LENOX, MA (September 6, 2023) – In keeping with their mission to empower women and girls, WAM Theatre continues its tradition of supporting front-line community organizations by donating a portion of their box office income. Today, WAM announced a $5,000 donation to the Elizabeth Freeman Center, along with a collection of household supplies for the Center and its clients.
The donation represents a portion of WAM’s box office revenue from their co-production with Berkshire Theatre Group of What The Constitution Means to Me, which had a sold out run in May of this year. The household supplies were gathered from community members by WAM staff throughout the summer, including at three WAM Fresh Takes Play Readings in July. In addition to this donation from WAM, Berkshire Theatre group has also committed to making a special donation to the Center at the end of their 2023 performance season.
“Oh, my!” exclaimed Janis Broderick, Executive Director of Elizabeth Freeman Center. “What the Constitution Means to Me was an incredible production, and we are so honored to receive this amazing donation from this effort. Thank you to WAM, Berkshire Theatre Group, all who were involved in this production and all who attended – please know that we will put every dollar to good use helping survivors of violence get safe and heal. Keep spreading the word that we are here and ready to help!”
In April, The Elizabeth Freeman Center was chosen as the recipient of this summer’s mainstage production. The play, written by Heidi Schrek, addresses issues of violence in the playwright’s own family. The Elizabeth Freeman Center was chosen because of their work with survivors of domestic, dating, and sexual violence and for the many services they offer that uplift the Berkshire Community.
“The Elizabeth Freeman Center is the major safety net for survivors– creating more opportunities and safe-spaces for women and girls in our community everyday. We feel honored to highlight their work and to help sustain this important community resource here in the Berkshires” said Molly Merrihew, WAM Managing Director.
The Center offers an array of free, adaptable, and confidential services, including a 24/7 hotline with immediate emergency services for people in danger or who just want information for themselves or someone they know. The center also offers counseling and support; help with protection orders and safety needs; shelter; safe supervised visitation; and advocacy, including on money and housing issues. Additionally, they support financial independence through an initiative called “Money School”. The organization specializes in services for immigrant, LGBTQ, and child survivors, and survivors with disabilities. Their youth educators go into schools and talk about healthy relationships and provide sex education.
“Over the years, WAM has connected with over 26 organizations and donated more than $90,000 since our founding in 2010!” exclaimed Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM’s Producing Artistic Director. “We’ve had the privilege of learning about and supporting the front line work of local and global organizations taking action for gender equity in areas such as girls education, sexual trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more. It’s an honor to now also contribute to the life-saving work of The Elizabeth Freeman Center.”
The Elizabeth Freeman Center provides life-saving, life-renewing hope, help, and healing to survivors in Berkshire County and their families. They have a 24/7 toll-free hotline number (1-866-401-2425), offices in North Adams, Pittsfield, and Great Barrington, staff available in four county courts, two police stations, and Berkshire County Kids’ Place. Promoting social justice and working to end all forms of oppression are essential to their work. Each year, The Elizabeth Freeman Center reaches 5,000 people throughout Berkshire County.
Each year since its inception in 2010, WAM has donated a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales from their mainstage production to an organization(s) whose mission connects to the theme of the play. Even at the height of the pandemic, when productions moved online, WAM remained committed to fulfilling this key element of their mission. They are thrilled that for What The Constitution Means To Me, Berkshire Theatre Group will join them in making a gift to The Elizabeth Freeman Center in honor of their wonderful work, especially with women and girls of Berkshire county.
ELIZABETH FREEMAN CENTER
Since 1974 Elizabeth Freeman Center (EFC) has provided leadership and services to address domestic and sexual violence in Berkshire County. Every day, 24 hours a day, EFC confronts the life and death issues faced by people experiencing or affected by domestic abuse and sexual assault. EFC is are the front line and major safety net in our community for victims seeking safety and a new life. Elizabeth Freeman Center offers hope, help, and healing to all experiencing or affected by domestic and sexual violence through free, accessible, and confidential services in Berkshire County. We work to end the cycle of violence through community mobilization, advocacy, and education. Promoting social justice and working to end all forms of oppression are essential to our work.
ABOUT BERKSHIRE THEATRE GROUP
The Colonial Theatre, founded in 1903, and Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928, are two of the oldest cultural organizations in the Berkshires. In 2010, under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, the two organizations merged to form Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG). Berkshire Theatre Group’s mission is to support wide ranging artistic exploration and acclaimed performances in theatre, dance, music and entertainment. Every year, BTG produces and presents performances to over 68,000 attendees and, through our Educational Program, serves over 11,000 Berkshire County school children annually. In July 2020, Berkshire Theatre was the first company in the United States to earn approval from Actors’ Equity Association to produce a musical (Godspell) in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
WAM SUPPORT
WAM’s sponsors include Adams Community Bank, Blue Q., Berkshire Roots, Blue Spark Financial, BRAVA, Downright Pro, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Garden Gables Inn, Guidos Fresh Marketplace, Mill Town Foundation, Inc., MILL TOWN FOUNDATION, INC. Health Professional Coaching, Heller & Robbins Attorneys at Law, Interprint, Onyx Specialty Papers, Outpost Productions, Prix Fixe, RB Design Co., T Square Design Studio, Toole Insurance, a. von schlegell & co, and the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.
WAM Theatre is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). WAM Theatre’s 2022 Season was also supported in part by grants from Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Bradson Education & Library Foundation, The Feigenbaum Foundation, Lee Bank Foundation, Scarlet Sock Foundation, U.S. Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant; as well as grants from the Alford Egremont Cultural Council, Dalton Cultural Council, Lee Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, Northern Berkshire Cultural Council, Otis Cultural Council, Sandisfield Cultural Council, Stockbridge Cultural Council, and Washington Cultural Council.
ABOUT WAM THEATRE
WAM Theatre is a professional theatre company based in Berkshire County, MA, that operates at the intersection of arts and activism. WAM creates theatre for gender equity and has a vision of theatre as philanthropy.
In fulfillment of its philanthropic mission, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from their Mainstage productions to carefully selected beneficiaries. Since WAM’s founding in 2010, they have donated more than $90,000 to 26 local and global organizations taking action for gender equity in areas such as girls education, teen pregnancy prevention, sexual trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more.
In addition to Mainstage productions and special events, WAM’s activities include innovative community engagement programs and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. To date, WAM has provided paid work to more than 500 theatre artists, the majority of whom are female-identifying.
As a civic organization that embraces intersectional feminism (feminism that acknowledges how multiple forms of discrimination overlap), WAM understands that to address one piece of systemic discrimination means we have to address them all. This is on-going personal and professional work at WAM for the staff and board, detailed in their recently released accountability plan.
WAM Theatre has been widely recognized for having a positive impact on cultural and community development in the region. WAM is the recipient of the Creative Economy Standout Berkshire Trendsetter Award and previously, was named Outstanding Philanthropy Corporation of the Year by the Western MA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM’s Producing Artistic Director, was honored by the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) with the prestigious Larry Murray Award, presented at the discretion of the BTCA Board to a person or theatre project that advances social, political, or community issues in Berkshire County.