You'd Be So Much Prettier If You...
A Collaboratively Crafted Performance of the Women's Performance Workshop
Sunday, August 12th at 5pm
The Strand Theater Company presents You'd Be So Much Prettier If You..., the product of an ongoing workshop dedicated to developing a community of women. You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... decentralizes the hierarchical power relationships usually found in traditional theater productions. Each workshop participant has served as the director of their own show and each story has been created with the input of the entire ensemble. You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... is part of an ongoing series of workshops and performances dedicated to empowering women to tell their own stories.
You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... is the Strand Theater Company’s first offering of the season, kicking off a year of performances that unapologetically deal with issues surrounding oppression, black lives, corruption, gentrification, and misogyny.
The performance will feature Baltimore community members Ann Tabor, Lisa Banks, Kerry Brady, Tara Cariaso, Kelly Cardall, Sarah Cosgrove, Christen Cromwell, Emily Hall, Amber Hendricks, Kat Kaplan, Kat Martineau, Mkawasi Mcharo Hall, Shelley Northern Jennings, Lucie Poirier, Barbara Wilgus, Christine Valeriann, Robin Yasinow
“The Women's Performance Workshop was a new way for me to engage with other women-identified people through theater. I've worked on plays with all women casts and have experienced hashing through some of the issues that women uniquely experience in the world – but never have I been in an environment where all participants wanted to reveal their own experiences with such joy and freedom. It's a ride I don't want to get off.” – Tara Cariaso
You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... is made possible by a generous grant from Engaged Cornell.
Using the template of consciousness-raising groups that sprung out of the Women’s Movement, the women’s performance workshop creates a safe space for women-identified participants to talk about their personal lives and socially relevant issues. The final performance, collaboratively crafted from these conversations, reflects the breadth of the participants’ experiences and stories.
You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... is the Strand Theater Company’s first offering of the season, kicking off a year of performances that unapologetically deal with issues surrounding oppression, black lives, corruption, gentrification, and misogyny.
The performance will feature Baltimore community members Ann Tabor, Lisa Banks, Kerry Brady, Tara Cariaso, Kelly Cardall, Sarah Cosgrove, Christen Cromwell, Emily Hall, Amber Hendricks, Kat Kaplan, Kat Martineau, Mkawasi Mcharo Hall, Shelley Northern Jennings, Lucie Poirier, Barbara Wilgus, Christine Valeriann, Robin Yasinow
“The Women's Performance Workshop was a new way for me to engage with other women-identified people through theater. I've worked on plays with all women casts and have experienced hashing through some of the issues that women uniquely experience in the world – but never have I been in an environment where all participants wanted to reveal their own experiences with such joy and freedom. It's a ride I don't want to get off.” – Tara Cariaso
You'd Be So Much Prettier If You... is made possible by a generous grant from Engaged Cornell.
Using the template of consciousness-raising groups that sprung out of the Women’s Movement, the women’s performance workshop creates a safe space for women-identified participants to talk about their personal lives and socially relevant issues. The final performance, collaboratively crafted from these conversations, reflects the breadth of the participants’ experiences and stories.
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Women on Top Series – Theatre FestivalCall for proposals opens November 14, 2016
Application Deadline: December 23, 2016, 11:59 PM Email completed applications to [email protected] Founded in 2016, the Strand Theater’s Women on Top Series presents an annual, curated series of innovative projects by women theatre-makers. The program offers meaningful, project-based support for women artists to develop and present new works that will have a significant impact for the artists and the artistic and broader community in the region, while upholding the Strand Theater’s mission of amplifying women’s voices on stage and off. |
Introduction |
The Women on Top Series supports work that has a clear artistic vision. We encourage risk, innovation, complexity of thought and formal exploration, while insisting on integrity and professionalism. We are proud to support women theatre-makers from all communities, who both explore and challenge traditional performance models.
The Series will enable artists to create, complete, or remount a project that will include a public component at the Strand Theater. The public component may take the form of performances, staged readings, or any other type of event that fits with the nature of the project. The program is open to both emerging and established theatre artists. Collaborative teams, as well as individuals, are encouraged to apply. We invite proposals for the development of new plays, devised works, and other performance pieces. The Strand’s Women on Top Series offers resources for up to three projects annually, typically scheduled during March, April and May. |
Series Overview |
PARTICIPATION: The Women on Top Series uses a juried application process to ensure that the festival includes a diverse group of projects, ranging widely in form, content, voice, and points-of-view, and in keeping with the Stand’s broader mission. Three top selected projects will be invited to take part in this year’s festival.
SCHEDULE: Once selected, you will be scheduled for up to 3 weeks of rehearsal space and time, and up to 8 performances, following the rehearsal period. You may request the use of the space for meetings or casting sessions, should you require it. Rehearsals and performances will be held at the Strand Theater – 5426 Harford Road, Baltimore MD 21214 FUNDING: The Strand will award each of the three selected projects up to $1000 for production expenses. The funds may be used at the discretion of the artists, in consultation with the Strand’s Executive Director. TECHNICAL SUPPORT: The Strand Theater is equipped with only very basic lights and sound. You are expected to keep the project’s technical requirements to a minimum. Projects will be allowed no more than two, 4-hour technical rehearsals. BOX OFFICE, TICKETING and FRONT-OF-HOUSE: Strand Theater handles all aspects of online ticketing, box office and front of house. Box office proceeds are retained by the Strand Theater, as means to support the production of the festival production expenses. PUBLICITY: Strand Theatre will publicize the Women on Top Series and coordinate overall press relations, including interviews and critics’ attendance at performances. Festival participants are expected to help promote their projects and the festival as a whole, through their personal and professional networks. ARTISTIC SUPPORT: Although you will steer the course of your project, the Strand’s Executive Director and Artistic Council will continue to advise and support you throughout your process. |
Responsibilities |
If your project is selected, you are provided with the funding, rehearsal space, performance dates, modest technical support, public relations, box office/front-of-house, and artistic support as described above. However, the Strand Theater is not staffing or organizing your process. YOU are responsible for:
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Selection Criteria |
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Selection Process |
Your proposal will be reviewed by the Strand’s Artistic Council members, in consultation with the Executive Director. You may be contacted by the curators to discuss your application further, prior to selections being made.
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How To Apply |
The deadline for the 2017 Women on Top Series is December 23, 2016. Late submissions will not be accepted.
All applications MUST be submitted online only - hard copy applications will not be accepted. Please create a .zip folder that contains ALL of your materials and attach it to ONE email to: [email protected]. Do not send multiple emails. Please title all uploaded files with the title of your project, followed by a dash, and the title of the application section. For example: My Great Play – Letter of Intent; My Great Play - The Work; My Great Play - Support Material, etc. Please submit the following: 1. The Summary: A short summary of your piece, maximum 100 words. 2. Letter of Intent: Give an overview of this project, where it is at in its development, what you plan to do, and how you plan to do it. Why this work is relevant and why the Women on Top Series is the right vehicle for your production? This is your way of introducing yourselves and your work to our curators. Maximum 2 pages. 3. The Work: Please include a copy of the work. Works in progress are also acceptable. If the piece has not yet been written, a synopsis and complete description should be submitted. For non-text-based work, a detailed proposal/project description outlining the production should be included. 4. Artist Bios: Please include a list of your principal personnel on your team and brief bios of each. (Maximum two pages) 5. Budget: Please include a budget of your anticipated expenses. This can be very simple; we will evaluate how you imagine you will allocate the funding. Please indicate if you plan to bring any additional funding into the project. 6. Support Materials: (Optional) These can include links to videos or photos of current or previous work, press clippings, etc. (Maximum of 6 photos. For video, please provide a single URL (and password, if required) where video files can be viewed.) |
Questions |
Please contact Strand Executive Director, Elena Kostakis at [email protected] with any questions.
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| women_on_top_submissions_guidelines.docx |