BIG GREEN THEATER

The Bushwick Starr theater announces our intention to produce an annual Green Theater performance program during our Spring Season of 2011.

The project is called Big Green Theater, and will involve combining an Environmental Education initiative with local schools, along with the presentation of a full-scale performance within the Green Theater/Eco-Theater movement. 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: one specializing in Environmental Education, the other in Playwriting. For a 4-week period, these teachers will work with the 5th grade class two days a week, for one period a day (alternating Environmental Education and Playwriting on each day).

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 certain aspects of creating the shows (ie- painting sets, helping with costumes and props, etc.), 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 any kind of activity/production 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. 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, The 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 option to work with our in-house designers and staff; Full advertising/publicity; Access to Materials for the Arts through our Non-profit account (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 planting more trees and landscaping in our neighborhood), and The Sunshine Community Garden. We believe both of these organizations can benefit from our support.

Our goal with this production is to educate our local youths, and our community in general, about environmental issues and how people can do their part to build a healthier and “greener” surrounding. We believe that Bushwick, specifically, 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.

WHAT'S NEW WITH BIG GREEN?

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