| | Fall 2021 Newsletter “Find in yourself those human things that are universal.” -Sandford Meisner It is my privilege and pleasure to introduce myself as the acting Associate Partner of Community Capacity, Diversity , Equity and Inclusion here at Freehold. This past year the Freehold community has put in a lot of work. We took a look at ourselves as creators and educators and reflected honestly about how we hold space for everyone. I am really proud of the work that we have put in thus far. Some of which includes: - A six week training series on diversity equity and inclusion with Dr. Johnny Lake.
- We started a subcommittee and have begun going through all of the text we use in our core curriculum-Steps II & III. The purpose of this subcommittee is to make sure that the plays and the text we use have a wide range of diversity and truly are reflective of our community which includes all identities—race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality and more.
- We are also working toward assuring that our space is safe, accessible, and welcoming to all.
The most important thing that we know about creating a community that has the capacity to hold space for everyone, means that the work is constant, ongoing and ever flowing. There is no end destination to this work. I am excited and look forward to working with each of you as we deepen and enrich our Freehold community. At times it can be difficult to find humanity in the chaos. Given the state of our world at this time there is a great desire collectively to find community, belonging and safety. It is our mission for Freehold to provide this space for creators, storytellers, curious new explorers and artists of all kinds at all times to the very best of our ability. This fall we are offering so many wonderful classes that provide a multitude of options and learning opportunities to try something new, build and progress, refine and deepen. Move your body. Get in front of the camera or behind it. Explore the text. Use your imagination. Realize your vision. Trust your impulses. Take a risk. Live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Find the humanity in yourself and others as we play and create. We look forward to seeing you!
Sincerely, Elena Flory-Barnes |
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| | Introducing Our New Registrar: Jordan Compton Greetings, Freehold family and thank you for welcoming me! I'm excited to join as your new Registrar and support students and faculty as we enter a new season! Come to me with your questions and feedback about classes, curriculum and studio rentals. I'm an art, multimedia and administrative professional with a passion for activating spaces and engaging communities. My introduction to the performing arts came in the form of ballet studies, in which I learned values that inform my work: commitment, creativity and collaboration. I enjoy all forms of storytelling whether visual, literary or performance-based... read more |
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| |  | Mik Kuhlman, as Ariel, in Vashon Theatre Fest’s production of “The Tempest” (Michelle Bates Photo) |
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Faculty Spotlight: Performances This Summer With live theatre coming back in fits and starts, creativity has had to straddle the line between physical and virtual. Taking the given circumstances in stride, our faculty has spent the summer creating and performing! Check out what our faculty has been up to below: Elena Flory-Barnes: Acting The Stairs (2021) Alyssa Franks: Acting The Williams Project - Marisol by Jose Rivera Gin Hammond: Directing Book-It Repertory Theatre - Childfinder by Octavia Butler Elizabeth Heffron: Playwriting Vashon Theatre Fest & Logan Solo Performance Festival - BO-NITA by Elizabeth Heffron, performed by Terri Weagant Denizen Theatre - ANTEROOM by Elizabeth Heffron Mik Kuhlman: Acting Vashon Theatre Fest - The Tempest by William Shakespeare Annette Toutonghi: Acting Potato Dreams of America (2021) Auntie Val: Freehold's Engaged Theatre Program Playwright - Daemond Arrindell Director - Robin Lynn Smith Mary McLeod Bethune - Elena Flory-Barnes Want to feature your work in an upcoming newsletter or on our social media? Send info to janae@freeholdtheatre.org. |
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| | Freehold Class Spotlight Fall quarter is just beginning; there are still spaces available in some of our classes! If you'd like to attend, check out our course catalog. Please email info@freeholdtheatre.org for any questions about classes or discounted tuition. |
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| Movement Classes at Freehold This quarter, Freehold is offering two courses, one online and the other in-person, to help you tune into the physical! The body is an instrument; emotion, tension, and status can be evoked as much through the slouching of a spine or the flick of a wrist as it can through the reading of a line. Experimenting with what your body is capable of will not only help with performance but also in how we approach our day-to-day activities. Elevate your presence on stage, in front of the camera, or in your daily life through the incorporation of yoga, experimentation, curiosity, and creativity. EMBODY: Movement for the Actor with Mik Kuhlman or Integrative Alexander Technique with Alyssa Franks. EMBODY will be taught online starting October 3rd! Integrative Alexander Technique will be taught in-person starting September 25th! Please visit our website for our covid safety protocols. Check out the catalog or email info@freeholdtheatre.org with questions or for more information! |
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| | Poetry/Spoken Word: Writing Joy and Beauty through Difficult Times with Daemond Arrindell (BIPOC only) This will be the first time Freehold Theatre has hosted a class specifically for Black, Indigenous, Brown and Asian participants (BBIA) and I am very excited by this opportunity to intentionally craft a space for creativity for frank and challenging conversations and potentially for healing. The focus of the class goes beyond the traditional spoken word classes I have facilitated in the past which were focused simply on the craft of writing poetry and combined with the art of performance. In this series we will be centered on the concepts of Joy and Beauty. And when you identify as a person of color or a person of the global majority in the US, it means that you live with some form or forms of oppression. That tends to skew trajectories away from dreams and more towards survival. But if you look at most social movements of the past, you will find art, and beauty and joy as integral parts of the struggle...read more |
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| | Opportunities to Support Freehold |
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| | Monthly Giving Support comes in all sizes. This past year we have been blown away as our community has come together to celebrate the power of theatre in the midst of a pandemic. As we continue to push what art can do not only for us as individuals but for those around us, we are asking that you consider a monthly gift to Freehold. Whether that gift is $5, $10, or $100, your generosity allows us to pay it forward to our students, participants in Engaged Theatre, and all of our working professionals as they take what they've done with Freehold into the larger artistic community. To donate, please visit freeholdtheatre.org/donate. |
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| | Intern at Freehold This Fall! We're seeking work-study interns for various projects remotely and at Freehold's home in Chinatown/International District! Earn credit towards a class this fall by supporting efforts behind-the-scenes. As a small staff, we rely on volunteers for all kinds of tasks including brochure distribution, stuffing envelopes for mailings, IT knowledge, and event support and these opportunities will continue to arise as reopening expands. Register here and email info@freeholdtheatre.org for more information! Want to help but on a less regular basis? We're growing our volunteer list. This fall, you can expect some (small) work parties doing painting, library organizing, and similar tasks to continue to improve our studio home. Email info@freeholdtheatre.org to share your interest. |
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| | ArtsFund COVID Cultural Impact Study - Public Participation Survey Have cultural programs been a part of your pandemic experience? Help your local cultural nonprofit organizations plan for the future and advocate for arts and culture in a big way by taking part in a quick survey about your participation and interaction with culture over the past year. If you've attended or participated in a program--digital or in-person--offered by a Washington state art, cultural, heritage, or science nonprofit in the past year, ArtsFund wants to hear from you! There are a few days left to take part in our quick COVID Cultural Impact Study Public Participation Survey. Click here to take the survey by 9/19! |
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| | | Open Mic Friday, September 24th, 7PM, online Open Mic Night is back!! Have a 5 minute performance you'd like to share? Bring your best short scene, song, stand-up routine, story, or other performance piece for our monthly open mic hosted by the inimitable Matt Smith! Register here. PLEASE NOTE: Freehold Theatre is committed to social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and material presented at our events should reflect those values. Racist, misogynistic and transphobic content will not be tolerated. |
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| | Thank You! We're pleased to highlight those who were honored by their friends and fans with gifts to Freehold Theatre Lab / Studio in their name. This quarter, thanks to those who have donated in celebration of others: In Honor of:
Mia Skiena’s bat Mitzvah
My ol’ pal Fat Yeti In Memory of:
Ian Nelson-Roehl
Loving Grandparents Connor and Sylvia Hammond |
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| Freehold Theatre Lab/Studio
517 Maynard Ave S | Seattle, Washington 98104
2063237499 | info@freeholdtheatre.org |
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