Just when you thought the news couldn't get any worse along comes the mid-terms! Trading on fear rather than fact, scapegoating rather than debate, the Republicans have once again hoodwinked American voters into believing we'll do better with them. Has this aggressively regressive takeover left you in a sinkhole of shock and despair? Fear not- the big white truck with the big red star is to the rescue!
For over five decades the San Francisco Mime Troupe has hoisted folks out of their doldrums and jumpstarted their activist engines. Now as the GOP does their victory Macarena, the rest of us have got to get busy! There's a lot at stake; affordable care, reproductive rights and the Keystone fight for openers. And then there's 2016! If ever there was a wake-up call for the activist left, this is it! And we are up for the challenge.
At the Troupe we're no strangers to roadblocks whether political or practical. Our vision of a healthy planet and a just society is what fuels our work and keeps us focused on the now clearly bumpy road ahead. We'll continue to raise our voices, even louder now, onstage singing and dancing in the guise of a variety of characters like those in "Ripple Effect" who discovered "There's no such thing as not political!"
And in 2015 we will prove that in a variety of ways. With our 19th
Annual Youth Theater Project, our teen artists will create and perform their original work now in both Fall and Spring Sessions. In our ongoing Community Forums we'll host topical speakers and community discussions. We are expanding our Summer schedule to include more parks in new neighborhoods. In Fall 2015 we're hoping to take "Ripple Effect" on the road for our first out of the area tour in over a decade!
And-for those who aren't able to see us perform live we hope to generate high quality videos for distribution beginning with next Summer's show, working title "FreedomLand"! And as always, as we generate ideas we invite you to be part of our topical discussions via social media.
Yes we are up to the task but in order to realize our 2015 plans
we need to raise $45,000 from this winter appeal! Funding for the arts continues to dissipate and corporate funding would never allow us to sit in our own driver's seat. So we look to you- our community. On the back of this letter we hope you can find a giving option that works for you. Know someone whose activist motor is stalled? How about revving them up by donating a gift on their behalf?
Donate $500 and you'll receive a SFMT classic tee- a perfect holiday gift*! Your donation will keep us on the road so we can keep you out of sinkholes!
With Gratitude and In Solidarity,
The San Francisco Mime Troupe