Anthony R. Miller checks in with a public service announcement.
Hey you guys, my favorite time of the year in Bay Area theatre is the Fall. New seasons are starting, folks are prepping their spooky plays for October and The SF Olympians Festival is on its way. Speaking of which, The SF Olympians is trying to raise some money, and I have a few reason why you should donate, predictably, there are five.
It’s All in the Family
If you read Theatre Pub, you know somebody in this festival. Every SF indie-theatre face you know and love will play some role. Most of our Theatre Pub contributors (Myself included) are writing a play, or directing, or both. If you include Artists, Actors, Writers, Directors, and staff, there are close to 200 people involved. So just one donation supports a lot of people.
It’s a Dream Factory
There just aren’t a lot of opportunities out there for writers like the ones the SF Olympians Festival offers. Most festival requires the submission of a full script, but the Olympians Fest only asks for an idea. It’s one of the few submission processes based on the quality of your idea, and then you get the opportunity to write it, and then it gets a reading. This makes fertile ground not just for established writers, but also up and comers, and even folks who just want to give it a try. The festival also hires about a 100 actors a year. So supporting this festival is supporting opportunities for artists, you like opportunities for artists don’t you?
The Clock is Ticking
As I’m writing this, there is only 36 hours to go and we’re 500 bucks away, so if you were waiting to donate at a dramatic moment, now is the time.
There’s Nothing Like It
The SF Olympians Festival is incredibly unique, where else can you see so many new plays in just one month? Some will be great and some will be disasters, but that’s the fun of it. It’s a massive collection of diverse talent, a sampler of all the great work the SF Indie Scene has to offer. You’ll get comedy, drama, horror, satire, experimental work, one person shows and god knows what else. So supporting this festival is one thing you can do to help keep Bay Area Theatre full of exciting new voices and ideas. It’s something that makes SF unique and different, and just like everything in SF that is unique and different, it needs your help to survive.
Don’t Be a Jerk, Just Donate.
Everything helps, so give. Like I said, if you read TheatrePub or go to the shows, or you’re in the shows, you know at least 7 people in this festival. These are your friends, fellow theatre artists, and maybe even your significant other, and this festival is a very special thing that makes us all happy. It’s an opportunity for so many of us to do something creative and fun. So just donate, because you’re not just supporting a festival, you’re supporting a community. And if you’re reading this article, chances are, it’s your community.
Anthony R. Miller’s play “Christian Teen Dolphin-Sex Beach Party” will premiere at the SF Olympians Festival, Read more about it and all of the shows at this year’s festival at www.sfolympians.com
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