Download our sponsorship opportunity package here (pdf, 1.2mb)
SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL
MISSION STATEMENT
Awkward Stage Productions is a new society created to provide real life performance and production opportunities in a safe, supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment to youth in that awkward transition from childhood to adulthood, and from play acting to professional performance.
GOALS:
- Provide not only youth performers, but youth musicians, technical crew, production assistants, etc. with professionally guided theatre experience.
- Provide opportunities to youth performers in that awkward transition period from school and community theatre to professional productions; opportunities that are currently very limited in availability.
- Develop all aspects of theatre education and experience for youth, including writing, directing, the business of productions such as networking, fundraising, rentals, licensing, budgets etc.
- Provide market value employment for a professional director, musical director, production manager.
- Eventually provide honorariums for youth performers and crew.
- Pursue our unique aspect of double casting productions to provide the value of a mentorship experience for both the mentor and mentoree, as well as creating a greater number of opportunities to more youth.
- Register 50 plus youth members within our first year.
- Include youth members on both the Board of Directors and the Board of Advisors
- Operate on revenue from ticket sales, performance fees, sponsorships, donations and grants without charging our youth participants’ fees (other than the nominal annual membership fee to the Awkward Stage Production Society)
- Eventually secure and support a permanent facility for rehearsals, performances, additional programs, classes and camps.
- Maintain a minimal membership fee for all youth participants.
WHO WE ARE:
Awkward Stage Productions is a not for profit society organized and operated by a collection of theatre education professionals, theatre enthusiasts and youth sharing a desire to fill voids in the Vancouver theatre community for youth performers, musicians, stage crew and technical crew.
OPERATIONS STRUCTURE:
The operations structure of Awkward Stage Productions has three components that work together to meet its goals and mandate.
Board of Directors: Five (5) members who bear the responsibility for all reporting and Society Act requirements, and who are responsible for approving and monitoring the strategies, policies and plans of the society to fulfill its goals and purpose.
Board of Advisors: The Board of Advisors is comprised of three (3) Artistic Associates and six (6) youth artists, covering the full youth age range. The Board of Advisors helps to create the overall strategic plan and advises the Board of Directors and the Artistic Associates.
Artisitic Associates: Three (3) professional theatre educators who implement the directions of the Board of Directors.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO:
Phase 1:
- Stage one full theatre production per year with 2 youth casts, one an older “mentor” cast and the second a younger cast, with performances at the 2010 Vancouver Fringe Festival and a tour to follow. Both casts will rehearse together and build the production together, benefiting not only from the direction of Awkward Theatre Production professionals, but the less experienced performers from the more experienced, and the younger from the older. The mentorship is a unique aspect of the program within the theatre community that provides both learning and teaching opportunities, as well as enables the program to reach more youth. Each cast will perform the full musical on a rotating basis.
(Currently, Awkward Stage Production’s first musical production “13” is cast and scheduled as part of the 2010 Vancouver Fringe Festival) - Stage a Cabaret “Revuesical” each year. A “Revuesical” is a cabaret style performance of musical theater numbers and monologues from different shows that together have a story and/or thematic thread from start to finish. Each “Revuesical” would showcase the talents of youth performers in that awkward transition from secondary or post secondary education to professional theatre, who need exposure and an opportunity not available elsewhere. Each performer would benefit from professional guidance, coaching and development during the rehearsal and production process.
Phase 2:
- Stage two full musical productions.
- Continue to stage a Cabaret each year.
- Workshop and stage in concert a new work musical by a youth artist or our company each year.
- Partner with an established youth theatre writer’s program and offer to mentor staging the best works.
Phase 3:
- Continue all of the above
- Provide professional workshops to members and the public.
- Establish an online web space for youth performers to meet, post their performances, comment in supportive and moderated conversation threads, and access mentors with established careers in the performing arts.
HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT, or WHAT MAKES AWKWARD STAGE PRODUCTIONS UNIQUE?
There are other youth theatre groups operating in Vancouver, but none offer the same opportunities or focus. Specifically we differ in the following ways:
- No program fees
- Minimal membership fee
- Primarily youth performers, and as much as possible, youth musicians, crew, productions assistants etc.
- Major musical productions double cast with an older cast acting as mentors for a younger cast.
- Broad youth definition includes ages 12 through 29.
- Youth involved in organization, strategic direction and planning as well as management
- Multiple productions of different types staged each year to maximize youth served
- Focus on providing opportunities for youth transitioning from school/community theatre to professional theatre.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Donations
Sponsorships: We welcome sponsors for our overall program as well as individual productions
Contact Sandra Herd at [email protected]
We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British
Columbia