Why "company" is important.

IBP saved my wretched life at a time when I was at the lowest point in my life...or at least damn near. How they scraped the bottom of the barrel and came up with me is still a mystery but I owe the initial meeting to Kathy Ellison who called me up and asked if I could volunteer to cook hot dogs for T4. After that I ran sound for a few shows and then played some music and then designed some shows and had a great time doing it all. Somewhere down the line I was asked to be company member which is something I value very much. I got the call from Jason. He didn't say much but he didn't need to as he is a man of few words, all worth hearing.
Point being, I really cherish the fact that IBP wants me around enough to keep asking me to do things and I always feel like I did something worth doing every time. I am never made to feel like I am more or less important than anyone else though I often feel like everyone else is kicking ass and nobody has discovered that I have no idea what I am doing. Part of this pride is the fact that we are a close knit company of actors and tech people. I really feel like it boosts my performance and makes me work harder knowing that I will see these people again. I often feel like we are putting on shows for each other more than for an audience of strangers. I try to learn something each show and use it the next time and despite my belief that many of the suggested ideas for show material will not work, I'm never surprised (anymore) when they do. I have learned to listen more and doubt less. I use those ideas to try things I would not have tried knowing that I will get an honest answer from anybody I ask in the company because they care about how it all works and want it to be better too. The closeness of the company breeds a certain amount of honesty that I like. I can't get that from a group of strangers on a one-off play.
That is why company is important. Not the exclusiveness but the honesty and closness.
Even people who are not company members, but do alot of work with us (like John and Mike) get the company thing and work in it and with it to the point that I forget that they aren't company members.
Oh and did I mention IBP saved my wretched life.
I also met my wife here too which, to this day, is still one of the best things to come out of the whole IBP experience.
Sometimes I really feel like I am the luckiest guy around.
Really.
But I digress.