Who the heck are "The Masters of SHX" and what's this "Fool's Game" really about???
THE TRAGICAL COMICAL FOOL'S GAME is an original devised play created by a group of five MA students who studied Shakespeare & Creativity at The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon last year. It was originally performed in May 2017 in The Other Place (the Royal Shakespeare Company's studio theatre space). About an hour in length, the play is (very) loosely based on William Shakespeare's MEASURE FOR MEASURE. Following the character of Bella, an (almost) nun, the play takes us into a modern-day airport bar. Bella is waiting for a delayed flight and sipping tap water while she tries to Google "online nun classes." Shenanigans ensue as different Shakespearean characters appear and try to give Bella their two-sense about her tricky situation. But are they really in an airport? Is that man behind the bar really a bartender? Do we control our own fate? Are endings actually the end? Or are they just new beginnings?
This July, The Masters of SHX take THE TRAGICAL COMICAL FOOL'S GAME to the Capital Fringe Festival (relocated to the SW Wharf!) for its US Premiere. With your help, we can bring THE FOOL'S GAME to new audiences in the DC-area!
(Disclaimer: You don't need to love Shakespeare to love THE FOOL'S GAME. This is a NEW play for a NEW world. It's funny, sad, heartfelt, real, and above all else, messy--just like life.)
We get by with a little help from our friends...
Good work requires good support. As a company, The Masters of SHX believe that artists deserve to be compensated for their work. While we aren't operating on a Broadway budget, we can't make this show happen for free. Furthermore, we believe in being upfront and honest about where your money will go. Here's the breakdown:
Festival Participant Fee - $585
Festival Insurance Fee - $275
Production Team Salaries (Director, Designers, Stage Manager, & Crew) - $1,150
Actor Salaries (5 actors) - $2,040
Marketing Materials (Merch, website, graphic design, postcards, posters, and programs) - $850
Merch (T-shirts, stickers, and other fun giveaways!) = $200
Sets, Props, and Costumes - $400
*Any extra $$$ we raise will go straight to the artists!
Life is hard for a theatre kid...
We are trying to create an awesome piece of art, but there are challenges. We only have one week to rehearse together as a cast (2 of our cast members have to fly over from the UK, and all of our cast works full-time to support their passion in the arts). We've never produced a festival show before, and live performance is a notoriously hard sell. But we have assembled an incredible and diverse team to tackle these challenges. Our belief is that art makes life better. Theatre teaches us how to better connect, feel, and understand the world around us. If you agree, please consider helping us out!
For those of us who are not "rolling in the deep"...
We get it. Not everyone is flush with cash. Even if you can't contribute financially, we would love it if you could help us by getting the word out! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, and strangers on the street about THE TRAGICAL COMICAL FOOL'S GAME. Indiegogo makes it easy for you to share our project with the world. So don't be shy! If you dig what we are trying to do, help us share it with the world!
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
xoxoxo,
The Masters of SHX