THE BRIEFING – Firm Gives Showcase To Artistic Endeavors Founded by Sandra Nutt in 1999, Riprap Entertainment was designed to promote the works of those who have not yet made it into the public spotlight. The company both produces and reads screenplays, plays, and short stories on tape or on local cable shows. Nutt, an alumna of the Negro Ensemble Company in Manhattan, played the role of Tiche in a series of plays directed by Douglas Turner Ward. Leaving New York, she has moved to the San Fernando Valley where she now runs her business in North Hollywood. “Riprap Entertainment came about after a long desire to combine my business dreams with my acting and artistic endeavors. [I decided to] start a company that was writer friendly. It expanded with a studio theater. I include actors and filmmakers because we all work as a team and I deal with all of these artists on a regular basis. Now I have products, drop shipping, a merchant account and a paid member portion of my Web site to support the site and the theater. But these things also fulfill a strong desire to be a businesswoman that I have had for as long as I can remember. “My favorite part of this business is all the terrific people I meet and also inspiring the people I work with. When actors, friends and my own mentors say ‘You always get things done!’ It’s the best feeling. The writers who visit and submit to my Web site are quite diverse, from students to professors, some being quite famous. My studio theater will celebrate its second birthday in November and I’m happy that I’ve not just put up any old thing to pay the rent. I want quality plays and quality directors and actors, not quantity. “I plan to land on stage and film that’s where I belong. However, I’ve discovered that writing is fun and I will probably be producing my second digital film early next year. Ultimately, I would like to be working on my own projects at my studio, supporting myself with enough money to aid the artistic community and young women to reach for their dreams. I don’t meet a lot of women who are decision makers in my business dealings and I would like to see more women in charge take away the mystery and give them confidence.” Michelle Tuberman