<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-205e15e6-a49b-17e8-a80e-aab1b58a579d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">September 21, 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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line: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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line: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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">WAM Theatre Announces Attendees for October’s Berkshire Leadership Summit</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- from the </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Wellesley Centers for Women</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Study</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">LEE, MA - Organizers of the pilot </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Berkshire Leadership Summit</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">an event for women aspiring to, or already in, leadership positions in the non-profit theatre, and hosted by WAM Theatre, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">are excited to announce that the attendees of this event have been selected</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Of the 163 women theatre professionals who applied to participate in the Berkshire Leadership Summit, 75 have been accepted, hailing from 22 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. This cohort reflects an emphasis the Steering Committee members placed on diversity, accessibility, and intentionality early in the process. Towards this goal, the steering committee members, comprised of Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre (Steering Committee Chair); Akiba Abaka, Audience Development Manager at ArtsEmerson; Rachel Fink, Managing Director of Theatre Bay Area; and Shafer Mazow, who currently works at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, went through a rigorous selection process that focused on creating a cohort that balanced career (early/late/mid-career), background (race, sexual identity, geography), and level of leadership experience. The process resulted in an intentional balance of these criteria in an effort to provide the greatest opportunity for personal growth and community-building for each attendee at the summit.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“When I stood up at a microphone at American Conservatory Theater's Women's Leadership Conference in August 2016 and said WAM Theatre would host a summit as a next step in the national conversation around gender parity in the theatre, never, ever did I think it would result in this sort of response,” explained Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM’s Artistic Director. “The desire for this sort of event is very clear. “</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Getting this sort of response confirms that we were embarking on something timely and critical in discussions of equity and inclusion in the field.” said Shafer Mazow, Steering Committee Member and </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(58,58,58);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">a lead developer and organizer of the Women’s Leadership Project and convening that inspired the Berkshire Leadership Summit.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> “Women of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities struggle to break the glass ceiling in theatre, and the diversity of applicants proves we are articulating and addressing a need for that glass ceiling to be shattered for everyone.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Early- to late-career theatre professionals from British Columbia to Brooklyn will come together in Lenox, Massachusetts, for two days at the end of October. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The summit will have a three-part structure: </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Networking opportunities, rigorous Skill-Building sessions and Advancing the Discourse panels, which will be livestreamed through HowlRound. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Steering Committee will announce the speakers, panelists, and schedule next month.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Attendees such as Emika Abe of Atlanta, Georgia, have long felt the uneven ground of gender parity in theatre and are eager to support other participants in leveling this playing field. “It can be difficult to envision myself in a formal leadership position when there isn't an abundant pool of leaders who look like me from which to gather inspiration,” she explains. “This creates a barrier to really owning that we deserve a seat at the table.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Canadian attendee Heather Cant echoes this sentiment. “The importance of equality should never need explaining; when all voices are welcome and heard with equal merit, all the world will truly be a stage.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Steering Committee Chair van Ginhoven concludes, “WAM Theatre and the Steering Committee are incredibly proud to be taking action for gender parity in the non-profit theatre by hosting the pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit. We look forward to welcoming all of these impressive women leaders to the beautiful Berkshires in October.” </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A complete list of this year’s Berkshire Leadership Summit participants is below. To learn more please visit <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/attendees/">http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/attendees/</a></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br class="gmail-kix-line-break"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Emika Abe</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Atlanta, GA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">C.J. Astronomo</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Leah Barish</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chicago, IL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Eva Barrie</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Devon Berkshire</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Brooklyn, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Anne Bertram</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Minneapolis, MN</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sara Brookner</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Somerville, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kamilah Bush</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Greensboro, NC</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kristen Adele Calhoun</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, New York, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Heather Cant</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Kamloops, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(29,33,41);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">British Columbia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tatyana-Marie Carlo</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Miami, FL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Elena Chang</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, New York, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jamila Cobham</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Richmond, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Patsy Collins Bandes</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Belmont, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Angela Combest</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chester, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lori Ann DeLappe-Grondin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, West Sacramento, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Celine Delcayre</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Brooklyn, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Deanna Downes</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Cedar Rapids, IA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Theresa Erbacher</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Washington, DC</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hannah Fenlon</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Brooklyn, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Karena Fiorenza Ingersoll</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chicago, IL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Aislinn Frantz</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Groton, CT</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kelly Galvin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Lee, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ann Garner</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Philadelphia, PA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Adriana Gaviria</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, New York, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Maddie Gaw</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Berkeley, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tuled Giovanazzi</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Calgary, Alberta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ruth Goodwin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Stephanie Graham</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ty Hallmark</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Kensington, MD</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Pamela Halstead</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, East Pennant, Nova Scotia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Julie Hennrikus</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Boston, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rachel Spencer Hewitt,</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Chicago, IL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Esther Jun</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Teresa Kilzi</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Urbana, IL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lia Kozatch</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Clark, CO</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Anne Levy</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Tuscaloosa, AL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shellen Lubin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chatham, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Natasha MacLellan</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Porsche McGovern</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Greenwich, CT</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tracy Liz Miller</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Tempe, AZ</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Nicole Miller Marks</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Philadelphia, PA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Margaret Morneau</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Roseville, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tara Moses</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Broken Arrow, OK</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shondrika Moss-Bouldin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Fairburn, GA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shannon Musgrave</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Salt Lake City, UT</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Erica Nagel</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Oakland, NJ</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Brenna Nicely</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Arlington, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Bridget O'Leary</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Watertown, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Abigail Pañares</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Berkeley, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Elizabeth Pangburn</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Shutesbury, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rebecca Parker</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Buford, GA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Melinda Pfundstein Vaughn</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Cedar City, UT</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Karen Altree Piemme</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, San Jose, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lisa Portes</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chicago, IL</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mary Jane Probst</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Saint Louis, MO</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Martha Richards</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Berkeley, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ali Joy Richardson</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Toronto, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dylan Russell</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Richmond, CA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Helen Schultz</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, New York, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jordan Schwartz</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Marietta, GA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Phaedra Scott</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Boston, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hana Sharif</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Baltimore, MD</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shannon Sindelar</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Brooklyn, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Brianna Sloane</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Sunderland, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Nicole St. Martin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Edmonton, Alberta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Bronwyn Steinberg</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Ottawa, Ontario</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Meg Sullivan</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Cranston, RI</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Erin Washington</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Atlanta, GA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Emma Watt</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Somerville, MA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Alexis Williams</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, New York, NY</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Denise Winter</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Port Townsend, WA</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Danielle Zarbin</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Brooklyn, NY</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br class="gmail-kix-line-break"></span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ABOUT THE BERKSHIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit will be </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">hosted by WAM Theatre on October 28 and 29, 2017, in the Elayne Bernstein Performing Arts Center at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The summit is informed and supported by the research that American Conservatory Theater commissioned from the Wellesley Centers for Women. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">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-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://howlround.com/women-s-leadership-research-results-and-recommendations</span></a></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sponsors and supporters for the summit include Lynn and Richard Atkinson, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hannelore Voness, Joan and James Hunter, Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, Arwen Lowbridge of Baystate Financial, Classical Tents, ZONTA Club of Berkshire County, and the donors of the GoFundMe campaign.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Berkshire Leadership Summit Steering Committee: Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre; Akiba Abaka, Audience Development Manager at ArtsEmerson; Rachel Fink, Managing Director of Theatre Bay Area; and Shafer Mazow, who currently works at the Exploratorium in San Francisco and was a lead developer and organizer of the Women’s Leadership Project and convening.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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. Inspired by the book </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;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. Since 2010, WAM Theatre has donated more than $32,500 to twelve 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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line: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:11pt;font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"># # #</span></p></span><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">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><div><div style="color:rgb(80,0,80);font-size:12.8px"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><i>Our 8th Season:</i></span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/special/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"> </a><br></div><div style="color:rgb(80,0,80);font-size:12.8px"><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2017/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Fresh Takes</a> | <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/emilie-remount-2017/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Emilie </a>| <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/stars-in-the-orchard-2017" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Stars in the Orchard</a> | <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/the-last-wife/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">The Last Wife</a> | <a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Leadership Summit</a><br></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"></span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"></span></p><div><br><span><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://www.wamtheatre.com/donateonline/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);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></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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