We had the good fortune of connecting with Patsy Chapman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patsy, what do you attribute your success to?
Determination. Since the day I began working for Houston Ballet and managing the Nutcracker Market, I was and still am, determined to make things work. Those that know me have heard me say hundreds of times, “There’s gotta be a way!” Planning, organizing, managing, and coordinating an event the size of Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker Market takes moxie … and determination. It’s like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle and all of the pieces must fit at the end or what do you have? Just a bunch of pieces and not the whole picture. So, when things just aren’t working as I think they should, I find that way. That’s what I love most — make that puzzle work. Creating the full picture. When that happens and you stand back and look at it … it’s a beautiful thing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I landed at Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market totally by accident. I was a single mom in need of a job and fast. After working more than nine years for an art publishing firm, setting shows around the country and signing artists, I suddenly found myself unemployed when they closed unexpectedly. An employment firm saw my background in the art publishing world and made that connection with Houston Ballet. So, boom – here I am. I had never heard of the Nutcracker Market before, but was certainly familiar with setting up exhibits. I was placed in a tiny office, no help, no knowledge about the specific project, and a computer program I had never heard of. So I figured I better start swimming or else I would drown. And I learned and asked a lot of questions and loved every minute of it. Thirty-four years later, I still love it. I discovered that I liked operating solo, I liked making my own decisions, I liked setting up procedures and processes, I liked working with the volunteers, I liked teaching, explaining, learning … it was all so new and fun. I liked winning and reaching or especially, exceeding my goals. Was it easy? Heck no! But I think because I enjoyed it so much it wasn’t “hard” to me. I have learned more lessons along the way than I could ever list here. Mostly, I learned to be patient. To accept people’s differences. To embrace those differences. To laugh at myself.

I’d love people to know that I am a fair person. I can be hard, some might say difficult (haha), but I am fair. I always want what’s best for the Nutcracker Market, so that it can succeed and continue in the future for many years to come. To have been able to bring the Nutcracker Market to the successful and respected event it has become is one of the things I am most proud of. It’s the greatest show on earth!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Well, the Nutcracker Market would be our first stop of course! But after that, I love our museums — especially when there is an interactive exhibit. And of course, taking in a Houston Ballet performance or many of our other live theater performances is always enchanting and mesmerizing.

We would eat at Cliff’s (best hamburger), Federal Grill (best smoked Old Fashioned), LaGriglia (best service), Il Tiempo (best Mexican), Piola’s (best pizza), or Franks American Revival (best everything).

I also recommend an Astros or Texans game and a walk through the Eastern Glades in Memorial Park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I must call out the over 100 amazing and dedicated committee volunteers (most are Houston Ballet Guild members) as well as our over 750 general volunteers for their support of the Nutcracker Market. That old saying about it taking a village? Well, that’s so true when it comes to the Market. These are the people that make the Market hum. They dedicate literally thousands of hours each year to work at the Market. Without them, I am just one lonely person who could never, ever do all that they do by myself. These are the people that make ME look good. I might get the kudos and the paycheck, but they deserve the credit. After 34 years of working closely with so many in this group, I consider them family. I love them. I respect them.

Website: nutcrackermarket.com

Image Credits
Daniel Ortiz, Photographer

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