[Capdist-announce] PRESS RELEASE: WAM Theatre Announces 2020 Season

[Gail Burns]

February 3, 2020



Contact: Gai Burns, Marketing and Publicity Associate

www.wamtheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com/#_blank>

pr at wamtheatre.com; 518.243.9627

Press Photos can be found at:

www.flickr.com/photos/wamtheatre/albums/



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



WAM Theatre Announces 2020 Season

A Season of Ensembles, Community, and Civic Engagement

LENOX, MA (February 3, 2020) — Producing Artistic Director Kristen van
Ginhoven, Associate Artistic Director Talya Kingston, and the WAM team
today announced a 2020 season that focuses on ensembles, community, and
civic engagement.

“WAM’s 2020 season continues our work of creating brave spaces of civic
dialogue through an intersectional feminist lens,” van Ginhoven said. “We
are excited for our WAMily to join us in 2020 for stimulating conversation
and inspiring storytelling!”

In this election year, WAM’s 2020 season will center on the area premiere
of Lisa Loomer’s celebrated play ROE in September/October. This large
ensemble production, directed by WAM’s Co-Founder and Producing Artistic
Director Kristen van Ginhoven, illuminates the history of one of the most
polarizing social issues of the modern era: the Roe v. Wade, U.S. Supreme
Court ruling that established a woman’s right to an abortion. ROE provides
a reminder of the human stories behind the debates and how hard we have to
work to compassionately communicate with people with whom we may disagree.

Kicking off the season in June,  WAM’s Ensembles will present THE SUFFRAGE
PROJECT in celebration of the centennial of the passage of the 19th
Amendment which allowed women full rights to vote, as well as in
acknowledgement of its complicated history and the battles of citizenship
still to be won.  It will be performed in four different venues throughout
Berkshire County in early June.

WAM will end our 11th season in November with three Fresh Takes staged
readings of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY by Larissa FastHorse, a scathingly funny
satire where we witness a group of “woke” white teaching artists scrambling
to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and
Native American Heritage Month.

“All three of our main events this year are ensemble-based, meaning that
you will see groups of people on stage supporting and engaging with each
other while grappling with urgent and invigorating subject matter -
bridging political divides through personal stories,” says Kingston, who
will be overseeing THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT and directing THE THANKSGIVING
PLAY.

“With ROE being an 11 person cast, we are thrilled to be able to work with
more local theatre artists both onstage and offstage than ever before,” van
Ginhoven adds. “We are also excited to expand our community engagement
ensembles to include affinity workshops with female-identifying veterans,
immigrants, and people of color, whose work will influence THE SUFFRAGE
PROJECT.”

In addition to our Berkshire productions, WAM Theatre is proud that
audiences across the country will have a chance to see our productions,
starting in March with the continuation of our co-production of PIPELINE at
the Nora at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA, where the play will be
performed from March 5-29, 2020.  Then, in May, Kristen van Ginhoven will
bring the WAM production of ANN to Laguna Playhouse in California.



THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT



THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT

Devised by WAM Ensemble members

Co-directed by Amy Brentano and Talya Kingston

Various locations

June 4-7

“Devised theatre is my new favorite thing!  It’s immediate, collaborative,
and so creative.  It calls on me in new ways” – WAM Elder Ensemble member

THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT will culminate in an original performance devised by
WAM’s Elder Ensemble.  This year marks 100 years since the 19th Amendment
was passed which allowed women full rights to vote.  It is in celebration
of this centennial, as well as in acknowledgement of its complicated
history and the battles of citizenship still to be won, that WAM has chosen
this topic for our ensembles.  In addition to the Elder Ensemble, WAM
Teaching Artists will be running devising workshops on the topic of
suffrage and citizenship with: Immigrants (in collaboration with BRIDGE’s
Women to Women Group), Veterans (in collaboration with Soldier On!) and
with a new intergenerational People of Color Ensemble led by WAM’s
Associate Producing Director Lia Russell-Self.



ROE



ROE

by Lisa Loomer

Directed by Kristen van Ginhoven

Berkshire premiere

Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Company

September 25-October 11



"Rousing entertainment ... a big play with big ideas." -Mail Tribune

“Cleverly illuminating” -The Washington Post

“Full of nuance and complexity" -NPR

“Shares 50 years of history in gripping style” -Mail Tribune

“A powerful and compassionate look at a controversial issue” -The Siskiyou
Daily News



Two Women. Multiple Truths. One Landmark Supreme Court Case.



ROE is an historically sweeping play with a large ensemble cast that
illuminates the history of one of the most polarizing social issues of the
modern era, the Roe v. Wade, U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established a
woman’s right to an abortion. ROE explores the women behind the landmark
case of Roe v. Wade, illuminating the heart and passion each side has for
their cause, providing a reminder of where the debate began and how hard we
have to work to communicate compassionately with people with whom we may
disagree.



Playwright Lisa Loomer says, "I wanted people to feel, as they watched the
play, that their point of view was represented, if nothing else because
that helps people be more open and willing to hear another point of view."

ROE was commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2012 as part of
its American Revolutions Cycle. It was developed at the University of Texas
and The Kennedy Center (as part of DC’s Women’s Voices Festival) as well as
at OSF’s Black Swan Lab before it played for 70 performances in Ashland,
OR, and then had runs in Washington, DC (Arena Stage), Berkeley, CA
(Berkeley Rep), and Sarasota, FL (Asolo Rep).



THE THANKSGIVING PLAY



Fresh Takes Readings of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

by Larissa FastHorse

Directed by Talya Kingston

Elayne Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company

November 20, 21, and 22

“Very, very funny.  Larissa FastHorse’s THE THANKSGIVING PLAY skewers
liberal pretensions with glee - this clever satire is something for which
we will be truly thankful” - The Hollywood Reporter.

Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s
wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally “woke” teaching artists
scrambles to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey
Day and Native American Heritage Month.



For more information about the 2020 Season and WAM Theatre’s programs,
events, and artists, please visit www.WAMTheatre.com.

WAM THEATRE 2020 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

The Suffrage Project

Devised by WAM Ensemble members

Co-directed by Amy Brentano and Talya Kingston

June 4, 7pm - The Foundry, West Stockbridge

June 5, 7pm - Gala performance - location tbd

June 6, 7pm - Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield

June 7, 2pm - The Mount, Lenox

ROE

by Lisa Loomer

Directed by Kristen van Ginhoven

Berkshire premiere

Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Company

September 25-October 11


THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

Fresh Takes Readings of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

by Larissa FastHorse

Directed by Talya Kingston

Elayne Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company

November 20, 21, and 22



TICKET INFO

Tickets for ROE go on sale March 3 by calling the Shakespeare & Company box
office at 413-637-3353 or going online to www.shakespeare.org.

Please visit the Shakespeare & Company’s website for box office hours,
which vary throughout the year. In keeping with WAM’s double philanthropic
mission, the beneficiary for ROE will be announced in the spring.

Tickets to THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT and the Fresh Takes play readings of THE
THANKSGIVING PLAY will go on sale at www.wamtheatre.com in the spring.

Premium priced tickets for the opening night of THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT and
the opening reading of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY will include a post-show
reception with the artists.

WAM 2020 Sponsors

WAM’s 2020 sponsors include Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Hand to
Shoulder Center, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Blue Q, Blue Spark
Financial, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Chez
Nous, Custom Business Solutions, The Dylandale Foundation, Greylock Federal
Credit Union, Haven Cafe and Bakery, Health Professional Coaching, Heller &
Robbins, Interprint, J.H. Maxymillian, Inc., Lake House Inn. Lee Bank,
Massachusetts Cultural Council, Onyx Specialty Papers, Outpost Productions,
RB Design Co., The Rookwood Inn, T Square Design Studio, Toole Insurance,
and a. von schlegell & co.

WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from Alford-Egremont
Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, Pittsfield Cultural Council, and
the Sandisfield Cultural Council – local agencies supported by the
Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

ROE is sponsored in part by Maggie and Don Buchwald

WAM’s 2020 Season of Events is sponsored in part by Carolyn Butler

ABOUT WAM THEATRE

WAM Theatre is a professional theatre company based in Berkshire County,
MA, that operates at the intersection of arts and activism. WAM creates
theatre for gender equity and has a vision of theatre as philanthropy.

In fulfillment of its philanthropic mission, WAM donates a portion of the
proceeds from their Mainstage productions to carefully selected
beneficiaries. Since WAM’s founding in 2010, they have donated more than
$75,000 to 19 local and global organizations taking action for gender
equity in areas such as girls education, teen pregnancy prevention, sexual
trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more.

In addition to Mainstage productions and special events, WAM’s activities
include innovative community engagement programs and the Fresh Takes Play
Reading Series. To date, WAM has provided paid work to more than 400
theatre artists, the majority of whom are female-identifying.

As a civic organization that embraces intersectional feminism (feminism
that acknowledges how multiple forms of discrimination overlap), WAM
understands that to address one piece of systemic discrimination means we
have to address them all. This is on-going personal and professional work
at WAM for the staff and board.

WAM Theatre has been widely recognized for having a positive impact on
cultural and community development in the region. WAM is the recipient of
the Creative Economy Standout Berkshire Trendsetter Award and previously,
was named Outstanding Philanthropy Corporation of the Year by the Western
MA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kristen van
Ginhoven, WAM’s Producing Artistic Director, was honored by the Berkshire
Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) with the prestigious Larry Murray Award,
presented at the discretion of the BTCA Board to a person or theatre
project that advances social, political, or community issues in Berkshire
County.



For more information, visit www.WAMTheatre.com <http://www.wamtheatre.com>

###
-- 
Gail M. Burns

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

My gender pronouns: She/Her/Hers

*Our 2020 Season!*
THE SUFFRAGE PROJECT <https://www.wamtheatre.com/suffrage-project/> | ROE
<https://www.wamtheatre.com/roe/> | THE THANKSGIVING PLA
<https://www.wamtheatre.com/thanksgiving-play/>Y


Make a donation now <https://www.wamtheatre.com/donateonline/> to WAM
Theatre!
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