History:
Inspired by the book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, WAM Theatre (WAM = Women’s Action Movement) was founded in 2009 by Kristen van Ginhoven and Leigh Strimbeck to use theatre to benefit women and girls worldwide. Both Kristen and Leigh are professional actors, directors and theatre educators who are engaged in the issue of women’s rights worldwide. “Half the Sky” invites people to ‘join an incipient movement to emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women’s power as economic catalysts’. WAM Theatre is one way we are joining the movement and taking action. Since launching in 2010, WAM Theatre has donated over $7000 to five beneficiaries from our maintstage productions and provided paid work to nearly 60 theatre artists.
Click here to read the blog about WAM Theatre on the Half the Sky Website!
WAM Theatre Mission Statement:
Every time an audience comes together for a theatrical event, a community is formed. WAM Theatre engages that community by 1) producing theatrical events for everyone, with a focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and girls 2) donating a portion of proceeds from those theatrical events to organizations that work to benefit the lives of women and girls in our communities and worldwide.
Intentions:
Inspired by those who take action to turn the oppression of women worldwide into opportunity for change, WAM Theatre is a theatre company with the following two objectives:
- To raise funds to create and be involved in theatrical events that benefit women and girls worldwide.
- To donate a portion of proceeds from those events to charitable organizations that benefit women and girls worldwide.
WAM Theatre provides philanthropy through the arts by using theatre to benefit women and girls worldwide. Our sponsors support women and girls by supporting the arts. Double Philanthropy.
Statement of Purpose:
To promote the arts by creating, commissioning, and presenting theatrical works that explore social issues related to women and girls, and to distribute proceeds derived from donations and from the public presentations of these theatrical works to not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations with missions that feature advocacy and assistance with regard to the empowerment and combating the oppression of women and girls.
Click here to see our 2012 Annual Report