Right.
It’s got to be threaded properly can’t have leaks. There are things that a plumber can walk into any building, any house and fix the problem if he’s a good trained plumber.
It’s very similar with PR and marketing that the precepts don’t change. And best practices don’t change, they stay very consistent.
There are national standards that aren’t hard to come by and aren’t rocket science truly, if you know where to get that information. And if you know how to use it properly.
You’d be surprised how many people believe that they know something about PR and marketing and they really don’t. And one of the things that people in my trade constantly lament is how often somebody who is not in our trade tries to tell us how to do our job.
And I’m sure it’s probably common in a lot of trades and a lot of industries. There are a lot of people who feel that way.
But like for instance, I’m a member of the National Information Officers Association. And as such, I’m involved in like I received their emails and their newsletter. Also, we have chat forums that are open only to members. So no one from the public can have access to that, it’s members only.
A lot of communication that we do in there, where we’ll share with each other things that are working, things that are not working, experiences that we’ve had. And all of these members are people who work, like I do for a public entity of some sort of about half of them work as PIO’s for law enforcement agencies. And then the other half arecities, counties, water districts, and other smaller government entities, school districts, community college districts, so all government entities that have an office or a position like mine.
One of the things that we share a lot is, you know, our stories about how somebody cames along and tried to tell us how to do our job. You know, it happens a lot.
Brian: Yeah.
Steven: Or one thing that we always laugh about internally, is, you know, how people perceive what our job is, right? Oh, don’t you just sit on social media all day?
Yes, that’s all I do all day, is sit on social media.
Yeah, so it’s funny that certain people perceive things and they don’t really understand the inner workings, just like I don’t understand the inner workings of plumbing.
Brian: Mmhmm.
Yeah, that’s great.
So, what do you like best about that position?
Steven: The thing I like best about my job is the fact that I get to interact with every department and every division. And I’ve come to know so many different employees in the city, and to learn and know what it is they do, to have a great understanding of the value that they bring to city hall to city services, and to the public at large.
I consider it a great privilege, one of the best privileges of my job is that I’m sort of like a cheerleader. Right? I have this spotlight available, that I get to shine on good people doing great things in this community.
And I have 230 plus coworkers over there at the city, who all show up to work Monday through Friday, some of them on Saturdays and Sundays, because certain services happen all the time, or 24 hours, you know, like law enforcement, for instance?
Or how about the water plant, if those guys don’t show up. Now we have a big problem, man, you know, those guys and gals, because we also have some women who work over at the water plant.
So if those people don’t show up, and do what they do every day, all day, we have a giant problem in this community, right.
So I consider it a great blessing to be in a position to be able to shed some light on the positive work those people are doing, and to help the community at large understand that we’re all in this together.
We’re all working together towards the same positive outcome. And a lot of times people may not see it that way. They may not believe that to be true.
But I know it’s true. I know, for a fact, one of the things that I love about the history of my career, I have never once had to put my skills to use in or for something I didn’t believe in. And I’m proud of that.
I couldn’t sell widgets.
Brian: Yeah.
Steven: That just not my thing.
You know, when I was selling solar panels, there was a great value in selling solar panels to homeowners to bring down there electrical bills, and also reduce the drain on resources all at the same time. Right?
So that was an easy one.
I felt really good about going to work every day and leading a salesforce that was out there trying to help people discover this cost savings application for their home.
When I worked for an estate planning law firm, everyone who has at least $500,000 in assets should have a living trust and a proper estate plan. It’s just a no brainer.
It was good to inform people and part of my job was really educating people on what a living trust is and why you need an estate plan. And it wasn’t like I’m selling them something they didn’t need.
By selling them something that was going to save their families the hassle of probate that was going to reduce their tax load today. I don’t really sell anything. I just promote and bring attention to all the good things that this community has to offer and what its people do to continue to make it the great place that it is to live.
And it’s important for me to express to our community at large that your city government workers are also your neighbors. They shop at the same stores. They send their kids to the same schools. They love this community justt as much, maybe in some cases even more, because they are committed and dedicated to making this community all it can be and keeping it more importantly, keeping it what it is.
Because it’s why we all live here. It’s why, you know, there’s a sign that says, It’s The Climate. And yes, we have magnificent climate, but it’s not the climate, it’s the people.
Brian: Mmhmm.
Steven: And 230 plus of those people, I’m proud to call my coworkers at City Hall.
Brian: Fabulous. No, that’s great. That’s the positive end of it.
If there’s one thing you can change about your position, or the space in which you work what would it be?
Steven: Well my office used to be a closet. But it’s not that bad.
It’s not like you, if you think closet, in your mind, it’s not like, yeah, like there’s coats hanging over my head or anything.
But it was like, you know, a utility storage closet. So you know, I’d like to have a window.
That’s nice. But it’s actually roomier than it could be.
And it does provide privacy when I need it.
And sometimes I do, sometimes it’s a sensitive topic, I’m dealing with the media outlet. Other times, it’s a deadline for something I have to get out and I just need to be able to focus and concentrate on that press release. or putting together the city newsletter and getting it out on time.
So that part of it like I can handle, I suppose the one thing I would change is trolls. I deal with a lot of trolls. Because I do manage the city social media platforms, there’s a lot of trolls out there.
There are a lot of just unhappy, bitter people, when you work in public relations. Just like when you work in any public facing service, whether that’s waiters and waitresses at a restaurant, retail, law enforcement, medical, you know, when you’re dealing with the general public on a regular basis, and interfacing with them throughout your day, all day through your shift.
Inevitably there’s a bell curve of people. There are people on the very high end who are just positive and happy and thrilled and supportive. Then there’s everyone else in the middle. That’s a variation of that.
And then there are people on the bottom and who are just bitter, negative, angry, critical about everything.
Nothing makes them happy.
You could put a post out there that says the city has secured a beautiful 40 foot tall, 19 foot round Christmas tree for this year’s Christmas Tree Lighting festivities. And they would complain about that you’re putting a star on top instead of an Angel.
They will just find something to be bitter about and there’s just no way around those people.
They exist. They’re out there.
Luckily, there are enough of the positive people who counter those people.
But yeah, if I could change anything, it would be figuring out a way to help those people down there on the bottom end of that curve. Find some happiness and joy in the fact that you live in this magnificent place, surrounded by magnificent people, and a lot less cares that a lot of other people have a lot of other places. I wish they would embrace that instead of just always find something to harp on.
Brian: Great point. Really great point.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that you host your own podcast called, Don’t Quill The Messenger.
Steven: Yes.
Brian: Why don’t you tell everyone what it’s about?
Steven: I’ve been a long time member of an organization called, The Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship.
The Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship has been around for more than 65 years. It is an organization that is committed to researching the Shakespeare authorship question.
Sometimes I say that to people and they go, I didn’t know there was a Shakespeare authorship question.
There is, and there has been for almost as long as there has been a name out there called Shakespeare. And when people really start delving into it and researching it, they discover that it’s really the greatest literary mystery of all time.
And I think it’s one of the things that intrigues me about it. One of the things that intrigues my colleagues about it, and about two years ago, the organization decided that one of its new outreach programs would be a podcast series, and they needed someone to be the host of that series.
I had journalism experience. I had my own radio show for years when I was a journalist.
So I knew radio, which is very similar to podcast, obviously.
And so I fit the mold, and they tapped me to be the host and I’ve been the proud host of that series now for almost two years. Almost 50 episodes now, we’ll be celebrating or second anniversary sooner than I can imagine. Actually, it’s hard to believe that we’ve been on the air two years but you know, it goes fast.
Brian: Yeah. If you had to pick out one thing, that’s the best part of having a podcast, what do you think is the major advantage of a podcast?
Steven: Well, I remember when I used to have a radio show, it was a talk radio news style show that was sponsored by the community newspaper I worked for at the time, it was on AM radio every Saturday morning for two hours.
And I remember one of the things I enjoyed so much about it was the ability to talk more in depth about the stories that were running in the paper, then we had space in the paper to elaborate on.
It was an opportunity to provide additional information.
You know, there’s this theme that’s been running through my life, that I’m a guy who provides more information to people. And so this podcast does that as well as an opportunity to provide additional information to people about a topic that I think is very important, that I’m very passionate about.
But that at the end of every day, it’s not a life or death situation. It’s not.
It’s serious, and the people who are involved are very passionate about it, mainly because they love the works so much. And they value the contribution the works have had to us as a people for the last 400 plus years.
I think that I just enjoy being a part of that, and helping people to both ask and find answers to their questions.
Brian: Fabulous.
We’re recording this in September of 2020. And we’re still in the process of going through the whole COVID-19 situation and all the unrest and every all the craziness in the world right now.
Has 2020 had a major effect on your life, have you been able to to stabilize in comparison to most?
Steven: (Laughs) Has 2020 had a major impact on your life?
Well, yes, obviously, yeah, all of our lives.
Yes.
But as I said earlier, you know, it’s one of the great privileges that we have that this is where we live now. And in comparison to the rest of the world, and the grand scheme of things, 2020 has been as horrible for us as it has been for a lot of other people in other places.
You know, our infection rate has always been minimal. Our hospitalization rate has always been like miniscule.
There was a lot of concern about hospitals being overloaded. And that just never even came close to happening here, not not not even a micro touch towards what we were told what could possibly happen.
I would say that, in the long run, one of the great goals that I have had, especially in my position, which is for a public entity, and is very public facing has been to attempt to keep business as usual, as much as possible.
Not to try to ignore what’s going on, because that’s not possible. But to try to minimize the effects as much as possible to give people a sense of normalcy as much as I could.
And to continue the messaging of which this whole community has embraced as we’ve seen signs all over town, that everything will be okay.
Brian: Mmhmm.
Steven: And for the most part it has, people have died.
We’ve had other tragedies like the recent fires, where also people have died. And you can’t minimize that.
And those people who have suffered and are suffering, you don’t want to take away from their loss. But the world doesn’t stop, it can’t stop.
It’s my job to point out the people who are making sure it doesn’t stop and bring some positive attention to them. And so you know, we have, we have a lot of heroes working here, in every walk of life and in every place.
Those people need to know that they’re appreciated, and that they’re all essential. And so I’ve just tried to stay focused on that through it as much as possible.
Brian: Awesome.
So there’s a common question that I ask of guests. It’s just kind of a reflection on where you see yourself and that I’ll put it like this.
If we were to sit down and talk, let’s say a year from now, and look back over the past 12 months, what would have had to have happened professionally, personally, for you to feel happy with your success?
Steven: That’s going to be tough.
I really, I have to analyze that a bit because I can tell you this, when we made that decision in July 2019 that we were going to move here, and by the first of August, I had this job offer. And then by September 12, we moved here, it happened that fast.
Brian: Wow.
Steven: Six weeks, boom, we’re in Oregon.
And that whole whirlwind and then you know, moving in with my in laws with my wife and three kids for the time period that it took us to then sell our condominium in LA to then find our home here and buy it and get escrow closed here.
And so that whole thing, then getting into a new house and trying to get that all settled, all while working with this new job and getting my feet underneath me with regards to that.
My wife, who actually went through three different jobs in that same period of time, which is crazy, because she worked 10 years in the same company, we moved here and went through three jobs in like six months.
One was a job that they hired her and then they closed the branch that they gave her to manage.
The second one was a great opportunity to work closer to home, and to be a part of the local community.
And then the third one was an actual opportunity for her to do what she went to school to do and is trained to do.
She has a degree in theater from USC, and she’s now the Executive Director of our local community theater organization, Barnstormers.
Brian: Oh, fabulous.
Steven: Yeah. So she was thrilled of course to move into that position, because that’s what she does and has done and is trained to do.
But so all of that still was, you know, transition, transition transition, getting our kids into school. We have a little boy who was just starting to walk, you know, so there was a lot going on.
But then COVID circumstances hit right.
And yes, that also became a lot, especially in the information field. But one thing it became for us, unlike anything else was validation that we had made the best decision we possibly could have made for ourselves and for our kids.
Brian: At just the time.
Steven: Yeah, six months before.
So you know, I tell people, we didn’t just dodged a bullet, we dodged direct hit missile, by moving here when we did and embracing the opportunities that this area had to offer us.
And it’s the best decision we ever made.
So it’s been hard to not feel completely blessed. And to not feel thrilled and happy with everything that’s happened to us in the way it’s turned out. Regardless of the COVID situation, if anything even more exemplified by it. Right?
We’re really counting our blessings and we do every day.
And so with this new year coming now that we’ve celebrated one year here, it’s going to be hard to top those great decisions.
And you know, what I can hope is that a year from now, I’ll look back and feel just as good about the decisions that I make, about the progress that we make together as a family, about the new friends and new connections that we make here in our community now that we are actually able to start sort of developing a social circle.
Because things have restricted us and you’re right about the time we’re settled and ready to go. Okay, well, let’s start making some friends here.
Nobody could go anywhere.
Brian: Yeah.
Steven: And we’re like, oh, this is great.
We know nobody other than your mother, and the people we work with at our jobs. And that’s it. Like it was difficult to find babysitters.
Brian: Yeah.
Just for us to be able to go have a dinner together.
Brian: Yeah.
Steven: It’s been difficult to meet other couples with kids, to develop friendships. So all of that is now starting to open up a bit. And so I would hope that we’re able to better embrace that.
One super exciting thing. As you mentioned, we’re recording this now in September, on October 23, 2020. My wife and I will be playing the two lead roles in Pygmalion at the Barnstormers Theatre.
Brian: Oh, that’s right, so fabulous.
Steven: That’s exciting that we’re going to after more than a year hiatus, I’m going to get to be back on stage. It’s exciting that I don’t have to produce and direct the play.
That’s fabulous too and more importantly than that, though, we’ve been together 10 years and in our 10 years we have produced 82 Productions together my wife and I, this will be only the third time we will share the same show.
Brian: Wow.
Steven: One of those times we were in the same show but never on stage together. The other time we were on stage together only twice and had no direct dialogue with each other, only group scenes.
And so this is the first time in our relationship that we actually are playing opposite each other, that we actually have dialogue together on the stage. That’s super exciting.
So I know that’s going to be very rewarding and something I’ll look back on a year from now as a as a rewarding thing.
The artistic committee of Barnstormers has asked me to submit a play for their 70th season. And so there is an opportunity that I might be directing a show for them.
Brian: Wow.
Steven: Next year, in this coming next 12 months. So I will look forward to that and hope that I’ll be able to look back and see something positive from that.
Yeah, positive experience with that I love sharing my art with other actors. And it’s one of the reasons why I love directing. So I’m looking forward to that as well.
Yeah, so those are some things.
Brian: That’s great.
I can’t wait to see it. When is that out again?
Steven: It’s October 23, through November 8th. 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm Sundays.
The theater is opening to small audience groups. In order to keep people distanced and all of that I believe what they’ve decided to do is to sell tickets in blocks of four.
Brian: Okay.
Steven: That way, those four people can all arrive together, sit together, but still stay six feet away from another group of four.
Brian: Yep.
Steven: Audiences because of the current state mandates, audiences will still have to wear masks in the theater. But I think everyone sort of found the mask they can tolerate now, and knows what they like or can handle for a two hour play, to sit and watch a show.
But those tickets will sell out quickly, because it’s going to be very limited supply.
Also going to be live streaming, the performances available through a live stream and ticketing service that the theater works with. And people will be able to watch it from home.
Brian: Oh, well, fabulous.
Steven: As a matter of fact, we have a lot of friends and family who are excited about that, because they’re in California.
Like my father lives in Missouri. So on a Sunday afternoon, he’ll be streaming it.
Brian: Oh, very good.
Steven: I have some friends who live back in Boston, and on the that portion of New England now. And they’ll be tuning in and streaming in as well. That’s actually kind of a side benefit.
I have relatives and friends in different places in the country. They can actually see what you’re doing.
Brian: Yeah. So that’ll be, I can’t imagine you had anything like that previous for your stage work?
Steven: No, no, it’s the new way of doing things. Yes, and there are theaters that are only streaming and not doing any live audience right now.
But you know, here, we’re fortunate enough that we’re able to do what’s called a hybrid.
We didn’t invent that there are a lot of other places doing it. And including here in Southern Oregon.
There are other theater organizations doing it as well. We’re excited about that potential and what it’s going to turn into. It’s nice because this particular play is more than 100 years old.
And so it’s public domain. There aren’t licensing requirements and restrictions about broadcasting it.
Brian: Oh, I guess that’s true. I didn’t think of that.
Steven: And I yeah, yeah, it’s a classical play.
It’s not a, you know, period piece.
Brian: Yep. Yep.
Steven: In that sense. But yeah, we’re really enjoying the rehearsal process right now. And we’re excited looking forward to opening night.
Brian: Very cool. Well, are there any questions I didn’t ask you that you’d like to answer?
Steven: Let’s see, I’m almost six foot five. (Laughs)
One thing, I think that if I could add that I would want to make sure to add is that when we moved here, we already had a grasp of what the community was like. And we already had a grasp of what the opportunities were available here.
But we really, truly couldn’t know how it was all going to turn out until we did it.
We took the plunge until we were here and we were trying to get established. And the one thing that it’s not that I’m surprised by it, because I hoped it would be true.
But just overjoyed by the fact that it is true. And that is we’ve been welcomed so warmly by so many people in so many local organizations to whether it be the local Chamber of Commerce and its members and their Wednesday greeters meetings and the support that we received there.
The local artistic community when my wife was given the opportunity to lead Barnstormers, and the warm embrace she received there by colleagues at City Hall, and what a wonderful group of people that I have as direct co workers in my department.
As well as the people that I have to interface with on a regular basis from other departments and divisions.
It really is just, you know, it’s been fabulous.
It’s a wonderful place to live, it’s a wonderful place to work. It’s a wonderful place to play, literally on stage. Playing.
Yeah, and so it has been everything that we hoped it would be, and everything that we wanted for ourselves and for our kids. And so we’re just super thrilled about that.
There have been some bumps along the road, it’s not a secret to anyone in the community that the local daily newspaper has been against my position since before I was even a consideration for the position.
When the city created my position, the local paper came out against it strong, and started calling names before they even knew who was going to be considered to be hired for the job.
You know, there were at least two or three editorials blasting the council and the city administration for even considering having an Information Coordinator.
I believe at one point I was referred to…well, they called me the Spin Doctor, from the get go. And that’s actually my nickname now at City Hall.
It’s on my license plate.
Well, one of the things you learn in PR and marketing is, own it when you can.
Yeah, fine. I’ll own it. I’ll own that name. That’s great.
And that’s the nickname everybody calls me now, people walk by my desk saying good morning, Spin Doctor. You know, I don’t spin anything. I just report the positive aspects of everything that I see. That’s not spin. That’s just having a positive outlook.
And like I said earlier, it’d be great if everyone could have a more positive outlook.
Unfortunately, there are players who don’t. And maybe never will, you know, every town has to have a misanthrope or two. And, you know, Grants Pass can’t be unique in that way.
Brian: Yup.
Steven: It has to be, like I said that bell curve exists.
Brian: Yup.
Steven: You know, but so that when you asked earlier, is there something I could change. I suppose maybe I could change the fact that you have a editor of a daily newspaper, who, for whatever reason, is so threatened by the fact that my position even exists, that it didn’t matter who sits in the chair.
He was going to attack whoever, because he was attacking the job.
Before it was me.
So I don’t take it personal in that sense.
Brian: Yeah. Right.
Steven: Because it’s not me, he doesn’t even know me. I tried to introduce myself to the guy, he wouldn’t come out and talk to me, wouldn’t come shake my hand and meet me as a gentleman. You know, that’s his problem. That’s his down, not mine.
But it’s interesting to note that that has been like a rough spot. But again, people have been so supportive, and so encouraging.
And you know, there’ll be a ugly editorial in the newspaper on one day, and then there will be the Wednesday Chamber Commerce Greeters Meeting, and the people at that meeting, who will come to me and say, you know, don’t let it get to you, and we support you, and you’re a great addition to this community. And we’re so glad you’re here. And you and your wife are so involved, and we’re glad that you’ve become a part of Grants Pass.
All of that is so encouraging, so wonderful, that you know, it’s okay then.
Brian: Yeah.
That’s a great note to end off on here. Because you bring a whole lot of enthusiasm, a whole lot of history and stories and everything else. You’re a great conversationalist.
Well, we love having you here and we’d love to have you on the show again, in the future.
If anyone would like to reach out to you, either to find out more about your podcast, or to ask your questions about how the city works, and so forth. How would they do that?
Steven: Well, I’m glad you asked that.
That’s a great, that is also something that definitely needs to be added, because that’s great. We have a very open door policy at City Hall. Now that was difficult during COVID restrictions to maintain. But we’re there, we’re available, we’re accessible, and my particular job is to provide information to people who need it.
So yes, anyone listening right now who wants to know more who is interested in learning about who they should talk to?
If it’s not me, about what their issues or concerns are?
They can always reach out to me, my email address is very simple. SSABEL@GrantsPassOregon.gov.
That’s my first initial last name. S Sabel. And it’s spelled, S A B E L. At Grants Pass Oregon dot Gov.
Send me an email, I’ll gladly direct you to the right place. If I can answer your question for you, you can call me at City Hall, it’s a really easy number 541-450-6011. We’re all the same. We’re all 541-450. And my extension is 6011.
So you can give me a call as well. I’m available, City Hall is available. We’re always inviting people who have concerns or questions or issues they’d like to discuss, to come in.
And we’ll talk about them, we did not have a problem with that.
Fortunately, there are people who we will send that invitation will say, Hey, I see you like I’ll see on social media like, bribity bribity bra.
So I’ll respond and say, Hey, that sounds like you need to talk to somebody about that. Please come on down to City Hall and we’ll address that with you, we’ll talk to you or we’ll put you in charge in touch with the staff member who can address that for you right away.
Come on down, but they don’t want to.
Brian: Yeah.
Steven: Like so there are a lot of people out there who don’t want the issue addressed. They just want to complain about it. They don’t want to discuss a solution. They just want to criticize, I can’t change those people now. Right?
There’s nothing I can do for them. All I can do is continue to offer that we’re here, we’re available. Come on in, we’ll gladly talk to you, and have a discussion about it and try to help you find an answer or a solution to the issue or the problem.
You know, another one is we’re always looking for volunteers to serve on city committees.
Committees and commissions are a great way to get active and be a participant in your city government and to make change and to affect change. If you really have a problem with an issue something bothering you.
Come get involved. Come join the team and help us find solutions. We’re there. We’re available.
That’s what we do.
We love serving Grants Pass. And that’s the truth at City Hall. That’s the truth with my 234, I think it is, employee colleagues there.
So with regards to my podcast that’s completely separate from my original duties and official life.
That’s just a fun thing that I love to do for an organization I’ve been a part of for many years that I’m passionate about.
You can find all that information at ShakespeareOxfordFellowship.org.
ShakespeareOxfordFellowship.org.
And you’ll go to that website, you’ll find a plethora of things to intrigue your mind about including a great list of some of the wonderful minds of the last couple centuries who believed in this question, who believed that this is a literary mystery that needs to be solved. That we truly don’t know the identity of the person behind the name of Shakespeare, and that we need to find out.
So they’re interested in that then go to that website, and it’ll find the podcast there and gazillion other things that will be resources to help answer their questions.
Brian: Awesome, absolute joy having you on the show.
Steven: Thank you so much. I’m so pleased to be here, I suppose my wife would be upset if I didn’t say also go to Barnstormers website and you go to find out information about buying tickets to see Pygmalion or how you can live stream it right in the comfort of your own home and have a viewing party if you wish, with your favorite popcorn or whatever it is so great.
Please support Barnstormers, it’s such a wonderful institution in this community almost now 70 years strong, and the oldest continuously running community theater organization in all of Oregon.
So that’s something Grants Pass should be very proud. We have a lot of very unique things here.
You know, we have that, we have the only professional horse racing track and all of Oregon. We have this complex of these beautiful rivers, you know, and so much to do, where the where the hub of Southern Oregon and the centralized location of so many things to do and attractions and things to see.
So be happy that’s what I would say, be happy You live here. Be happy that you’re in Grants Pass where everyone is a VIP in my book.
Brian: Awesome. That’s definitely the view of this show.
We’d love to have those of you who have a message to get out there like Steven to come on the show and it’s a great message. We’re happy you came. Thank you, Steven Sabel for being on Grants Pass VIP.
Steven: My pleasure.
Brian’s Closing Thoughts: Here’s another one of those incredibly unique conversations that I’m having more and more of here on Grants Pass VIP.
And that’s what’s amazing to me just starting off as we’re not that far in, we haven’t put out that many episodes. Yet, these conversations are so deep and go in so many different directions.
There’s such a depth to the people that live here in Grants Pass, Josephine County and the surrounding areas that I’m excited about where everything is going and where it’s going to continue to go.
Just the people I’ve met so far are people that I look forward to working with and talking to, from here on forth. Not just people that I meet once, but people that I will continue to talk to from here on out. It’s pretty cool.
Steven’s one of those people, he has just this depth of knowledge and experience that goes in so many different directions. He’s so articulate and clear in the way that he expresses his opinions.
Even just some of the side conversations that we’re having before we started recording was so clever and so fun. I just said, hey, let’s start recording before we miss some of this stuff.
Because this is really good material and great conversation that I’d love to involve other people in, which is really a lot of the reason why I started Grants Pass VIP, is incredible guests like the ones we’ve had on so far.
It’s working far beyond what I would have imagined and going in directions that I could not have guessed.
So I’m so happy that you’ve been able to join us for this one. Steven’s one of those people that I’d love to have on over and over again to get his opinion on other things that are happening in our area.