WAM THEATRE INC

PROGRAMMING THE PROGRAMS BELOW ARE RUN BY A DEDICATED TEAM OF TWO FULL-TIME AND FOUR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, PLUS MANY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHO WORK ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS FOR WAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS WELL AS 60 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING A PASSIONATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO PROVIDE GOVERNANCE TO THE ORGANIZATION AND OVERSEE WAM'S ONGOING FISCAL HEALTH AND STRATEGIC PLAN. MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCES: EACH YEAR, WAM UNDERTAKES THE AMBITIOUS DOUBLE-GOAL OF PRODUCING A HIGH QUALITY THEATRICAL ENGAGEMENT THAT EMPLOYS LOCAL ARTIST WORKING UNDER PROFESSIONAL UNION CONTRACTS, WHILE DONATING A PERCENTAGE OF THE BOX OFFICE REVENUE TO ONE OR MORE CHARITIES THAT SERVE THE UNMET NEEDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS HERE IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND BEYOND.FRESH TAKES READING SERIES: CURATED BY WAM THEATRE'S ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, TALYA KINGSTON, FRESH TAKES GIVES A STAGE TO GROUND-BREAKING WORKS THAT TELL WOMEN'S STORIES ONSTAGE. THESE PLAYS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PRESENTED ELSEWHERE BUT ARE NEW TO BERKSHIRE AUDIENCES. EDUCATION PROGRAM:WAM HAS DEVELOPED AN EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE PLACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ALL CIRCUMSTANCES TO CULTIVATE THEIR OWN ASPIRATIONS THROUGH FOCUSED AND IMAGINATIVE EMPOWERMENT ACTIVITIES. ACCOUNTABILITY WORK: 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. 2023 SEASON- IN THE SPRING, WAM THEATRE AND BERKSHIRE THEATRE GROUP CAME TOGETHER FOR A SPECIAL CO-PRODUCTION OF WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME BY HEIDI SCHRECK, DIRECTED BY WAM'S FORMER PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR KRISTEN VAN GINHOVEN. THE PERFORMANCES PLAYED TO CRITICAL-ACCLAIM AND SOLD-OUT HOUSES WITH THREE ADDITIONAL SHOWS ADDED TO THE RUN. TWO-TIME TONY AWARD-NOMINATED BROADWAY ACTOR AND LOCAL FAVORITE KATE BALDWIN PLAYED THE ROLE OF HEIDI AND MADE HER WAM DEBUT."ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT THEATER FOR ALL AGES TO SEE AND TO DISCUSS-REGARDLESS OF RIGHT, LEFT, OR MIDDLE." - AUDIENCE MEMBER, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME- THE SUMMER WAS WELCOMED BY THE RETURN OF WAM'S FRESH TAKES PLAY READING SERIES. FRESH TAKES PRESENTED NEW WORKS BY WOMEN AND EXPLORED THE COMPLEX AND INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITIES THAT MAKE UP CONTEMPORARY AMERICA: IDENTITIES THAT PEOPLE PROJECT ONTO US, THE ONES THAT ARE HANDED DOWN TO US, AND THE ONES WE DECIDE OURSELVES. PERFORMED ON SUNDAYS IN JULY AT THE MOUNT IN LENOX, THE PLAYS INCLUDED HOLLOW ROOTS BY CHRISTINA ANDERSON, PORT OF ENTRY BY TALYA KINGSTON, AND IN HER BONES BY JESSICA KAHKOSKA.- IN THE FALL, WAM PRODUCED A SPECIAL CABARET EVENT: ME AND THE SKY AT THE ELAYNE P. BERNSTEIN THEATRE AT SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY. THE SPECIAL EVENING OF EMPOWERING BROADWAY HITS THAT FOCUSED ON WOMEN'S STORIES WAS CO-CREATED AND DIRECTED BY WAM ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TALYA KINGSTON AND PIONEER VALLEY-BASED THEATRE ARTIST AND MUSICIAN KYLE BOATWRIGHT.- THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, WAM PROVIDED EQUITABLE PAID WORK TO MORE THAN 50+ DIVERSE THEATRE ARTISTS, CREATIVES, AND ARTS ADMINISTRATORS WHO CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC.- IN 2023, WE WERE PROUD TO EXPAND ACCESSIBLE TICKETING OPTIONS, CAREGIVER STIPENDS (FOR AUDITIONS, REHEARSALS, PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS), AND WAM'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, AND TO GROW OUR EQUITABLE PAY INITIATIVES.- FINALLY, OUR BIGGEST UNDERTAKING OF 2023 WAS THE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION OF CO-FOUNDER AND PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR KRISTEN VAN GINHOVEN AND THE SEARCH FOR OUR NEXT ARTISTIC LEADER. WAM'S TEAM, BOARD, LEADERSHIP, AND STAKEHOLDERS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO CREATE A THOUGHTFUL AND STRATEGIC PROCESS FOR SUCCESSION AND SET THE STAGE FOR OUR NEXT CHAPTER OF GROWTH, HONORING THE LEGACY AND VISION OF KRISTEN'S TENURE. WE'RE THRILLED BY THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENEE CORENO AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR GUIDING WAM'S ARTISTIC VISION. THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR BEING ON THIS JOURNEY WITH US.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS A CENTRAL PART OF WAM THEATRE'S ACTIVIST MISSION. IN 2023, WE WELCOMED MAIZY BRODERICK SCARPA TO THE ROLE OF DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND FACILITATED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMMING: - TEEN ENSEMBLE: OVER SPRING BREAK, ENSEMBLE MEMBERS EMBARKED ON A CREATIVE PROJECT THAT VALUED PROCESS OVER PRODUCT. TOGETHER THEY EXPLORED INDIVIDUAL SELF-EXPRESSION, COMMUNITY BUILDING AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING THROUGH THEATRE GAMES AND ACTIVITIES.- ELDER ENSEMBLE: LOCAL WOMEN AGES 65+ FOSTERED DEEP CONNECTION AND SUPPORT WHILE EXPLORING THEMES OF AUTONOMY AND FREEDOM THROUGH DEVISED THEATRE.- FREE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND STORY CIRCLES: LAST AUTUMN, THE PUBLIC WAS INVITED TO GATHER AT THE WAM CREATIVE HUB AND ONLINE TO EXPERIENCE THE PROCESS OF DEVISING THEATRE. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE WELCOMED TO WAM, WHERE THEY SHARED IDEAS, DREAMS, AND IMAGININGS, COLLECTIVELY ENVISIONING A BETTER TOMORROW.- ARTS INTEGRATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP: TANGLEWOOD (THROUGH BCAN/BERK12) GIVING AREA TEACHERS TOOLS TO BRING LESSONS ALIVE THROUGH MONOLOGUE-WRITING- IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES: OVER THE PAST SEASON, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPAND INITIATIVES AIMED AT REDUCING BARRIERS AND IMPROVING ACCESS FOR WAM AUDIENCES, AUDIENCES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS INCLUDES EXPANDING FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE TICKETING OPTIONS, EXPANDING CAREGIVER STIPENDS (FOR AUDITIONS, REHEARSALS, PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS) AND GROWING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, AND AS WE WORKED TOWARD EVEN MORE EQUITABLE PAY.