[Capdist-announce] RELEASE: WAM Theatre announces beneficiary for 'The Old Mezzo'

Mon Jul 23 10:18:34 EDT 2012

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

Contact: Kristen van Ginhoven

www.wamtheatre.com

518 243 9627

kristen at wamtheatre.com

*“WAM Theatre announces beneficiary for ‘The Old Mezzo”*

PITTSFIELD, MA (23-07-12)- WAM Theatre is delighted to announce that the
beneficiary for the October World Premiere production of Susan Dworkin’s
‘The Old Mezzo’ will be Berkshire based Shout Out Loud Productions, a
non-profit helmed by Jeanet Ingalls that takes action to address sexual
trafficking. In keeping with WAM Theatre’s double philanthropic mission,
Shout Out Loud will receive up to 25% of the box office proceeds from ‘The
Old Mezzo’.

WAM Theatre’s artistic director, Kristen van Ginhoven, says, ‘WAM is
delighted that our production of ‘The Old Mezzo’ will support Shout Out
Loud’s work to help children, like Jeanet, whose lives have been torn apart
by one of the major issues of our time, sexual trafficking. We are also
moved that both Jeanet and WAM were motivated by the same book, ‘Half the
Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide’ by Nicholas
Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, to take action. Choosing Shout Out Loud
Productions as our fifth beneficiary, and our third local one, reflects all
the reasons WAM was founded.’

Shout Out Loud Productions is a not-for-profit organization, helmed by
artist Jeanet Ingalls, focused on raising the global awareness of sex
trafficking, social accepted abuse and poverty in the lives of women and
children. Their first project is a video diary documentary that will trace
Jeanet’s early life in the Philippines. Through interviews with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder experts and a trip back to the Philippines to
speak to children who have been coerced into sex trafficking, the
documentary will begin Shout Out Loud’s work to educate broadly about the
pervasive reach of sex trafficking and its life long effects on those lucky
enough to escape.

"By selecting Shout Out Loud Productions as the beneficiary for 'The Old
Mezzo', WAM Theatre demonstrates that it not only understands our mission
and purpose to raise awareness to protect victims of sex trafficking, but
it also wants to be proactive in this effort as well," said Jeanet Ingalls,
Founder / President.

Pier Boutin, Vice President, continues "We thank WAM for its bold action,
are honored by their choice, and we hope the power of our outreach project
will inspire and motivate others to do what they can to help the victims of
sex trafficking."

*The Old Mezzo* concerns the political awakening of a great opera singer.
Alyssa, the old mezzo, is driven by the recent death of a famous conductor
to teach a master class concerning the Politics of Singing. The class takes
the form of a play within a play where we revisit important scenes from
Alyssa’s past. She has assigned parts to four of her students and as the
exercise unfolds, we see how Alyssa had to risk her fame and success to
preserve the freedom that is so essential to the arts. By the end of the
play, through a surprising connection to recent events, the importance of
politics in art is revealed.

The Performance Dates are October 12-28. For information on tickets and
venue go to www.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com/>

*About WAM Theatre:*

WAM Theatre is a theatre company based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts
and the Capital Region of New York State. Inspired by the book ‘Half the
Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide’ by Nicholas
Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM Theatre was founded in 2009 by professional
theatre artists Kristen van Ginhoven and Leigh Strimbeck. WAM’s
philanthropic mission is two-fold; first, producing theatrical events for
everyone, with a focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and
girls; second, to donate a portion of the proceeds from those events to
organizations that benefit women and girls. WAM has donated nearly $5000 to
its beneficiaries by creating professional theatre for everyone that
benefits women and girls. www.wamtheatre.com

###**

Kristen van Ginhoven
Artistic Director, WAM Theatre
518-243-9627
www.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com>
http://www.facebook.com/WAMTheatre

Click here<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=263XAT6LNRMZQ>to
make a secure donation to WAM Theatre
*Thanks for your support!*
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