EXODUS ENSEMBLE

THE EXODUS ENSEMBLE'S PROGRAM SERVICES ACCOMPLISHMENT NARRATIVE - 2025 OVERVIEW: THE EXODUS ENSEMBLE IS A DARING, IMMERSIVE THEATRE COMPANY BASED IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO. NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, EXODUS CONTINUES TO REDEFINE THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST BY CREATING BOUNDARY-PUSHING PERFORMANCES GROUNDED IN CLASSICAL TEXTS AND RADICALLY CONTEMPORARY STORYTELLING. IN 2025, EXODUS PRODUCED 100 PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ITS ORIGINAL CYRANO, AS WELL AS RETURNING WORKS HAMLET AND BATHSHEBA, AS WELL AS INTRODUCING A MONTHLY IMPROV SERIES AND CREATING TWO NEW WORKS FOR GEORGE R.R. MARTIN'S SKY RAILWAY- THE OUTLAW EXPRESS AND A 1920'S MURDER MYSTERY, BINKY AND BAMBINI'S TRAVELLING CIRCUS. UNMATCHED ACCESSIBILITY: EXODUS ENSEMBLE'S DONATION-ONLY MODEL ENSURES THAT NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY DUE TO COST. THIS APPROACH-BORN FROM CREATIVE NECESSITY AND SHAPED BY THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY-REMAINS A CORNERSTONE OF OUR MISSION. THE CONTINUED IMPACT OF THIS APPROACH IS EVIDENT IN THE DIVERSITY OF OUR ATTENDEES: EXODUS AUDIENCES ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, RETIREES, FIRST-TIME THEATRE-GOERS, AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ALIKE. MANY REPORT THAT EXODUS WAS THEIR FIRST THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. IN A CITY LIKE SANTA FE, WHERE THE POPULATION TRENDS OLDER, EXODUS IS UNIQUELY CAPABLE OF DRAWING YOUNG AUDIENCES INTO SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ARTS. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AND CREATIVE GROWTH: THIS YEAR, EXODUS PREMIERED A BOLD REIMAGINING OF CYRANO, WHICH CONTINUES TO PLAY TO SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES. EXODUS AGAIN PARTNERED WITH UNITED WORLD COLLEGE AND FACILITATED A WEEK-LONG WORKSHOP FOR UWC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPRESENTING 12 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. OUR IMMERSIVE PRODUCTIONS CONTINUED TO INHABIT UNCONVENTIONAL SPACES-FROM GALLERY HALLWAYS TO MOVING TRAIN CARS- AND EXODUS COLLABORATED WITH OVER A DOZEN INSTITUTIONS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES INCLUDING UNITED WORLD COLLEGE,THE ACADEMY FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING, SKY RAILWAY, DINNER FOR TWO, COYOTE CAFE, AND HOTEL GLORIETA. RECOGNITION AND EXPANSION: IN 2025, EXODUS RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF SANTA FE MARKETING GRANT (15,000), THE WITTER BYNNER FOUNDATION (10,000) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HAMLET, AND FROM THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (20,000) FOR OPERATIONS. SUSTAINED ARTIST SUPPORT AND ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL: EXODUS INVESTS DIRECTLY IN ITS PEOPLE: 80% OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET GOES TO SUPPORTING 13 FULL-TIME ARTISTS, WHO ALSO SERVE AS THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM. THIS PEOPLE-FIRST MODEL EMPOWERS THE ENSEMBLE TO GENERATE ORIGINAL WORK, ENGAGE IN OUTREACH, AND PRESENT PERFORMANCES AT A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL-WITHOUT RELYING ON OUTDATED PRODUCTION MODELS OR PERMISSION-GATED STRUCTURES. BY PLACING ARTISTS AT THE CENTER OF OPERATIONS, EXODUS HAS CULTIVATED A CREATIVE ENGINE THAT IS NIMBLE, AMBITIOUS, AND DEEPLY ROOTED IN COMMUNITY. CONCLUSION: EXODUS ENSEMBLE IS PIONEERING A NEW WAY FORWARD FOR AMERICAN THEATRE-ONE THAT INVITES RISK, EMBRACES RADICAL ACCESSIBILITY, AND FORGES MEANINGFUL HUMAN CONNECTION. IN A MOMENT WHEN TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE FALTERING, EXODUS CONTINUES TO GROW, INNOVATE, AND INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION OF AUDIENCES. IN 2025, THIS VISION WAS REALIZED THROUGH BOLD ARTISTIC EXPANSION. WE DEVELOPED A MAJOR NEW PRODUCTION THAT SOLD OUT FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS (CYRANO), LAUNCHED A NEW IMPROV SERIES THAT CONSISTENTLY DREW AUDIENCES OF 80 PER PERFORMANCE, AND REMOUNTED TWO MAJOR EXODUS ADAPTATIONS, BATHSHEBA AND HAMLET, WHICH ALSO SOLD OUT EVERY PERFORMANCE. TOGETHER, THESE INITIATIVES REFLECT A YEAR OF GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, AND DEEPENED COMMITMENT TO OUR MISSION. AS AN EXTENSION OF THIS WORK, EXODUS CONTINUES TO INVEST IN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED WORLD COLLEGE BROUGHT IMMERSIVE THEATRE INTO THE CLASSROOM THROUGH STUDENT WORKSHOPS CULMINATING IN A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEE THEMSELVES AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE ART FORM. WE REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR GOAL TO REVITALIZE THEATRE AND TO BRING BOLD, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES-AND THE TOOLS TO CREATE THEM-TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.