[NEohioPAL] The American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA needs help!

[Alisa Ledyard]

Hi everyone,

The closing of Carousel hit home to many people about the financial
situation of theatres across the country. My dear friend Steve Parsons
was the music director there and I wish him and all the the former
staff the best. I'm writing on behalf of the theatre I work for in
Virginia, The American Shakespeare Center. I'm sure most people are
aware that several theatres are undergoing fundraising efforts to be
able to survive in this economy and the ASC is among that list. Why am
I posting this on NEohioPAL? A. To get the theatre's name out there
for those who are unfamiliar with it and B. Several company members
(myself, Christopher Seiler, Dennis Henry, Ginna Hoben and Luke Eddy)
are from North East Ohio.

We are a professional, non-profit theatre and only 60% of our
operating costs come from ticket sales. Even though our tickets sales
have been up steadily every year, with grants being cut, donations
down and school's budgets making cuts (making it harder for them to
bring a group to see a show or bring the ASC's touring troupe in) the
ASC has been hit hard.

The American Shakespeare Center's home base is the world's only
recreation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre, the Blackfriars Playhouse
(if you have seen "The Upstart Crow" being performed by OSF at the
Coach House, you will have heard the original's name mentioned). We
employ Shakespeare's original staging conditions: keeping the lights
on during performances, direct audience contact, true repertory
seasons, cross-gender casting, no elaborate sets, live contemporary,
acoustic music before and during the interludes of each show. There
are also plans to build a second recreation of the Globe if we can get
through the financial mess going on right now. If you're interested in
watching a video on the ASC, there's a great one at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tf66DPp4g4 (this video was what made
me want to audition for the company).

If you hate Shakespeare and can't believe you've read this far, please
watch the video. Because we use the original staging practices, we're
performing the plays close to the way they were originally intended
which makes them WAY easier to understand and enjoy.

The ASC is currently undergoing the Survive and Thrive campaign. We
aim to raise $250,000 by the end of January (the current amount raised
is $92,108) and an additional $400,00 by May 31st so that in case the
economy is in the pits again, we will be able to control our own
destiny. For more information on the Survive and Thrive campaign,
please visit, http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=286

Also, the ASC is currently in its Actor's Renaissance Season, now
through March 29th. In this special season, there are no directors, no
costume designers, very limited rehearsal time (for "A Midsummer
Night's Dream" that opened on January 2nd, the actors had TWO DAYS of
rehearsal) and they are only given their lines and the cue right
before they speak instead of a full script. This makes it even more
like Shakespeare's original company would have performed the plays.
The titles for this season are "Midsummer", "The Revenger's Tragedy"
by Thomas Middleton, "Henry 6 part 1", "The Changeling" by Middleton
and "The Blind Beggar of Alexandria by George Chapman--- this may be
the first professional production in 400 years.

If you can help or know someone who loves the arts that can, please
consider donating to the ASC (or making a road trip down to Staunton).
Any amount helps and you'd be helping 6 Ohioans and other actors from
all over the country (and Australia) keep their jobs, as well as
helping a great theatre survive in this recession. Thank you!!

www.americanshakespearecenter.com
Survive and Thrive FAQ: http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=301
ASC's Young Company Theatre Camp in the summer:
http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=76

Sincerely,
Alisa Ledyard