[Capdist-announce] PRESS RELEASE: WAM Theatre Honored as Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation

[Gail Burns]

November 22,, 2016

Contact: Gail Burns, Marketing and Publicity Associate

www.wamtheatre.com

pr at wamtheatre.com; 518.243.9627

Press Photos can be found at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wamtheatre/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WAM Theatre Honored as Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation

Lenox, MA [November 22, 2016] - WAM Theatre was honored as the Outstanding
Philanthropic Corporation by the National Philanthropy Day Committee of the
Western MA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals at a
luncheon on Wednesday, November 16th at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA.

“Excellence comes in all shapes and sizes. This is what I was told when I
received the call informing me that WAM Theatre was awarded the Outstanding
Philanthropic Corporation award. What a wonderful acknowledgement of our
work!” exclaimed WAM Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven.  “WAM has been
the lucky recipient of an incredible number of awards and accolades this
year. We feel lucky that our double philanthropic mission has received such
esteemed recognition. As a young, fast growing company, we are incredibly
grateful for these votes of confidence in our work and look forward to our
continued impact into the future.”

This award recognizes WAM for demonstrating outstanding commitment through
financial support and through encouragement and motivation of others to
take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement.

The National Philanthropy Day Committee received applications from
organizations that donate far more funds than WAM, but they were very
impressed with how many WAM Team Members and supporters were working so
hard to consistently donate money to organizations that benefit women and
girls, in addition to creating high quality theatre, and by WAM’s unique
approach to engaging the community in its philanthropic efforts.

This caps off an exhilarating and successful fall for the seven year-old
Berkshire-based theatre company which received three substantial
competitive grants, been nominated for a Berkshire Trendsetter Award and a
Nonprofit Awareness Day Excellence Award, and mounted an acclaimed
co-production with the Berkshire Theatre Group of The Bakelite Masterpiece
that enabled them to make their largest donation to date to their 2016
beneficiaries. In addition, van Ginhoven was recently invited to attend the
Women’s Leadership Conference in San Francisco and nominated by the
Berkshire Theatre Critics Association for the Larry Murray Award at the
First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards.

Plans have already been announced for WAM’s eighth season in 2017,
beginning with auditions on December 10 for the second Girls Ensemble
program for ages 13-18, and a remount of their successful 2013 production
of Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight by Lauren
Gunderson from March 31-April 9 in the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare
& Company. Tickets for this special limited run featuring the entire
original cast are on sale through the end of November for just $30. Dates
for more WAM 2017 events, such as the fourth season of the Fresh Takes Play
Reading Series and the Fall Main Stage production, will be announced early
in the New Year.

OUR SEASON SPONSORS

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 Massachusetts Cultural Council
Cultural. Our 2016 sponsors include the Adams Community Bank, Berkshire
Bank, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Blue Q, Brabson
Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Custom Business Solution,
Dylandale Foundation, Feigenbaum Foundation, Garden Gables, Greylock
Federal Credit Union, Guido's Fresh Marketplace, International Schools
Theatre Association, Interprint, Dr. Jay Wise, DDS & Dr. Casey Jones, DMD,
 Jon Gotterer DMD, Keator Group, LLC, Lee Bank, Lenox Education Enrichment
Fund, Massachusetts Cultural Council, MAXYMILLIAN Technologies, Michele’s
Salon + Day Spa, Nina Molin MD, No. Six Depot Roastery and Café, Petricca
Industries, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, RB Design Co., The Rookwood Inn,
Rouge Restaurant & Bistro, Toole Insurance, A. von Schlegell & Co., The
Sherman Investment Group-RBC Wealth Management, the Dr. Robert C. and Tina
Sohn Foundation, and Zabian's Fine Jewelers.

WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Lenox,
Alford-Egremont, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern
Berkshires , Washington Cultural Council, Monterey Cultural Council,
Stockbridge Cultural Council, West Stockbridge Cultural Council, Richmond
Cultural Council – local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts
Cultural Council, a state agency.

ABOUT WAM THEATRE

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 Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for
Women Worldwide 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 $30,000 to eleven nonprofit
organizations and provided paid work to more than 175 theatre artists. In
addition to the main stage productions and special events, WAM Theatre’s
activities include a comprehensive educational outreach program and the
Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. For more information, visit
www.WAMTheatre.com

# # #

-- 
Gail M. Burns

*Marketing + Publicity Associate*
www.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com/>
413-274-8122

*Our 7th Season:*Special  <http://www.wamtheatre.com/special/>| 24hr Project
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/2016-24-hour-theatre-project/> | Fresh Takes
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/fresh-takes-2016/> | Stars in the Orchard
<http://www.wamtheatre.com/stars-in-the-orchard-2016/> | Bakelite
Masterpiece <http://www.wamtheatre.com/the-bakelite-masterpiece/>

Make a donation now
<https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/WAMTheatreInc/donate.html> to WAM
Theatre!
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