“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” – Seth Godin
Happy New Year!
2022 is here. We don't know about you, but we must admit we hoped with the ball drop something would magically change and the world would return to some sense of normal. The last few weeks have shown that isn't the case. More variants. More cases. This is the new norm, but as Socrates says, "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." This year we are committed to NEW!
The first "new" thing we will share with you is the regional premiere of Bess Wohl's Small Mouth Sounds!
Next month we will start rehearsals with a cast and crew of wonderful artists with our sights set on opening night on March 18th at Pure Life Theatre in Raleigh.
The excitement of returning to rehearsals is real and at the same time our minds are focused on rehearsing in a time of pandemic. This means we have to work with organizations to ensure our cast has access to PCR testing and our audiences are aware of the COVID protocols of our venue. None of these are things we have done before but are essential to creating safe and responsibly in 2022.
We believe that Small Mouth Sounds is a perfect play for this time. Here is a little breakdown on the show:
In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect. Filled with awkward humor, this strange and compassionate new play asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.
We can all agree that the last few years have presented us all with many questions and many times we can't find the words to address them.
Please join us for this regional premiere. Ticket information will be coming very soon!
This project is supported by a grant from the Manbites Dog Theatre Fund and generous donations from the Marconi Hoban Tell Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation, the Campbell Family Foundation, and Matt and Mary Hough.
New Work
Enter this new year with a gratitude for this new chance to create your dreams.
Avina Celeste
For years we have talked about creating a work from the ground up. This is the year that will happen! As you are all aware, we have commissioned Tamara Kissane to write a script based on the story of Kafka and the doll. In the last few weeks, we have hired the talented Matthew Hager to compose the music for the show and confirmed that another gifted artist, Lormarev Jones will join us as director!
Tamara Kissane, Playwright
Matthew Hager, Composer
Lormarev Jones, Director
This show is going to be something to behold and we are so excited about this chance to create our dreams. We are fortunate to be surrounded by artists that are so skilled in their craft!
As you know, new works do not happen overnight. This show has been in the works for eighteen months and we are still 6 months away from a workshop but we are working on it daily! There is a lot happening that will all be revealed soon. Just know that it is coming soon and the story is in good hands!
With all the new comes the need for something old...money.
COVID has created a unique process for budgeting for our shows. In the spirit of full transparency, we will be paying $2800 in rent to produce Small Mouth Sounds. As you can imagine, this line item in our budget impacts our ability to pay the artists what they are worth. For years we have relied on the kindness of strangers for space. We have been blessed. We realize that the last two years have been so hard on venues. We completely understand paying rent, but it does take up a large part of the budget.
Speaking of budgeting, long gone are the days of relying on advance ticket sales to gauge how successful a show will be. We are seeing a trend in audiences waiting until the day of to make purchase decisions.
Small Mouth Sounds has been budgeted and we are looking at a budget that is more than twice what we normally spend on a show.
We have already spent money on the The Untitled Kafka Project and as we move towards the workshop we will see our costs for artists, musicians, and space start to come in.
So how can you help?
The most obvious way is to support us via financial donations:
Honest Pint Theatre Co. 7617 Percy Court Raleigh, NC 27613
You can also help us in non financial ways:
Tell your friends about us by sharing our posts on Facebook.
Your recommendations will help drive awareness and ticket sales
Buy tickets to the shows
Volunteer.
We will need help as we navigate the COVID requirements of venues.
We need people that could lend a hand on loading in and loading out our sets.
We are grateful to all of you that have sent us checks and support us on a monthly basis via Patreon. Every penny counts and we are committed to ensuring that you see the fruits of your donations on stage. Thank you for sticking by us the last couple of years. There are exciting things happening and we are honored you are on this journey with us. Please reach out to us anytime at info@honestpinttheatre.org
Until next time!
Drink Deep!
David and Susannah