<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-bb39937b-b1fc-a4b5-ff56-3c60f6ce2e56"><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">January 18, 2017</span></p><br><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;color:rgb(0,0,0);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>; 413-274-8122</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;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://www.flickr.com/photos/wamtheatre/</span></a></p><br><br><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;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre Announces Collaboration with Arizona’s  Bridge Initiative</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;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">New Work Contest Winner to Get Reading March 19 </span></p><br><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">LENOX, MA (January 18, 2017) -  WAM Theatre is delighted to announce that their 2017 Fresh Takes Play reading series will begin with </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">The Flora and Fauna</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 Alyson Mead, winner of the Arizona-based Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre New Work Contest.  The play chronicles the celebrations and challenges of a female friendship that spans almost 30 years. Additionally, this opening reading of the Fresh Takes Series will be a partnership with the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers, with a portion of the box office proceeds from the reading going to the Festival.</span></p><br><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">The WAM reading will take place at 3:30 pm on Sunday, March 19 at No. 6 Depot in West Stockbridge. WAM Artistic Associate and Fresh Takes Curator/Producer Molly Clancy will direct. </span></p><br><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">“I’m honored to be directing </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">The Flora and Fauna</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> for WAM, and excited about our national collaboration with The Bridge Initiative and our local partnership with The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers,” said Molly Clancy. “Supporting women artists is at the heart of WAM’s mission, and I am especially passionate about supporting new plays written by women. Joining together with other organizations, nationally and locally, that share those same values is a wonderful way to open our 2017 season.” </span></p><br><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">The Bridge Initiative is an </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Arizona nonprofit working to identify and empower female artists in the Southwest region. One of it’s co-founders and co-producing artistic directors, Tracy Liz Miller, was a director for WAM’s Fresh Takes reading series in 2013. </span></p><br><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">The Bridge Initiative's New Work Contest received more than 163 eligible plays and musicals, submitted from 25 states, the District of Columbia, and international locations.  Over the course of six months, the works were adjudicated by a team of professional theatre practitioners from both Arizona and across the country, </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">including representatives from WAM,</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> who produce, act, direct, write, and teach.  Every submission was scored anonymously, on criteria of originality, storytelling, dialogue, characters, and an X factor ("I want to see this play"). </span></p><br><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">“It seemed absolutely necessary to me to connect with WAM Theatre as soon as Brenda Foley (Bridge Initiative’s other co-producing Artistic Director) and I began to look at partnering with other companies to give our playwright more development opportunities,” Miller said. “Having proudly worked with Kristen previously, I knew that WAM's mission aligned with ours and that the combination of the Fresh Takes series and our new play contest was a perfect fit. We all look forward to helping Alyson meet her artistic mission with this play.”</span></p><br><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">“Prior to coming to the Berkshires </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Flora and Fauna</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> will spend a week in Arizona, where Mead and New York City-based new play development expert Stefanie Sertich will be in residence workshopping the play - working on rewrites and strengthening the piece,” Foley explained. “Then, after WAM’s reading in March, the new draft will also be read at the Magnolia Theatre in Ohio and the InProximity Theatre in NYC. Hearing the audience response in different regions, as well as seeing different artistic teams interpret her work, will be a huge asset to the playwright as she polishes her script in anticipation of a full production.”</span></p><br><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">Additionally, The Bridge Initiative has named two plays Honorable Mention winners.  Sarah Bierstock's </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">Honor Killing</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> follows an American reporter investigating a murder in Pakistan. In Anchuli King's </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">White Pearl</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, six women from six Asian countries collide in the boardroom of a whitening skin cream brand. </span></p><br><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">WAM Theatre will announce the full schedule for their 8th season, including the rest of the Fresh Takes series, on February 28.</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);font-style:italic;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;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">AT A GLANCE</span></p><br><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">March 19, 2017</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">Reading of The Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre New Work Contest winner</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;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Flora and Fauna</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;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">by Alyson Mead</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;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">directed by Molly Clancy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2017/" 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">http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2017/</span></a></p><br><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">Fresh Takes Play Reading Series</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">Curated by WAM Theatre’s Artistic Associate Molly Clancy and hosted by No. Six Depot Roastery and Café on 6 Depot Street in West Stockbridge, MA, on select Sundays at 3:30 pm. </span></p><br><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">There are only 30 tickets available per reading. Tickets are $20, which includes a post-show conversation and the opportunity to meet the cast and director. Refreshments will be available for purchase at the Café. For tickets and more information visit: </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2017/" 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">http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2017/</span></a></p><br><br><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">ABOUT THE BRIDGE INITIATIVE</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);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Bridge Initiative is an Arizona nonprofit working to identify and empower female artists in the Southwest region, with the aim of gender parity across all theatrical disciplines.  </span><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);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Its mission also includes bridging the gap between academia and the professional world to encourage students to envision a clearer path to becoming lifelong artists.  Visit </span><a href="http://www.bridgeinit.com" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">www.bridgeinit.com</span></a></p><br><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">ABOUT THE BERKSHIRE FESTIVAL OF WOMEN WRITERS</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);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers  inspires, nourishes and strengthens women’s creative voices by offering stimulating workshops and events year-round designed to encourage women and girls to engage with one another and their communities, and develop as creative leaders. For the past six years, hundreds of women writers of all ages, from teens to seniors, have participated in the annual Berkshire Festival of Women Writers, held in March, Women’s History Month, featuring workshops, readings, performances and screenings at venues throughout Berkshire County MA and the adjacent Berkshire region. Visit </span><a href="http://www.berkshirewomenwriters.org" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">www.berkshirewomenwriters.org</span></a></p><br><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">ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: ALYSON MEAD</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">Mead studied at Yale University, the Slade School of Art in London, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and with iO West, UCB and Tectonic Theatre Project. Her award-winning plays have been staged at Off-Off Broadway and regional theaters around the country and in London, including La MaMa, St. Mark's Church, 8BC, Pasadena Playhouse, Venus Theatre, Women Playwrights Conference, Limelight, the Other Space Theater, the Hudson, Atwater Village Theater and Sacred Fools, among others. She’s published by Original Works Publishing, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Playwriting Unit and the Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative. Visit </span><a href="http://www.alysonmead.com" style="text-decoration:none"><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">www.alysonmead.com</span></a></p><br><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">About the Director: MOLLY CLANCY</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);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre:</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Artistic Associate, Fresh Takes Play Reading Series Curator & Producer, Director for </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Water by the Spoonful </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">and </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Last Wife</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Assistant Director for </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In Darfur</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">How The World Began </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">and </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Regional Theatre:</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Molly currently works at Shakespeare & Company as the Publicity Director and previously worked at Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, FL) and Home Made Theatre (Saratoga Springs, NY).  Additional Directing: SDC Foundation Observership Class 2015 – 2016, </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Charlotte’s Web</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Wizard of Oz</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (Forest Lake Theatre) and </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Rwandans’ Visit</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (Lougheed Festival of the Arts at SUNY Potsdam). Additional Assistant Directing: Alice Reagan’s </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Or,  </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Shakespeare & Company),</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Taibi Magar’s </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Comedy of Errors </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Shakespeare & Company)  </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Training:</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> SUNY Potsdam (BA in Theatre and English).</span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Twitter: </span><a href="http://mollyclancyy/" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">@MollyClancyy</span></a></p><br><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><br><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 2017 sponsors include the Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Custom Business Solution, Dylandale Foundation, Futures HealthCore, Garden Gables, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, In Touch Printing, International Schools Theatre Association, Interprint, Dr. Jay Wise, DDS & Dr. Casey Jones, DMD,  Keator Group, LLC, Lee Bank, Massachusetts Cultural Council, MAXYMILLIAN Technologies, Methuselah Bar and Lounge, 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"> RB Design Co., TSquared Design Studio, The Rookwood Inn, Rouge Restaurant & Bistro, A. von Schlegell & Co., the </span><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:cambria;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation.</span></p><br><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 Alford-Egremont, Dalton Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, New Malborough Cultural Council, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshires , Otis Cultural Council, West Stockbridge Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council – local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.</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;font-style:italic;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;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, WAM Theatre has donated more than $30,000 to eleven nonprofit organizations and provided paid work to more than 200 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><br><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);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"># # #</span></p></span><div><br></div><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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