<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-aa079eed-1b33-e945-84fd-df25fff9f537"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">October 31, 2016</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Contact: Gail Burns, Marketing and Publicity Associate</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">www.wamtheatre.com</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="mailto:pr@wamtheatre.com">pr@wamtheatre.com</a>; 518.243.9627</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Press Photos can be found at:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wamtheatre/sets/72157648698789976/" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://www.flickr.com/photos/wamtheatre/</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre Announces Summit for Aspiring Women Theatre Leaders</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Berkshire Leadership Summit Set for October 2017</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We see the operation of a glass ceiling, a metaphor for the barriers facing women stuck at middle management where they can see the top but cannot reach it.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- from the </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Wellesley Centers for Women</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Study</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">LEE, MA [October 31, 2018] - WAM Theatre is excited to announce they will be hosting the first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit - </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">an event for women aspiring to leadership positions in the non-profit theatre in both artistic and operational tracks -</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> in October of 2017. </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In August 2016, the results of research on why there is a gender imbalance in leadership of non-profit regional theater were presented by Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) at the Women’s Leadership Conference in San Francisco at the American Conservatory Theater</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(51,51,51);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre Artistic Director, Kristen van Ginhoven, was an early supporter of the study and attended the conference.  The HowlRound blogpost about the study can be found at: </span><a href="http://howlround.com/women-s-leadership-research-results-and-recommendations" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://howlround.com/women-s-leadership-research-results-and-recommendations</span></a></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Inspired by that conference, the idea was born to create The Berkshire Leadership Summit to continue the work of shifting consciousness and perception around women and leadership in the non-profit theatre world.  </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit is informed and supported by the research that American Conservatory Theater commissioned from the Wellesley Centers for Women.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This inaugural two-day, in person, pilot </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Summit in October 2017 will provide deep dive, nuts and bolts sessions into</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> four areas that female theater professionals identified as main barriers to leadership positions: </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Fundraising, Producing, Building Relationships, and Building Awareness/Creating Opportunity.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Summit has three central aims: providing participants with an experience that grows their network of allies,  enriching vocabulary that supports the current industry while advocating for their future as women leaders, and expanding concrete skills to apply on their path to leadership.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Summit will also offer shorter working sessions around other areas identified in the study and at the conference as barriers to leadership including: </span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Interviewing: exploring the vocabulary of the current world</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Search firm process: advocating for your future</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Reading a financial report/balance sheet</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Building relationships/Working effectively with your board</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Strategic Planning</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Defending your artistic choices</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Intersectionality- including it in the room</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Where is the feminine in leadership?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Who is your coalition?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">What is the financial impact of women’s leadership?</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">What do you bring into the room that distinguishes you as a leader?</span></p></li></ul><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Summit acknowledges gender discrimination is a complex topic. As a first step, this inaugural Summit is targeted to people who navigate the field as women (eg. transgender, cisgender, gender non-conforming) in early to mid-career who are theatre professionals on the path to leadership.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Additional details on this first pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit will be announced by WAM Theatre in the coming months and will be available at:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/">http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/</a></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">OUR SEASON SPONSORS</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; and by the </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural. </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Our 2016 sponsors include the Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Blue Q, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Custom Business Solution, Dylandale Foundation, Feigenbaum Foundation, Garden Gables, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guido's Fresh Marketplace, International Schools Theatre Association, Interprint, Dr. Jay Wise, DDS & Dr. Casey Jones, DMD,  Jon Gotterer DMD, Keator Group, LLC, Lee Bank, Lenox Education Enrichment Fund, Massachusetts Cultural Council, MAXYMILLIAN Technologies, Michele’s Salon + Day Spa, Nina Molin MD, No. Six Depot Roastery and </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Café,</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Petricca Industries, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, RB Design Co., The Rookwood Inn, Rouge Restaurant & Bistro, Toole Insurance, A. von Schlegell & Co., The Sherman Investment Group-RBC Wealth Management, and Zabian's Fine Jewelers.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Lenox, Alford-Egremont, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshires , Washington Cultural Council, Monterey Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, West Stockbridge Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council – local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ABOUT WAM THEATRE</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Based in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, WAM Theatre is Where Arts and Activism Meet. The company was co-founded in 2010 by Canadian director, actor, educator, and producer Kristen van Ginhoven. WAM’s vision is to create opportunity for women and girls through the mission of theatre as philanthropy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Inspired by the book </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from its theatrical events to organizations that benefit women and girls. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Since 2010 years, WAM Theatre has donated more than $30,000 to twelve nonprofit organizations and provided paid work to more than 175 theatre artists. In addition to the main stage productions and special events, WAM Theatre’s activities include a comprehensive educational outreach program and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. For more information, visit </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="http://www.WAMTheatre.com">www.WAMTheatre.com</a></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></div><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><div style="text-align:center"># # #</div></span></span><div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">-- <br>Gail M. Burns<br><div><i>Marketing + Publicity Associate<br></i></div><div><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/" style="font-size:12.8px;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">www.WAMTheatre.com</a><span style="font-size:12.8px"> </span><br></div><div><div><div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><a style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline"><span dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr"><span><img width="0" height="0"><span>413-274-8122</span><span></span></span></span></span><br><br></span></a></span></font></div><i style="font-size:12.8px">Our 7th Season:</i><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/special/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">Special </a><span style="font-size:12.8px">| </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/2016-24-hour-theatre-project/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">24hr Project</a><span style="font-size:12.8px"> | </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2016/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">Fresh Takes</a><span style="font-size:12.8px"> | </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/stars-in-the-orchard-2016/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">Stars in the Orchard</a><span style="font-size:12.8px"> | </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/the-bakelite-masterpiece/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">Bakelite Masterpiece</a><br style="font-size:12.8px"><br style="font-size:12.8px"><span style="font-size:12.8px"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Make a donation </span><a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/WAMTheatreInc/donate.html" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-style:italic;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">now</span></a><span style="font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> to WAM Theatre!</span></font></span><br></div></div></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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