Meet the (Beat)!

Last week we explored the outer limits of space to discover everything you ever wanted to know about Crescent Moon Nerdlesque. This week, we're strapped in for blast off to learn about their cosmic cohorts, The (Beat) Theatre Collective!

In March of 2021, Crescent Moon welcomed The (Beat) Theatre Collective as co-producers for Star Crazy. The (Beat) aims to spark change by creating art that provokes, unites, and enriches audiences and artists alike. By exploring new works and blowing the dust off of the classics, they remain constantly malleable in the way they produce and vow to always question both themselves, and their role in the community.

Their artistic mission is to place the individual artist among its top priorities. Members of the collective are encouraged to explore varied roles and responsibilities, within or outside the collaborative endeavors of the group, wherever they may be in their lives--broadening their skill sets with each project, and always upholding the artistic vision of the collective as a whole.
The (Beat) Theatre Collective shares the dream of igniting a bold and expressive theatrical movement. They strive to broaden their audience's notion of theatre by committing to honesty, integrity, curiosity, expression and devotion through each work they produce. (Beat) began when the circumstances were right and an immediate objective was in sight. When that objective has succeeded or failed, new circumstances and objectives will set in (a new beat). They move ahead: Exploring. Evolving.

We chatted with Natividad Salgado to discuss The (Beat) and their collaboration with Star Crazy!


Q: How did The (Beat) get involved with Crescent Moon Nerdlesque?

A: Well, I applied to be a co-producer on Star Crazy, and as we were going along into the production I was telling my team over at The (Beat) Theatre Collective about what I was currently working on. They asked if there was any way they could be of support, or collaborate with Crescent Moon. I said "let me get back to you", and I came to Foxie and Minnie and we talked about it. They said "we'd love to have you jump on board as a co-producer and a sponsor", and that's how that came to be!

Q: Did you have any experience with burlesque prior to linking up with CMN?

A: Nope! Just a supporter and a big fan.

Q: What has it been like to adapt a theatre collective to our current virtual climate?

A: One thing that The (Beat) has done in the past is filmed our productions, so we've had experience capturing things to present them in another media, but we've never had to actually present it as part of a livestream or purely virtual production. We've been taking this time to do our own individual projects, and with COVID happening it's also put things on pause.

Part of The (Beat)'s mission is to support its artists and staff, and if it means that we're off doing work with other companies then that's what we're supporting at that point in time. It's a flexible company that way, which is wonderful for all of us, and it feels like it brings back immense educational resources and skill sets back to our company when we work on our own projects with other companies.

Fortunately for me, I was already working on a virtual production releasing an audio drama series, so that's been my foray into virtual production. Prior to that I was into filmmaking, things like that. I went to school for both theater and media studies, so I was doing film stuff years ago. Now it feels like I'm coming back - a colliding of all worlds right now, as far as my art goes.

Q: What fictional space vessel would you most like to travel on?

A: The Death Star! Maybe that says something about me, I'm also a Slytherin. I don't know if anyone that knows me would be surprised. It's so gigantic-seeming in a gigantic, beyond-my-understanding universe and multitude of universes, and it just seems so big. I want to be on something that feels so big in such an expansive setting.

Currently, The (Beat) Theatre Collective consists of Natividad Salgado (aka Naughty Nati), Tara Bouldrey, Linnae Caurdy, and Kimberly Thompson.

Written by Andrea Berting, copywriter for Star Crazy: An Intergalactic Burlesque Adventure