The Play
We Were Here was inspired by the true stories of Donna Harvey, Jean Dreckman, Susan Page, and Delena Jensen, who served in the American Defense Industry during WWII. Through interviews and research, playwright Rachell Campbell compiled their stories to create a "friendship play." Before Rachell interviewed Susie, now in her 90's, her daughter Tina said, "I am so glad you are talking to her. This may be the last time she ever tells her story to someone who doesn't already know it." Tina's powerful statement represents the reason for the existence of this play and why Efficacy Theatre Co. is dedicated to its production. We want to preserve the legacy of Rosie the Riveters so that everyone might know they were here.
-Rachell Campbell is an L.A. playwright with a passion for telling the stories of women. Rachell holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Azusa Pacific University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for the Performing Arts from UC Riverside.
The Support
Your support of this project will ensure that the stories of these incredible women will be remembered. By supporting We Were Here, you are not simply investing in a piece of theatre, but additionally sustaining a piece American oral history.
The Money
We are attempting to raise $500 to be able to tell this story to the best of our ability. The cost of our production is relatively low because the following talents, spaces, and supplies have already been donated to our project.
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The Space - The Bay Church is allowing us to use their stage for rehearsals and productions for free. (usual facility rental cost per production - $1,200-$3,000)
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The Script - As a Co-Founder of Efficacy Theatre Co., playwright Rachell Campbell is not requiring payment for the use of her script. (usual royalty fees - $75/performance + the cost of scripts)
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The Printing - The Bay Church is generously contributing to all of our printing costs for marketing materials. (usual cost - $200 - $1000 for a small production)
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The Cast & Crew -Efficacy Theatre Co. was created by a family of artists dedicated to creating excellent work. In the pursuit of this effort, extraordinary artists and craftsmen have donated their time and talent to this project. Our company is comprised entirely of unpaid volunteers. (usual cost of a stage manager alone for a small theatre company - $1,000 rehearsal stipend + $75/performance, this does not include the designers/operators for lighting, set, and sound or the actors)
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Total Savings: $2,250+
Then this may beg the question, "if you are getting all of that for free, what are you raising money for?" We are incredibly lucky to be able to put on this show at a relatively low-cost, however we still need funds for the following:
Additional Needs:
- Sets - we are building four backdrop walls. These cost about $50 a piece plus the cost of grey paint.
- Set dressing - the play takes place in an abandoned storage closet. We need to find, restore, or purchase items to create the atmosphere of a 1940's storage closet at an airplane factory.
- Props - this play has a lot of props including a whole and edible apple pie which we will need to purchase new before every show.
- Costumes - The women will likely be in the same uniform for the whole of the show, but uniform rentals run from $25 - $50 per outfit per character for the run of the show.
- Collaborator Compensation - Although our company is comprised entirely of unpaid volunteers, some of them have very long commutes. We are raising funds so that we might be able to chip in for some gas.
- Postage - Although all of our printing is free, we need to pay for the postage on all mailers, funding request letters, thank you cards, etc...
- *Of Note:
- Our goal is $500 because we wanted to set a goal that we could meet with utter certainty.
- If we do not raise the full $500, we will take any funds that we have raised and put on the production on a more limited scale.
- The actual ideal budget for the production is $1,000. We will make the production on $200 or $2 Million, it will just have some effect on the quality of the design elements. The play itself will be excellent either way.
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If we exceed our goal and make more than $1,000, some of what is left will pay the cast, crew, and designers a slightly larger gas stipend and the rest will go toward investing in future productions at Efficacy Theatre Co.
The Impact
This play has already had a significant impact on audiences. It was once produced at a university and was reviewed by many of the students. Below are some of their comments:
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“Upon leaving the theatre I felt inspired to use my female ingenuity to make it through the hardships of life. If those women could do it, then why can’t I?”
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"In all honesty, I thought this play was going to be dull and irrelevant to the present since its setting is WWII, so I thought I would be sitting in another history lecture, but to my surprise this is one of the best plays I have had the privilege to attend.”
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"Susan, Jean, Donna, and Ida have such a beautiful bond, the kind of which is by and large restricted to male friendships in contemporary media. These women are empowered, autonomous, and dynamic characters, and their story is one that inspires not only women, but all people to carry on through adversity.”
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“We Were Here is one of the most wonderful and perfect plays I have ever seen.”
The Risks & Challenges
Every project will have its ups and downs. This production has been three years in the making. Two of the actors have been with the playwright since the play's inception and we have a solid group of artists who make up the team in its entirety. The biggest difficulty we face is time. Because we are a volunteer-based operation were are attempting to keep time commitments low. This means that we have a shorter rehearsal period than is usually done for shows of this length. It should not be an issue, as our cast and crew are ready for the challenge, but it could be a cause for concern. We are combatting this by doing as much work remotely as possible. The actors will be doing their character work and memorization off-site. Sets, props etc... will be ready upon the first rehearsal so that blocking can begin immediately. We are taking every precaution to make sure that our short timeline will be a blessing and not a deterrent.
Other Ways You Can Help
We need volunteers! We still need a few people to join our team. If you are interested in volunteering with us please e-mail us at efficacyinquires@gmail.com. Thank you!
