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Any Other Name Theatre Company

Providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell stories through the lens of classical theatre.

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Any Other Name Theatre Company

Any Other Name Theatre Company

Any Other Name Theatre Company

Any Other Name Theatre Company

Any Other Name Theatre Company

Providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell stories through the lens of classical theatre.

Providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell stories through the lens of classical theatre.

Providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell stories through the lens of classical theatre.

Providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell stories through the lens of classical theatre.

Madison Ford
Madison Ford
Madison Ford
Madison Ford
1 Campaign |
Chicago, United States
$2,985 USD 36 backers
74% of $4,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Overview
Let’s talk about Shakespeare. About how his stories revolve mostly around men and their decisions, their problems. About how the women in his writing are mainly supporting characters with little control over their own circumstances. Let’s talk about a woman with a decision to make. She holds the power of her narrative in her own hands. This fall we invite you to see what can happen when a woman is allowed to be the center of her own story.

Who Are We?

We are Any Other Name Company and our focus is providing a platform for marginalized voices to tell their stories through the lens of classical theatre. 

Which is our fancy way of saying that, last fall, a couple of idealistic college friends, a little drunk on ice cream and chicken wings, disheartened at the lack of representation in our chosen field, turned to each other and said: “We should just start our own company.”  

However, don’t let that fool you; we are actually qualified to do so. 

Aside from our BFAs in Classical Acting, we have each worked at professional theaters across the country directing, performing, managing, educating, marketing, supervising, and producing a variety of projects from Shakespeare to modern classics.

Why All Women?

As we discussed piece selection – the day after our ice cream and chicken bender, at a conference focused on bringing advocacy to women in the arts – we were feeling so optimistic at the grand ideas of we could achieve. After two days of conferencing with other attendees, we were feeling pretty confident about our talents, abilities, and future. 

Then, that afternoon, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed, and suddenly, every woman in the room with us visibly diminished. All of us knew what it felt like to be the woman who wasn’t believed. 

However, being women, we dusted ourselves off and got on with it. To paraphrase many wise people: In every disaster lies opportunity.  Our idea for a theatre company suddenly had a clear direction for our first production: An all-female Measure for Measure.

“Who Will Believe Thee…?”

In the second act there is a scene where the heroine, Isabella, is being coerced by Angelo, a powerful city official, into giving up her virginity to save her brother’s life. When she threatens to expose him his response is, “Who will believe thee, Isabel?” Although written 400 years ago, this still hits home for too many people today. 

Simply put, this is a woman’s story, and we believe women need to tell it.

This Part is Numbers, But There are Cookies at the End

Our fundraising goal is $4,000. This amount will help us pay for a venue for auditions, rehearsals, and two weeks of performances. It will also provide a budget for set design, costumes, sound, and lighting. 

Finally, and most importantly, we want to pay our artists! 

With an acting cast of at least eight, and various designers and technicians, we want to ensure everyone is compensated fairly for their time and effort.

Obviously, we don’t expect something for nothing, so we have a lot of great perks for you! They include everything from discounts on tickets to homemade cookies to a stellar thank you gift when all is said and done.

What’s The Point?

So what are we really trying to do? 

We want to provide a side of a narrative that often goes unheard. We are hoping that anyone of any gender or identity who sees themselves in Isabella’s story feels less alone and more empowered. For those who don’t relate to Isabella, all we hope is that this story will help them consider what side of this power equation they are on, and how they can help balance it in the future. 

Eventually, we plan for this company to grow into a space for people whose stories and viewpoints are often overlooked in film, television, on stage, and in the national conversation as a whole. A place for anyone regardless of race, gender, ability, or orientation  can create both a mirror and a window where their community can see themselves represented and where others can see their point of view. 

Other Ways You Can Help

If you’re saying to yourself “This sounds incredible, and I really want to help, but I have no money.” Thank you, you sound incredible too! And guess what: We would still love you to be involved in any way you can. If you’re in the Chicago area, or are just incredibly enthusiastic, email us to volunteer your time and abilities. 

If you’re not in Chicago, or are and just don’t want to lift heavy things, feel free to share our campaign on social media(s) and let other people know about our work here.

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Choose your Perk

Copper

$15 USD
We would love for you to see the end product of your donation, so enjoy a discount on a single admission!
Included Items
  • 25% off a ticket to the show
Estimated Shipping
September 2019
5 claimed

Bronze

$30 USD
For your generous donation we would love for you to come see the show for free!
Included Items
  • Single Comp Ticket
Estimated Shipping
September 2019
3 claimed

Silver

$50 USD
Enjoy an evening at the theatre with a friend or loved one. Your name will also appear with a thank you in our program.
Included Items
  • Two Comp Tickets
  • Your Name in the Program
Estimated Shipping
September 2019
5 claimed

Gold

$75 USD
For your generous contribution we will give you two tickets to see the show, a batch of homemade cookies to munch on, as well as a thank you in our program.
Included Items
  • Two Comp Tickets
  • Your Name in the Program
  • Homemade Cookies
Estimated Shipping
September 2019
4 claimed

Platinum

$150 USD
We would love to have you and three of your favorite people join us for an evening at the theatre. Your generosity will also be recognized in our program, along with a batch of homemade cookies and a personalized thank you gift from the company.
Included Items
  • Your Name in the Program
  • Homemade Cookies
  • Four Comp Tickets
  • Thank You Gift
Estimated Shipping
September 2019
2 claimed

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