It’s For Tony: IFT Network
New York, NY - Jan 19, 2021
It’s For Tony: IFT Network
Hi, Jay Cruz here, founder and CEO of IFT Network. I am very excited for our journey ahead. We tested a few various avenues, and learned so much already. Our CORE team is established, and we’re already marching forward. Before we move too far ahead, it is important for us to publish our “backstory”., and tell you a little bit about our friend Tony White. After all, I-F-T means It’s for Tony.
OUR FRIEND TONY WHITE
IFT Network was conceived in honor of a very special individual. Our friend and colleague Tony White. Tony passed away January 19th, 2020.
Fondly described as “An Actors Angel” Tony was beloved by many in the Indie Film and Off-Broadway Theater Community, as a Producer, Director, Actor, and Friend. With his personal career elevating, Tony was performing his talents to theatre audiences, Hollywood, and more. For Thanksgiving 2019, Tony visited his hometown of Buffalo, NY. Unfortunately, he never made it back to NYC.
THE GREENLIT SHOWCASE
For more than a decade prior, Tony and I were working together on nearly all his indie projects, especially theatre. Tony would often say “…you can’t make money in Theater!”, I would always affirm, “With enough lead time, YES! Yes you can!”, immediately sparking our longtime debate.
In December 2019, we collaborated on what could be perceived as an IFT Network Origin Story. We produced THE GREENLIT SHOWCASE, December 7th through 22nd 2019 at Teatro Cîrculo on East 4th Street, East Village NYC. For this production, rather than rent a theater for 3 weeks and present 1 title, we devised a plan to present 16 shows over 19 dates, along with 32 performances, creating 44 acting roles.
Our strategy for the showcase was to involve more actors, and directors in order to expand the total addressable market. We had some success. With several shows selling out, and many other shows with strong attendance.
Thanksgiving weekend 2019. That Sunday afternoon, the day before load-in, and a few days before the showcase is to open, Tony is hurt in Buffalo, NY. We learn that he is not in good health. And has to stay in Buffalo for further care. Tony was unable to perform in any roles, or direct any shows. Our leader was not coming.
THEATER: A LOVE LANGUAGE
The show must go on! With Tony stuck in Buffalo, many of the amazing artist involved in the GREENLIT production stepped up. And we are so grateful to all those awesome artists and friends that jumped in. You could feel the love every night. A wonderful byproduct from our near total disaster, with many new, strong relationships having been formed on the 19 day journey.
Tony was still in Buffalo, recovering from emergency surgeries and in treatment. After the December showcase, Tony and I immediately began to plan the next production. Now January 2020, we decided the next showcase would be June 2020. We put a deposit down on the dates. We were excited.
About one month after the showcase closed, our friend Tony was gone.
IFT: IT’S FOR TONY
Shortly after Tony’s passing, the world is slammed into COVID and soon shutdown. The Indie Film and Theater communities, one of the many underrepresented communities, is sent reeling out of control.
Personally, it was an important period for me. My role in the December production, and the changes happening in my personal life placed a clear choice before me:
1. Crawl into your comfy dark hole, quit everything (and weep), or…
2. find an actionable purpose and trust the process.
I am devoted to trusting the process. IFT Network is my actionable purpose.
IFT Network is a complete ecosystem for Independent Filmmakers and Theater Producers. Producers now have a safe space, and dedicated partner on their journey to be seen, and heard. We are excited for the journey ahead. We are grateful to our team and their devotion to our purpose. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
And most of all, Thank you Tony White for all your love and support.
–
by Jay Cruz
