In 1959, our classroom flags added two stars for Alaska and Hawaii. Khrushchev visited Eisenhower. The Mercury astronauts were chosen. Raisin in the Sun and The Twilight Zone both premiered. In San Francisco, another Brown was state governor and Seals Stadium was demolished. Also, the Mime Troupe was born, beginning a decades-long parallel timeline of plays that have mirrored our modern history from Vietnam to Trump's Wall. We have educated and entertained generations, including some who grew up and joined the company!
Fast-forward 15 presidential & 15 mid-term elections later. The air here is thick and toxic from a literal Paradise lost, the latest in an ongoing string of tragedies that seem to be a heavy-handed wakeup call from Earth's better angels. We are mid-point in an administration which its own insiders call "Crazytown," with a President who is more concerned about having a bad hair day than accompanying (soon-to-be former) allies paying homage to fallen WWI soldiers. Yet, in a triumphant moment of diligent citizen activism, we've just proven that we can elect folks who actually represent people over corporate interests and are committed to green policy making.
Entering our 7th decade, SFMT still fights the good fight by using our free summer shows in the parks to show empathy as a virtue, not a weakness. We fight hubris with humor. Our characters embody, through story and song, both the differences and commonalities of we individuals who make up this complex and currently divisive society.
On and offstage, we teach youth of past struggles to show them that their choices today will inform tomorrow's history. We demand action rather than passivity and knowledge rather than ignorance. We are the bridge between the 800+ Troupers who have come before and those future Troupers who will move SFMT forward. We respond to our community's needs by sharing our resources and our studio for events, workshops, and minimal cost rehearsal space.
And we still do this without the support of corporations whose values we do not share. Public and private grants are more competitive than ever, and with the bulk of private donations going to all-important political action or disaster relief groups, we are especially in need of your financial support. Your year-end, tax deductible donation will give us the fiscal confidence needed to realize the plans we are cooking up to celebrate and commemorate our 60th birthday (details to be announced soon). But even more importantly, your gift will boost our expanding urban and rural youth programs and maintain another free summer parks season and its annual comedic reminder that although 1% may have the money, 99% have the power!
Along with your gift, please join our 60th anniversary by sending your favorite Mime Troupe memories to testimonials@sfmt.org. Even better, send us your SFMT video testimonial as you help us remind people, we're not that kind of mime.
Looking forward to celebrating with you and imagining the next 60 years!
