FSC Fireside: A Prologue
- Madeleine Thompson
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 5
“The mission of theatre, after all, is to change, to raise the consciousness of people to their human possibilities.” - Arthur Miller
Final Strike Collaborative invites you to take a seat and cozy up to FSC Fireside, a new blog where we’ll spin stories and showcase the contemporary efforts of all the individuals supporting our mission to transform sustainable practices within the entertainment industry.
The idea for Final Strike Collaborative first took shape over a campfire with friends. Growing up on the border of Utah and Arizona, Founder and President Laicey Gibby-Brown always had a deep respect for our planet and nature’s incredible resilience when put to the test. As a theater carpenter and technician, Laicey saw firsthand how much materials are wasted during show productions. While working at a playhouse that held fires every Friday night, she began to brainstorm ways to repurpose these pieces to keep them out of landfills.
In 2017, Laicey moved to New York, where she created products in her apartment scrapped from the Broadway sets she worked. When our industry halted during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, team members Laicey, Josh Leslierandal, and Eric Camerer used their spare time to start Final Strike Collaborative.
The Issue: Less than 10% of New York City shows retain their theatrical materials for later use. Many set pieces reach the landfill before opening night under directorial changes, constituting unnecessary waste, money, and person-hours.
Our Solution: At Final Strike Collaborative, we salvage production materials from theaters, film sets, businesses, and individuals to prevent as much material waste as we can through art, creation, and education.
In keeping with the above words of renowned playwright Arthur Miller, we believe that drama has the intention and the capacity to shake humanity. Stories not only entertain, they unite. It is our responsibility to share stories that build relationships; it is therefore also our obligation to be sure we do so without harming the very cultures drama seeks to enhance.
What you can expect from FSC Fireside: Gain a deeper insight into the world of Final Strike Collaborative through interviews from our team, volunteers, and other professionals striving to make a change behind the curtain. Learn about the process behind the creation of our hand-crafted items, and stay up to date on monthly company calls and upcoming events.
Each post will be short and sweet. You’ll have the chance to interact with our team and network of artisans and supporters through comment-based articles. We are always seeking to spark conversation around how, as Miller suggests, we can utilize our love for theater to do our part for our planet and its incredible storytellers.
A sneak peek at next time’s FSC Fireside: “This is Final Strike Collaborative.” Do a deep dive into our organization’s founding, hear from members of our team, and get a backstage look into what excites us for the next five years at Final Strike Collaborative.
Come warm your hands by the FSC Fireside. Subscribe for email updates on our next post and to be notified about news, events, products, and all things Final Strike Collaborative.
Date Published: October 3, 2025
Author: Madeleine Thompson
Love to see this, it's great to be able to read the stories and experiences of the wonderful people who've worked so hard with FSC and in their own careers within the theatre community. Excited to read the next blogs and to know about the future plans for FSC. Keep up the great work everyone :)