On the Job

Balancing act: Barbush juggles representing the Fringe Festival with acting, singing and her other PR clients.

Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Publicist and performer Christine Barbush is taking on Philly’s arts scene.

by Trish Boppert

If Philadelphia Fringe Festival publicist extraordinaire Christine Barbush were any more self-possessed, she’d be levitating à la Linda Blair on an hourly basis. As it is, this chic, sleek, 34-year-old blond, who at first glance brings actress Jenna Elfman to mind, keeps enough plates spinning at once to put even the most adroit Ed Sullivan Show performer to shame.

"I have a passion for the arts," says the Villanova grad (class of 1990) in what might be the understatement of the year, "and I like to be busy."

Publicize the Fringe Festival, which is presenting 240 groups in 2002, up from about 200 last year? Sure, no problem. Keep additional clients 1812 Productions, Rel‰che Music Ensemble and Act II Playhouse happy at the same time? She's got it covered, and then some. And then there's the business -- make that the pleasure -- of rehearsing for her role in the forthcoming Fringe premiere of Q - The Songs of Martin and Biello.

"I've been around the theater community since 1994, and I got to a point in my life and my professional career where I wanted to allow myself the time and leeway to do creative projects," says Barbush.

An actress and mezzo-soprano, Barbush has performed in The Baker's Wife at the Arden Theatre Company, among other regional productions. She also wrote the script and created the concept for her one-woman cabaret show, That's My Life. Performed at both Act II Playhouse and Tavern on Camac, the show, says Barbush, focuses on the joys and struggles of single life in the big city.

"The performing part of what I do is important to me, and I try to get cast in at least one show per year," she says.

She beat that self-imposed quota this year, landing, in addition to her Fringe performance, a role in the People's Light & Theatre Company's production of A Christmas Carol. Rehearsals start in early November.

Since leaving a full-time account manager gig at Domus Advertising to launch her own PR firm in October, Barbush has been working steadily on behalf of arts-related and other clients. She just added for-profit Homelink Adult Day Centers to her client roster. She's also immersed herself in creative projects that have included acting and singing roles and producing a CD for Barrymore Award-nominated Michael Ogborn, composer, lyricist and librettist of the musical Baby Case.

"When I started my own business, I knew that I wanted a balance between making a living and keeping the flexibility to participate in creative projects," says Barbush, who notes that the seasonal nature of some of her clients helps her maintain that balance.

"When the right role comes along and I find a project I really want to do, I do it," she says, "which would not be possible were I working in a full-time position for someone else."

Barbush earned her stripes in the advertising and public relations world before branching out on her own, putting in time with heavy hitters including Tierney and Partners, and Wieden & Kennedy, the Portland-based whiz kids who at one time maintained a Philly office to handle advertising for Subaru of America.

In between, she worked for the Fringe, the Arden, Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and Wilma Theater, wearing hats including arts administrator, marketing manager, communications director, interim executive director and managing director.

Many dream about working for themselves, but relatively few do it. On the whole, says Barbush, it was a relatively painless process. Planning, she says, is key, as is recognizing your limits.

"I knew I could live within a certain income level, and was pretty confident that I could make that happen," she says. "But if it didn't, I also had a certain comfort level in knowing that I would likely land on my feet regardless."

It also helps, she notes, when clients come looking for you.

"I didn't take any clients with me when I left my last full-time position," she says. "But through word of mouth, organizations started contacting me to see if I could handle projects and ongoing work for them."

With the Fringe Festival looming, Barbush has her hands full, for the time being at least. Which is just how she likes it.

"As odd as it sounds, I don't want to grow too much as a business," she muses, "because I want to give each of my clients the attention they deserve, and still strike that flexible balance. So far, it's working out great."

That said, she's kicking around the concept of a local arts-based television program. In the dream phase now, she says the idea has always intrigued her.

"There's so much going on in the arts community right here," she says. "Why not have a forum to tell those stories? It's an idea that really excites me."

And when Christine Barbush puts her mind to something, it has a way of happening.

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