BIG GREEN THEATER
The Bushwick Starr theater announces our intention to produce a Green Theater performance program during our 2010/2011 Season.
Big Green Theater (BGT) is a community-based project that combines an environmental education initiative with the presentation of a Green Theater festival. The project begins its educational component this Fall 2010, and will culminate in a performance festival at our theater in Spring 2011. It is our goal to establish BGT as an annual program. Our project is a three-tiered concept:
1. Our theater will partner with a local school in Bushwick (currently, we are in development with PS 145), and will work with their 5th grade students to create short, original plays based on relevant, community-based environmental topics. We will employ two professional educators specializing in Environmental Education and Playwriting to conduct a 6-week in-classroom workshop. These teachers will work with the students two days a week to create 5-7 plays in total.
2. These short plays will then be performed by a group of professional actors- on a full technical scale- at our theater in Brooklyn. The students will be able to see their writing performed live by adult professionals, and enjoy the fulfillment of seeing their work realized. The students will also be invited to participate in aspects of creating the shows, and can observe the process of using eco-friendly approaches to making theater. It is our goal to encourage kids to think creatively about re-directing activities in an environmentally friendly way.
3. Our theater will be working with an assembly of professional actors, directors, and designers to stage the student’s plays for a 2 weekend run (Friday – Sunday). We will ask these professionals to challenge themselves to work within the Green Theater movement. This process will educate our artists about how to make work while thinking green. Here is a list of ways that we will work together to create eco-friendly theater:
- Use fluorescent and/or LED lighting units
- Create manual generators (ie- electricity conducted by a person riding a bicycle)
- Use fuel cell electricity
- Use only recycled materials for sets, costumes, props, etc.
- Design sets with disassembly in mind (no permanent structures)
- Use modular sets
- Don’t use foam or plastics
- Design costumes using sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, wool, hemp, etc.
- Use only non-toxic paint, dyes, stage make-up, etc.
- Use only pump hairsprays
- Use online ticketing (no paper stubs)
- Use online programming (no paper programs)
- Use eco-friendly cleaning and sanitary products
- Offer concessions that are made from locally grown or organic goods (ie- baked goods, organic coffee, etc.)
- Sell eco-friendly merchandise such as travel mugs
- Donate all production elements (set, costumes, props, etc.) to other arts organizations, schools, or things like wood scraps to bio-fuel use
- Publicize what we’re doing! Make our Environmental Initiative mission clear on our website and all program and project info
In order to adjust our technical facilities to create “green theater”, we will need support and partnerships. In terms of finding recycled materials to work with (for building sets, props, costumes, etc.), we plan to partner with the following NYC-based green organizations: Build it Green NYC, Materials for the Arts, Brooklyn Green Team, Echoing Green, and CSPA (The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts).
We will provide our assembled artists with: Free rehearsal space (during a 3-4 week period; Access to our full Technical inventory; The support of our in-house designers and staff; Full advertising/publicity; Access to Materials for the Arts (at least 2 scheduled visits), along with any other access to our partnered organizations.
Part of the proceeds from each show will be donated to two local organizations: Trees Not Trash (dedicated to transforming Bushwick into a community with green space), and The Woodbine Community Garden. We believe both of these organizations can benefit from our support.
We believe that the neighborhood of Bushwick is lacking in environmental awareness, and we would like to play a part in motivating our community to be active in a global cause that we feel very strongly about. By making BGT an interactive process, we know that it will have an effect on the artists involved as well as the student playwrights, their families, and those who see the performance. Part of The Bushwick Starr’s mission is to help create and foster a bond between community groups and arts centers, and to encourage neighborhood interaction in order to preserve the culture and history of the current Bushwick community. We have developed Big Green Theater as a project that will meet these objectives.
WHAT'S NEW WITH BIG GREEN?
Our recent fundraising event was a great success! Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event, we raised $2,200 towards BGT. Our fundraising goal was $5,000, and it's not too late to donate! To help us reach our goal, you can contribute online at:
ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE !
THE BUSHWICK STARR is sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of THE BUSHWICK STARR may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Here are some photos from the gala:
Special thanks to our event supporters and collaborators:
Event Co-ordinator:
Erica Rippy
Host Committee:
Chloe Bass
Jonah Bokaer
Laura Braslow
Chris Henderson
Adriana Young
Presenters:
Lee Mandell and Boswyck Farms
Derek Denkla of Propeller Group
Joy Jones
Sponsors:
Ad Hoc Art
Arts In Bushwick
Bags for the People
Bodega Wine Bar
Boswyck Farms
Bushwick Farmer's Market
Bushwick Food Co-op
Chez Bushwick / Capital B
Eco Station NY
Life Cafe
Lumenhouse
Norte Maar
Rebecca Marzalek-Kelly
Roberta's Pizza
Trees Not Trash
The Zandl Group
Caterer:
Mary Rasmussen
Entertainment:
John Hunter of Inoculist
Staff Volunteers:
Phoebe Waterson
Ashlyn Davis
Ashley Roberts
Technical Assistance:
Jay Maury
Jared Klein
We are currently researching relevant Environmental topics in our community of Bushwick. If you are a local resident, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO FILL OUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY AT: surveymonkey.com