<div dir="ltr"><div id="gmail-:5hv" class="gmail-ii gmail-gt gmail-adP gmail-adO" style="font-size:12.8px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-bottom:5px"><div id="gmail-:5i6" class="gmail-a3s gmail-aXjCH gmail-m15f308a9e5939b4c"><div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-m_4852608476112619466gmail-docs-internal-guid-67705213-3083-6e47-99b3-969832d6d010"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">October 18, 2017</span></span></span><br></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Contact: Gail Burns, Marketing and Publicity Associate</font></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/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">www.wamtheatre.com</font></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="mailto:pr@wamtheatre.com" target="_blank">pr@wamtheatre.com</a></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">; </span><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="tel:(518)%20243-9627" value="+15182439627" target="_blank">518.243.9627</a></span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Press photos can be found at:</font></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/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">https://www.flickr.com/photos/<wbr>wamtheatre/</font></span></a></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Berkshire Leadership Summit Announces Keynote Speaker and Presenters</font></span></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">LEE, MA - WAM Theatre is excited to release the program schedule of the upcoming </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Berkshire Leadership Summit</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, taking place on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29, 2017</span></span> in the Elayne P. Bernstein Center for the Performing Arts at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass. Over 20 nonprofit theatre leaders, professional experts, and resource providers will be leading a cohort of 80 attendees from across the United States and Canada through a series of programs that will develop their vocabulary, skills, and strategies for successful leadership.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Michelle Hensley</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Founder and Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things Theater in Minnesota, will be providing the keynote address. Ms. Hensley will discuss her efforts, as an artistic director finding herself in a very male world, to create a place where she could work and live with her values intact - a central theme of this pilot event.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Michelle Hensley has directed and produced over 25 years of award-winning drama brought directly to nontraditional audiences in prisons, shelters and housing projects, as well as the general public in and around Minneapolis through Ten Thousand Things Theater. A McKnight Theater Fellow, Ms. Hensley was named the Star Tribune's Best Artistic Director in 2012, received the Francesca Primus Prize for outstanding contribution to the American theater by a female artist, published her book </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">All The Lights On</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> in 2015, and just last month received the Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement.</span></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The keynote speech will kick off the weekend summit which is filled with panels, plenaries, and conversations. 16 skill building sessions will be offered on topics ranging from fundraising to board development, and will be led by over a dozen experts in the field including </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Patricia Bonner-DuVal</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, President of Bonner Enterprises; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Debbie Chinn</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Executive Director of Opera Parallèle; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jenna Deja</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Vice President at Arts Consulting Group; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">David J. Diamond</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Theatre Consultant, Producer, and Founder of Career Coaching for Artists</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mandy Greenfield,</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Artistic Director of Williamstown Theater Festival; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Julie Hennrikus</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Executive Director of StageSource; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Joan Lancourt</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Founder of Greater Boston Theater Board Leaders Group; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">David Mallette</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Partner at Management Consultants for the Arts; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dr. S. Atyia Martin</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chief Resilience Officer at City of Boston; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Laura Penn</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Executive Director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ellen Richard</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Executive Director of Laguna Playhouse; </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sarah Shampnois</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Managing Director of Company One; and </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Erin Washington</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Founder of Soul Center.</span></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">"By directly addressing the common barriers outlined in the A.C.T./Wellesley Centers for Women research, our goal is to provide such intentional training resources and direct action that there is no question that these candidates are positioned and prepared to lead with success." said Rachel Fink, member of the Berkshire Leadership Summit Steering Committee. "We have gathered a remarkable group of current and future leaders and I am so excited to witness their collective power as they mobilize to impact our field for the better."</font></span></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Other program highlights include:</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"></p><ul><li style="margin-left:15px"><u><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Saturday</span></span> plenary session: </u><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#000000" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-weight:700;white-space:pre-wrap"><u>Leadership Shifts: From the Wellesley Report to Executive Search</u></span><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"><b><u>
</u></b></span></font></span>This group discussion, moderated by <span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rachel Fink</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Managing Director of Theatre Bay Area in San Francisco and Berkshire Leadership Summit Steering Committee member, will use the findings from the Wellesley Centers for Women/A.C.T. research as a springboard for a conversation about current hiring practices in the nonprofit theatre, industry efforts towards gender parity, and tactics to address the barriers to advancement detailed in the study. Panelists include </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Emika Abe</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Assistant Managing Director of Alliance Theatre; </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Michelle Bonoan</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Managing Director at Koya Leadership Partners; and </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ineke Ceder</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Research Associate at Wellesley Centers for Women as well as </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jenna Deja</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Joan Lancourt</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">David Mallette</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, and </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Laura Penn</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></li></ul><ul><li style="margin-left:15px"><u><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Sunday</span></span> plenary session: </u><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Successive Leadership: Leading on While Passing the Baton
</span>This plenary, moderated by <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Liz Diamond</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Chair of the Directing Department at Yale School of Drama and Resident Director at Yale Repertory Theatre, will tackle what leadership development looks like over the lifespan of a career, as well as transitioning leadership skills and positions to a new generation of women. Panelists include </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Martha Richards</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Executive Director of WomenArts, and </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hana Sharif</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage.</span></li></ul><p></p><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="margin-left:15px"><u><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Sunday</span></span> pinnacle conversation: </u><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A Clarion Call for Advancement
</span>In this final conversation, moderated by <span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Erin Washington</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, attendees will hear from leaders in the field who have taken action on women's leadership and discuss what’s next. Panelists include </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Carol Dunne</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Producing Artistic Director at Northern Stage; </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Joy Meads</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Co-Founder of The Kilroys and Literary Manager/Artistic Engagement Strategist at Center Theatre Group; and </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kristen van Ginhoven</span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, Artistic Director of WAM Theatre and Berkshire Leadership Summit Steering Committee chair.</span></li></ul><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Summit organizers are also thrilled to announce that the keynote address, plenaries, and pinnacle conversation will be livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer produced </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">HowlRound TV</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> network </span><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">at </span><a href="http://howlround.com/tv" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,255);background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">howlround.tv</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> The </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">keynote presentation</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> will be livestreamed on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Saturday, Oct 28 at 9:30 a.m. EDT</span></span> (New York) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">8:30 a.m. CDT</span></span> (Chicago) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">6:30 a.m. PDT</span></span> (Los Angeles). </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Saturday’s</span></span> plenary session</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> will be livestreamed on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Saturday, Oct 28 at 4:00 p.m. EDT</span></span> (New York) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">3:00 p.m. CDT</span></span> (Chicago) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">1:00 p.m. PDT</span></span> (Los Angeles). </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Sunday’s</span></span> plenary session</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> will be livestreamed on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Sunday, Oct 29 at 11:15 a.m. EDT</span></span> (New York) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">10:15 a.m. CDT</span></span> (Chicago) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">8:15 a.m. PDT</span></span> (Los Angeles). The </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">pinnacle conversation</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> will be livestreamed on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">Sunday, Oct 29 at 1:30 p.m. EDT</span></span> (New York) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">12:30 p.m. CDT</span></span> (Chicago) / <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">10:30 a.m. PDT</span></span> (Los Angeles).</span></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">More information about the Berkshire Leadership Summit schedule can be found at </span><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://www.wamtheatre.com/<wbr>berkshire-leadership-summit-<wbr>2017/</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">ABOUT THE BERKSHIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">The pilot Berkshire Leadership Summit will be hosted by WAM Theatre on <span class="gmail-aBn" tabindex="0"><span class="gmail-aQJ">October 28 and 29, 2017</span></span>, in the Elayne Bernstein Performing Arts Center at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass.</font></span></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;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. The HowlRound blogpost about the study can be found at</span><a href="http://howlround.com/women-s-leadership-research-results-and-recommendations" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://howlround.com/women-s-<wbr>leadership-research-results-<wbr>and-recommendations</span></a></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Sponsors and supporters for the summit include Lynn and Richard Atkinson, Hannelore Voness, Joan and James Hunter, Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, Arwen Lowbridge of Baystate Financial, Classical Tents, Blue Q, ZONTA Club of Berkshire County, and the donors of the GoFundMe campaign.</font></span></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">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.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">The BLS Advisory Committee includes Ineke Ceder and Sumru Erkut, authors of the Wellesley Study; Elena Chang, Associate Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at TCG; Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director at Williamstown Theatre Festival; Carey Perloff, Artistic Director at American Conservatory Theatre who commissioned the Wellesley study; Laura Penn, Executive Director of the Society of Stage Director and Choreographers; and Martha Richards, Executive Director of WomenArts.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">ABOUT WAM THEATRE</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="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="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="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><a href="http://www.wamtheatre.com/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">www.WAMTheatre.com</span></a></font></p><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"># # #</font></span></p><div class="gmail-yj6qo gmail-ajU"><div id="gmail-:5qx" class="gmail-ajR" tabindex="0"><img class="gmail-ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif"></div></div></span></div></div></div><div class="gmail-hq gmail-gt" id="gmail-:3xw" style="font-size:12.8px"></div><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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