As I sit on the deck this early morning, before the house is awake, I reflect on the positives and negatives of crowd funding platforms. There are so many out there these days. Kickstarter - the most well-known. Go Fund Me. Indiegogo. And many more. Anyone, at any time, can begin a campaign to raise money. For any kind of project or cause. Sending a child to the Junior Olympics. Making a short film about a mysterious set of staircases. A new video game idea. And as I watch these campaigns (along with my own, for Found Space Theatre), and the videos and descriptions attached, I start to have my doubts about crowd funding platforms.
Fundraising is a tricky thing. Asking people for money is not anyone's most favorite past time. And yet, when you are working towards a dream, something you believe in with all of your heart, you WILL ask people for money. Their hard-earned, work 40 - 50 hours per week money. Because it is your dream. And it is a dream that you know in your heart that many people support, even if they are unable to give any of that hard-earned money, because times are tough and every dollar counts towards some bill or debt. And yet, we ask. And we ask.
Not to mention the fact that Eugene is already rich in Community Theatre. The established theatres in town sell out, get reviewed, and move on to the next production. But a theatre that is for women - there is no other theatre like this in Eugene or the surrounding area.
So, I do the thing I hate doing, but feel must be done. I push. I nudge. I promote. I wonder if people on Facebook are sick of seeing the pleas for donations. We are, at this moment, less than three days from the end of our Indiegogo Campaign. And I feel the pressure to somehow make it successful. We have had 15 generous friends and family members donate. And we still need more. Those 15 - the first to give to our campaign - hold a special place in my heart. The donors yet to come will hold a special place in my heart.
This theatre is not my dream alone. I have two partners in this venture - Judy and Carol. We all believe in this company with all of our hearts. The dream is big. I believe it will become a reality. And we need your help.
So I'm asking you to donate. Anything you can. $1, $10, $100, $1,000. Yes. I'm asking for part of your hard-earned money. You will see your donation pay off in ways you can not now imagine. Please, give what you can, and soon. Thank you. ~ Emily
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Why Am I Doing This? Have I Gone Completely Crazy?
Do I have your attention? I hope so. Why in the world would I be doing this? Starting a new theatre company in a town where there are so many already established thaetre arts companies? Why? Why put myself - and my business partners - through the stress, the work, the endless worry?
Because. That's why.
Because I believe that women's voices need to be heard.
Because I believe that Found Space Theatre will become a safe space for artistic exploration by both women AND men.
Because I believe there is a deep crevasse here in Eugene, between men's roles and women's roles.
It was suggested to me the other night that men have the same issue as women when attending an audition. I disagree, respectfully. While the lead male role may be determined once "that" actor walks into the audition, there will be anywhere between 3 - 10 other male roles for those auditioning. Women, however, compete (and make no mistake, it IS a competition) for one, maybe two good roles in a play. Perhaps two good roles per season per theatre company. There are exceptions to that rule, of course. But by and large, *good* women's roles are hard to come by and even harder to win.
Why am I doing this? Because I can name at least 30 fabulously talented actresses here in Eugene who are frothing at the mouth for opportunities to be on stage, direct, stage-manage, costume, run lights, etc. Because there is an age-group of actresses largely ignored - the 50 - 90-year-old actresses. Their voices are passionate. Their voices need to be heard.
Why am I doing this? Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm overly optimistic. Maybe I'm a dreamer. But we are such stuff as dreams are made of....
I. Am. Doing. This.
Because.
Now, get off your duffs and donate to help us make this happen. <3
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
Love, Love and more Love ('Cause all you need is love....and a couple of really big donors) ~ Emily
Because. That's why.
Because I believe that women's voices need to be heard.
Because I believe that Found Space Theatre will become a safe space for artistic exploration by both women AND men.
Because I believe there is a deep crevasse here in Eugene, between men's roles and women's roles.
It was suggested to me the other night that men have the same issue as women when attending an audition. I disagree, respectfully. While the lead male role may be determined once "that" actor walks into the audition, there will be anywhere between 3 - 10 other male roles for those auditioning. Women, however, compete (and make no mistake, it IS a competition) for one, maybe two good roles in a play. Perhaps two good roles per season per theatre company. There are exceptions to that rule, of course. But by and large, *good* women's roles are hard to come by and even harder to win.
Why am I doing this? Because I can name at least 30 fabulously talented actresses here in Eugene who are frothing at the mouth for opportunities to be on stage, direct, stage-manage, costume, run lights, etc. Because there is an age-group of actresses largely ignored - the 50 - 90-year-old actresses. Their voices are passionate. Their voices need to be heard.
Why am I doing this? Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm overly optimistic. Maybe I'm a dreamer. But we are such stuff as dreams are made of....
I. Am. Doing. This.
Because.
Now, get off your duffs and donate to help us make this happen. <3
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
Love, Love and more Love ('Cause all you need is love....and a couple of really big donors) ~ Emily
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Two Mothers Speak: Memoirs of a Passion
TWO MOTHERS SPEAK: MEMOIRS OF A PASSION is a two-person play based on a novella that local author (and my house-mate) Judy McKenzie wrote based on her experiences (and those she interviewed) adopting an african-american baby into an inter-racial family. Semi-autobiographical, moving, thought-provoking. The issues raised in the play are prescient even today: race, adoption, mental illness. This is an important play, and will hit the boards at LCC's Blue Door Theatre this summer.
I feel so honored to be a part of this production. I worked hard on the adaptation (at the time, someone else was slated to play the role of Agnes, the adoptive mother) - five drafts total. And now that I am slated to play Agnes, opposite the new talent of Samira Lobby, and directed by my best friend Katie McClatchey, I am even more honored. We have an amazing all-female tech team with Mollie Clevidence as our tech and Sarah Etherton as our SM. This is one of the goals of Found Space Theatre - women having opportunities to do what they love in theatre.
There is no set. Only a few furniture pieces will be utilized. Each actress is responsible for her own props and costume changes, made on-stage. This is bare-bones theatre, but that only adds to the intensity of the play. A run time of 90 minutes (with intermission). A challenge every actor embraces. A short amount of time to make sure that the message of the play gets to the audience, and in such a way that audience will go home discussing the play. And the line-load....woah.
It is beyond important to me personally to see this production mounted. It will be my first full-length play in well over a year. I will perform in honor of my sister, as always, but also in honor of Judy, who lived through many (but not all) of the events that take place in the play. It will also be a fund-raiser for Found Space Theatre. This is the only production we will mount this season, and will spend the rest of the season grant-writing and fund raising so that we can have a full season of 4 plays in 2014/2015.
And that season will offer even more opportunities for women to hit the boards and express their passion in whatever way is important to them. We will also have several shows that include men (as we like men and don't want to exclude them!). The Board is so excited about this new venture - and we cannot wait to share our vision with you.
And yes, we need money. So once again, I post the link here to our on-line fund raiser at Indiegogo.com. We need your help. Please, whatever you can donate, even if it is only $1, donate! We have 14 days left on our campaign. Help us bring a new voice to the Eugene Theatre Community.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
Thank you for your support. We need you now more than ever.
~Emily
I feel so honored to be a part of this production. I worked hard on the adaptation (at the time, someone else was slated to play the role of Agnes, the adoptive mother) - five drafts total. And now that I am slated to play Agnes, opposite the new talent of Samira Lobby, and directed by my best friend Katie McClatchey, I am even more honored. We have an amazing all-female tech team with Mollie Clevidence as our tech and Sarah Etherton as our SM. This is one of the goals of Found Space Theatre - women having opportunities to do what they love in theatre.
There is no set. Only a few furniture pieces will be utilized. Each actress is responsible for her own props and costume changes, made on-stage. This is bare-bones theatre, but that only adds to the intensity of the play. A run time of 90 minutes (with intermission). A challenge every actor embraces. A short amount of time to make sure that the message of the play gets to the audience, and in such a way that audience will go home discussing the play. And the line-load....woah.
It is beyond important to me personally to see this production mounted. It will be my first full-length play in well over a year. I will perform in honor of my sister, as always, but also in honor of Judy, who lived through many (but not all) of the events that take place in the play. It will also be a fund-raiser for Found Space Theatre. This is the only production we will mount this season, and will spend the rest of the season grant-writing and fund raising so that we can have a full season of 4 plays in 2014/2015.
And that season will offer even more opportunities for women to hit the boards and express their passion in whatever way is important to them. We will also have several shows that include men (as we like men and don't want to exclude them!). The Board is so excited about this new venture - and we cannot wait to share our vision with you.
And yes, we need money. So once again, I post the link here to our on-line fund raiser at Indiegogo.com. We need your help. Please, whatever you can donate, even if it is only $1, donate! We have 14 days left on our campaign. Help us bring a new voice to the Eugene Theatre Community.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
Thank you for your support. We need you now more than ever.
~Emily
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sixteen Days Left
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/two-mothers-speak
A lot can happen in sixteen days. A lot can happen in one day. I know this. I've seen it happen time and time again.
I entered into a new theatre venture with two partners, women I've known and loved for years. We want to create a theatre in Eugene that allows women opportunities to express themselves artistically - acting, directing, tech work, having an original play produced - that fills a niche here in Eugene that sorely needs filling.
We embarked on this journey many, many months ago. An idea formed - sort of like, "Hey, kids, let's put on a show!" but more detailed. Meeting after meeting. Reams of paperwork to the IRS and the state. To-do lists that spawned yet more to-do lists. Phone calls with friends who had run successful crowd-funding campaigns. And MORE to-do lists. Building and building towards our launch day.
As the official launch day grew closer, the to-do lists somehow got longer. But we sallied forth and worked and worked and worked - almost 24/7 - to be ready with a professional launch of Found Space Theatre. And we hit everything at the same time. Facebook. Our websites made public. Our Indiegogo Campaign made public. Within 24 hours, we had over 80 likes on our Facebook page and our first donation to our Indiegogo Campaign. The buzz was all over the place. A feature article in the Eugene Weekly added to the buzz, along with a short announcement in the Register Guard. And now....with sixteen days to go on our campaign, the inevitable lull.
I cannot adequately express my feelings of gratitude and honor to be building this company with two of my best friends. Another best friend is coming all the way from Chicago to direct our first production. To me, this company represents a fresh start. A way to make a difference in the Eugene Theatre and Arts scene. A way to give women opportunities they may not otherwise have.
And there are 16 days left to raise the money we so desperately need to mount our first production. So I wait, I watch the campaign like a hawk. I send out personal appeal after personal appeal. And I wait. And I watch....
A lot can happen in sixteen days. A lot can happen in one day. I know this. I've seen it happen time and time again.
I entered into a new theatre venture with two partners, women I've known and loved for years. We want to create a theatre in Eugene that allows women opportunities to express themselves artistically - acting, directing, tech work, having an original play produced - that fills a niche here in Eugene that sorely needs filling.
We embarked on this journey many, many months ago. An idea formed - sort of like, "Hey, kids, let's put on a show!" but more detailed. Meeting after meeting. Reams of paperwork to the IRS and the state. To-do lists that spawned yet more to-do lists. Phone calls with friends who had run successful crowd-funding campaigns. And MORE to-do lists. Building and building towards our launch day.
As the official launch day grew closer, the to-do lists somehow got longer. But we sallied forth and worked and worked and worked - almost 24/7 - to be ready with a professional launch of Found Space Theatre. And we hit everything at the same time. Facebook. Our websites made public. Our Indiegogo Campaign made public. Within 24 hours, we had over 80 likes on our Facebook page and our first donation to our Indiegogo Campaign. The buzz was all over the place. A feature article in the Eugene Weekly added to the buzz, along with a short announcement in the Register Guard. And now....with sixteen days to go on our campaign, the inevitable lull.
I cannot adequately express my feelings of gratitude and honor to be building this company with two of my best friends. Another best friend is coming all the way from Chicago to direct our first production. To me, this company represents a fresh start. A way to make a difference in the Eugene Theatre and Arts scene. A way to give women opportunities they may not otherwise have.
And there are 16 days left to raise the money we so desperately need to mount our first production. So I wait, I watch the campaign like a hawk. I send out personal appeal after personal appeal. And I wait. And I watch....
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