14/48: The World's Quickest Theater Festival

Kitchen Crew 

Beth Matthiessen and Alex Samuels

Alex Samuels starts the food planning about a month or a month and a half before the festival. It involves soliciting donations and coordinating what food it will take to feed three meals a day to 70-85 people. Some of the food has been regularly donated by Bizzaro, New Roots Organics, Globespun Gourmet and my fellow blogger Jason Smart at Starbucks. Other participants also contribute. If anyone reading this blog works in a restaurant or other food industry outlet and wants to make a donation, they can contact Alex at sponsor@1448fest.com

On the Wednesday prior to the festival Alex, Shawn, Jodi and Peter Dylan O'conner usually do the load-in on Wednesday, and then the food load-in on Thursday. Alex says that after the final show of the second weekend they have to do the load-out, so he usually skips the 8pm show so that he can be a part of the post-show celebration. Then, there's more work to do.

Barbra Cavanaugh, Alex Samuels and Beth Matthiessen are the Kitchen Crew and they arrive about 8 on show days, so they can be ready when writers and directors show up at 9. The tables are always loaded with delicious food choices (you would think they might have worked with actors before) and there are always snacks and drinks throughout the day.

Not only is the food provided to 14/48 participants nutritious and tasty, but the meals provide yet another opportunity to enhance the bonds of respect and cooperation that bring us all to this family table.