Funding Appeal: Generic Ensemble Company's SCHEHERAZADE (June 2 - 17, 2017) and COLLECTION
Scheherazade
Presented by Generic Ensemble Company in Partnership with The VORTEX
Directed by kt shorb
Featuring: Donnesh Amrollah, Laura Baggs, Carine Choubassi, Lemons Clemons, Olivia Jimenez, Laura J. Khalil, Aisha Melhem, Tonya Pennie, Saray de Jesus Rosales, and Jesus Valles. With additional collaboration with Cyrus Bavarian and Shiva Jabarnia.
Script by the Ensemble, edited by Annie Kim Hedrick and Leena Waarsi
Lighting Design by Rachel Atkinson
Costume Design by E.L. Hohn
Scenic Design by Ann Marie Gordon
Stage Management by Zoë Crabtree
Assistant Stage Management by Jana Zek
Associate Production by Laura J. Khalil and Lemons Clemons
SCHEHERAZADE (June 2-17, at The VORTEX) centers collaborators of Middle Eastern descent, using the Arabian Nights stories as a basis for exploring Islamophobia, terrorism, detention, and the "Muslim Ban." In an international airport in "The States," Scheherazade must tell stories to save her life. Interweaving queer love stories in the context of xenophobia, diaspora and fundamentalism, SCHEHERAZADE asks: what are the stories that take us home?
Collection
Presented by Generic Ensemble Company as part of a residency at the Dougherty Arts Center
Directed by Laura Khalil and Lemons Clemons
Featuring: Annie Kim Hedrick, Marina Weikel, Eva McQuade, Briana Bower, Emily Rankine, Norman Tran, and Dillon Yruegas.
Our collections – both tangible and intangible – from past relationships affect the way we love and the way we live. What do we hold on to? How can we let go? What does it mean to love and how to we learn? Partially inspired by bower birds, a species that collects trinkets to court mates, Collection is an intimate view of the things we give and receive during relationships of all kinds. In this time of great change, love feels precious and meaningful now more than ever. Collection runs August 25-September 9 at the Dougherty Arts Center.
Why This Season is Special
Firstly, our work couldn't be more timely. With the awful Trump Administration issuing ridiculous executive orders and aggressively attacking hard-won rights, theatre addressing issues of Islamaphobia, migration, queer love, and home are vital to our collective conversation. Secondly, this is the first time GenEnCo will present two full-productions in one calendar year. It is our biggest season yet and is the next step toward making GenEnCo a sustainable and constant presence in the Austin theatre community. It takes a lot of people-hours to make this kind of work. We hope to take the next two years to increase how much we pay collaborators as well as the frequency with which we present work so that we can offer a more financially, emotionally, and politically stable refuge for artists to create challenging work.
How We Will Use These Funds
Donations from this campaign will go directly toward paying creative collaborators, that include at least 20 actors, three directors, two stage managers, seven designers and other personnel and crew. We have already received a grant from the City of Austin, which will cover much of our talent and materials costs. We are grateful to both The VORTEX and the Dougherty Arts Center for underwriting our project through providing performance space and other material goods so we can direct most of our resources toward paying talent. It is our goal to pay each actor and designer at least $500. The $5000 will insure that. It is the goal of the Generic Ensemble Company to make creative labor sustainable for all collaborators. Love makes art good, but you can't eat it. Money helps.
Let's Talk About Accessible Admission
We are so proud to be partnering with The VORTEX on their Radical Rush program that reserves a bloc of free tickets in the spirit of sustainability, accessibility, and participating in the gift economy. Radical Rush tickets are released an hour before the performance starts--first come first serve. For our partnership at the DAC, we will institute a similar program where we will reserve a bank of tickets each night that will be free to walk-ups. Both venues are wheelchair accessible and we provide sign-language interpretation for one show each run and provide admission to deaf and hard of hearing patrons free-of-charge.
As we continue to expand our accessibility, your donation to this campaign allows us to offer our show to more and more patrons, across many social lines.
Why We Are So Cool
The Generic Ensemble Company (GenEnCo) is one of the few troupes in Austin, and nationally, that centers people of color bodies and experiences in physically engaged, experimental, ensemble-based performance. GenEnCo has some grants and awards under its belt, and director, kt shorb, has presented work nationally. This is the most recent project aimed at asking profound questions toward social change through rigorous, dangerous, and community-conscious theatre.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you cannot help out with donating to our cause, we are looking for at least 10 volunteers to participate in our load-in on May 27-28. We really need this, so if you can do it, please contact us at info@genenco.org.
Do you have a blog, radio show, or column? Talk to us and share our project with your audience!
Ticket Info
You can reserve a seat for SCHEHERAZADE by going to The VORTEX ticketing page. Information on Collection tickets will be available in the summer.
Scheherazade
by ensemble directed by kt shorb
Generic Ensemble Company
June 02 - June 17, 2017
June 2-17, 2017 8 pm
3 Weeks only!
Live-Streaming Sunday, June 4 at 8 pm CST on howlround.com/tv
“Industry Night” Wednesday, June 14 8 pm
ASL-Interpreted TBA (Free to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences)
VORTEX Connects Post Show Discussions TBA
Visit vortexrep.org for tickets
The VORTEX, 2307 Manor Rd. Austin, TX 78722
Free Parking. Bus Route.
The Butterfly Bar @ The VORTEX opens nightly at 5pm with full bar, hand-crafted cocktails, and snacks.
Patrizi’s @ The VORTEX opens nightly at 5pm with delicious homemade Italian food.
Tickets: $35-$15
$35 Priority Seating
$25 General Admission
$15 Discount/Child/Artist/Student/Senior
Advance Reservations Recommended. Limited seating.
www.vortexrep.org or 512-478-5282
Radical Rush Free Tickets: Limited free tickets for each performance in the spirit of sustainability, accessibility, and the gift economy. Radical Rush tickets released at 7pm each night-in-person only.
