From the Executive Director, JJ Area

First of all, I’d like to say thank you to all of our incredibly generous donors, volunteers, supporters and artists! Your generosity enabled us to bring The Winter’s Tale to almost 600 people in the DC Area. But more importantly: it was a sign to us that other people believe in our mission just as much as we do! Again, thank you for your contribution, and know that you were an integral part of the foundation of our company and the first, independent production.

Next, I’d like to share some financial numbers with you from our first
production. Although we had a very small budget, we’re proud to say that the largest percentage went to the artists involved. We’ve added this as one of our Cornerstones of Operation: to value our artists financially, as well as artistically. The Artists involved in The Winter’s Tale received 78% of our operating budget: that includes the Director, Assistant Director and the Performers. We were able to minimize the amount of production cost (22%), without sacrificing artistic integrity; and I think that anyone who saw the show would agree that the story came through. We are dedicated to continue this trend into the future, regardless of the size of our budget. And Becky & I are thrilled that we were able to put into action something we so firmly believe.


Finally, I’d like to ask for your continued support in 2010 and beyond. We learned a great deal on our inaugural tour. Especially worthwhile: we learned the importance of budgeting, the expenses involved in producing and the overhead costs of maintaining a company. Some examples include: setting up our website, paying the fees associated with Non-Profit applications, Thank You cards for all of our venue hosts and printing costs for marketing materials. Furthermore, we learned the value (and challenge) of managing the overwhelming number of volunteers who stepped forward to offer assistance and support. From donors to ushers to photographers: you all renewed our spirit and your generosity is inspiring. We ask that you consider contributing again in 2010: whether its financially or through volunteer service.

Click here to Get Involved.
Secure Paypal Donations Accepted HERE

We are about 65% through our 501(c)(3) process...and it's moving quickly. We'll keep you updated just in case you're waiting to make a tax-deductible donation.
Click here for a final financial worksheet for 2009 (Winter's Tale) and a budget outline for 2010 (Twelfth Night).


All My Best,

JJ Area
Executive Director
Wandering Souls

Highlights from Winter's Tale...In no Particular Order

We started to compile our memories from the first tour as a way of holding on to it all. Of course, this list may meaning nothing to others out of context...but just ask and we'll share the story! It's amazing how much can happen in such a short time.

• Writing that very first email with JJ and then hitting send to all our friends and family...no turning back now
• Seeing the first donations come in
• Writing that first grant and nervously driving over to turn it in, just hoping it was all there
• Water Leaking from ceiling at Bethesda Theatre over the stage
• Losing an Actor
• Gaining an Actor
• The woman pretending to hit Leontes with a cane.
• The man who said he had never seen Shakespeare performed.
• The man who hadn't seen a play since High School (over 20 years).
• The kid who ate paper throughout the entire show
• The raucous applause from the Central Union Mission.
• The school where nobody showed.
• The unbearable heat of the rehearsal room.
• Finding rehearsal and performance space: the miracle of Facebook.
• Over 100 people at our Saturday night performance.
• Postcard from Christ House: residents were talking about our performance: it was the "buzz" of Christ House.
• The last "performance": the actor who never made it, the impromptu performance & interaction with the kids and the resilience & versatility of our actors.
• The rush to leave our last venue and some unsavory comments from nearby residents.
• The incredible spirit of our hosts & venue coordinators.
• Our first show.
• The bear.
• Stages: short & long; hot as Hades.
• Our production on the Marquee of the Bethesda Theatre (see the picture above).
• Being home sick from work....the doorbell ringing...I signed for a letter and then realized that it was a note saying:

We had received the grant from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities! (And scaring my cat half-to-death with all my screaming and jumping and crying!)

• Assembling a great cast.
• First read.
• Our outreach workshop with Rachel Grossman: discussing why we believe in the mission of Wandering Souls as a production team.
• And more to come as things continue to pop up....

Gleanings from 2009

The first year of producing has not only been a tremendous experience and one full of blessings (check out the Highlights blog entry here) but it has also been one where - through trial-and-error, feedback sessions with the artists, sage advice from our mentors and parents, and reflection of our own - we have learned A LOT! And we are working hard to apply all these lessons learned and continue to grow from all of it.

The most significant change is that we took the mission we started with and all the points we kept stressing throughout the experience and decided that we needed to rework our mission and state our goals more clearly. If you want to read the whole thing, click here.

But the tweaks we made include:

**First, we acknowledged the key phrase that we have been using - "making the luxury of the arts more accessible to all" - and realized that we needed to figure out how to really do that.

• Our target audiences will remain those who find themselves with little or no access and 90% of our shows will tour, for free where we are welcomed in.
• The other 10% is where our PWYC public shows come into play. If you followed us last year you saw that Bethesda Theatre donated their space and we offered 3 public shows for anyone and everyone. We saw this as a fluke; but then realized that if we are making the arts accessible to everyone then these performances are also a part of what we want to provide. Because there are plenty of people who could benefit from having access...they may not rely on shelters or live in a nursing home or attend an underfunded school....but there are still many reasons why they might not be able or choose not to attend arts events. Maybe they have a home but have had to cut extras, perhaps they have had very little exposure growing up and this might be a gateway into the arts... or there could be any number of reasons.
• SO, we will endeavor (if space permits) to also offer a handful of performances which are indeed open to everyone.
• PWYC for us means truly anything...dollars will help fund the program so we can do more; but if what you have is food or clothing or toys to donate, then we will happily collect for neighborhood organizations.

** Second, we thought and talked and reexamined the entire process of putting together a show. What we learned was....

• The show needs to be captivating and easy to relate to....duh....right? We knew this before...but it does not hurt to reinforce it AND make it a primary concern
• Our rehearsal process needs to do three things:

1. bring the ensemble together as quickly as possible
2. be about the the actors and their holding of the story and
3. ensure that the actors are ready to walk into any and every situation...even one where something doesn't go quite as planned.

• We have shortened the running time of programs, for 2 reasons: we want our performances to captivate and entertain. In addition, it is important to us that we develop a relationship with our audiences as well as perform for them. We want to make sure we have time to achieve this.
• JJ and I can't do everything. We need more hands in every aspect... and we need to figure out how best to delegate tasks & responsibilities.
• We are interested in building an ensemble of artists which means we have to figure out what artists most want in their work and how we can help them achieve it.
• We're working on the funding...but what else is new?

All of this is leading us to a different kind of rehearsal process this summer...


**Third, we need hands, minds, hearts. What is that Dirty Dancing Song? "Voices, Hearts and Hands" - that's it. We want to expand in so many ways including: co-productions, working with playwrights, providing a place for artists to create projects they have been thinking about, provide more than 1 tour a year, expand into other art forms....and this requires people. Funds too. But let's start with people...maybe, who can help seek funding. Primarily though we are looking for those individuals who are dedicated, excited and eager to help make the arts more accessible to everyone. Is that you?

** There's more....but for now that's where I will end. More soon as we learn.