Well, it's that time of year! The season of transition - the days are getting shorter, your sleeves are getting longer, and the crisp autumn wind blows crumpled the election flyers down the foggy streets as we all wind down from another summer of rallies, performances, and protests, and gear up for another election to save our democratic republic…
At the Troupe we’ve been winding down from our critically-acclaimed summer show American Dreams, which entertained, educated, and activated audiences throughout the Bay Area, and now we are now gearing up for our fully-staged winter show in decades -
The world premiere of A Red Carol
Presented in Cooperation with Z Space,
at Z Space's Steindler Stage in San Francisco!
Our show, Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” reimagined, focuses on inequity past and present by telling the familiar story from the worker’s perspective. We all know the tale: The redemption of a cranky miser at Christmas, a ghost story designed to let an audience feel good about themselves for not being heartless. But Dickens wasn't trying to make people feel good, he was trying to show them a stark reality, scaring them into being more human. He wrote "A Christmas Carol" to shake up society and with A Red Carol the Mime Troupe is re-establishing his story as the revolutionary call-to-action Dickens intended.
"A RED CAROL is a Leftist’s dream wish for the Holiday season, and every other day of the year. It hits hard at people who "weigh everything by profit,” (and) ruling class propaganda, and the idea that ignorance and want will keep the poor entrenched in the stations. Seasonal charity is a great concept, but SF Mime Troupe can't be satisfied with any trickle-down economics, Xmas Time or not. Bravo comrades!”
BroadwayWorld.com
With music, joy, and plenty of harsh truths about Dickens’ time and ours, A Red Carol is the demand for economic and social justice he wanted then, and we need now.
It’s a time of year to look back at all we’ve accomplished, but also a time to recognize all we’ve lost. There’s been a lot of campaign rhetoric about saving small businesses, we’ve all watched as favorite restaurants and stores have closed their doors. You know what else falls under that category of small business? Theater. Far too many of our fellow theater companies locally and nationally have also closed. Although SFMT may be worker run, as a small business we also struggle with cash flow, meeting payroll, escalating production expenses and overhead. And on top of that, our faithful, hard-working truck, which has carried our shows to parks and theaters for years, irreparably broke down and must be replaced before next summer!
Additionally, the Mime Troupe is in a unique situation; as a theater Of, By, and For the People we cannot accept the corporate sponsorships so many of our fellow theatre companies rely on. We have committed to a different path, which means we have to work hard harder, do more with less, and endure the scorn of the corporate media. However, it also means that for the past 65 years, with your help, we have defiantly and joyfully shouted truth in the face of a hurricane. That’s what we’ve done every summer Free in the Parks, and that’s what we will do this Winter with a brand new indoor show!
But we cannot do it without you. As our audience and supporters we consider you shareholders in our small business, and in return for your support the dividends we pay out are the scenes, songs, comedy, and revolutionary dialogues onstage that stimulate thought and action offstage.
In addition to our plays, you see we also pay dividends to the community with our youth programming! Now in its 29th year, our Youth Theater Project (YTP) has helped shepherd generations of its participants into college and the job market with the self-confidence and collaborative skills learned creating plays together. And, with the support of the Don Stevens and Nicole Bilatti Laugh and Love Fund, our Young California Writers Project (YCWP) mentors students as they write their own ten minute plays to be read publicly by professional actors. We are committed to mentoring the next generation of artist/activists and infuse them with the passion necessary to keep theater alive.
We are asking you to invest in the future of SFMT.
Your tax-deductible donation will underwrite the kind of projects that will allow more voices heard, topics addressed and stories told. With a more engaged and activated citizenry we can save both democracy and theater.
Together with your financial gift and goodwill, we will make sure that the San Francisco Mime Troupe proves that theater is alive and stronger than ever!
In Solidarity and always with Gratitude,
The San Francisco Mime Troupe
