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Arts organizations around the country and probably the world constantly review and maul over the organization's artistic mission; nonprofits live or die by them. An organization's mission is generally its driving force.

While the mission of The Essential Theatre is general, but specific, the objectives encoded within that mission are what keeps the company on message and moving forward with integrity based artistic programming that serves, entertains, enlightens and provides opportunity.

In our biannual publication's quest to keep you abreast of comings and goings of this budding institution; it would be prudent as you get to know us and us you to introduce you, our E-Patron to the objectives encoded within our mission. This will allow you to witness how our mission is achieved through focusing on these specific artistic objectives through programming.

First, it is paramount to understand the organization's name, The Essential Theatre. Most "Theatricians" or degreed theatre practitioners will recognize the name as the title of the Oscar Brockett text, The Essential Theatre, use by most university theatre programs in the required Intro to Theatre course. Well, that's exactly one of the places it came from, (the other place will be revealed in an upcoming publication).

Most important, you should know that the adopted name signals the work that this company is dedicated toward performing. The first of four objectives we bring down stage center to explore in this issue:

• To create New Theatre Audiences

Partnerships with Alzheimer's Association, NCA/Howard University Hospital Bears Fruit

Actor Joseph W. Lane as George Parker in the Production, "THE CARER."
Photo by Sharon Farmer

It is an overwhelming concern for most theatre companies and especially those professionally staffed to fill seats with ticket purchasing audience members. During late 2005 after Artistic Director, S. Robert Morgan seemed in a word, "haunted," by a script he arbitrarily received in the mail years earlier, he read it, liked it and pondered a hook that might give it greater possibility for appeal. "Each time I cleaned up or reorganized things, I seemed to pick that script up. I didn't think much of it because it was so small and more importantly it was from Australia. I thought what could be in this for us, and more importantly what does this mean" said Morgan.

Among the many issues facing most non profits in the arts surviving the current economy is audience development. The partnership with Howard University Hospital's Department of Psychiatry and the Alzheimer's Association, National Capital Area (NCA), represents a methodology for creating new theatre audiences; the first objective of The Essential Theatre.

T'KEYAH CRYSTAL KEYMÁH (left) of ABC/Disney's, That's So Raven,discusses caring for her grandmother during post-performance discussion moderated by Avena Jackson (right), Alzheimer's Association.
Photo by Hanjoo Lee

During the production's preview week the Alzheimer's association and the hospital facilitated the post-performance discussions, one of which featured a celebrity appearance by T'KEYAH CRYSTAL KEYMÁH of ABC/Disney's, That's So Raven, Cosby, CBS and In Living Color, Fox who lost her grandmother to the disease. "The hope was to introduce persons to the company who otherwise may not have contact with us," advised Morgan.

The Alzheimer's Association, the world leader in Alzheimer research and support, is the first and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for Alzheimer's. "Working with The Essential Theatre allowed us to expose our donors and patrons to unique arts and culturalevents in the District. Additionally we were introduced to new audiences who could benefit from the information and support we provide," said LaDell Wright, Communications/Public Relations Manager for the Alzheimer's Association, NCA. "We decided to collaborate with the Theatre because their choice of productions offered us a unique opportunity to present a different outlet for the discussion of our message," added Wright. According to the most recent study it is estimated that someone in America develops Alzheimer's every 72 seconds.

Pictured from left are Elena R. Flores, Costume Designer, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Director and James E. Lawler III, Lighting Designer.
Photo by Michelle Orr

Providing opportunity for new talent is a core objective of The Essential Theatre's mission. Director, Lileana Blain-Cruz exemplifies that as a young and vibrant Director in the American Theatre. Director for, "The CARER," by Alan Hopgood, the company's Fall/winter production, she and her talented production team, some of whom were also Arena Fellows of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellows Program, met the challenges head on.

"The Allen Lee Hughes Program was established to address the apparent shortage of upper level arts administrators of color. Among the first theatre run apprenticeships in the country dedicated to the highest level of training, it is an attempt to break the cycle of exclusion and disengagement that has created a severe shortage of trained arts administrators, artisans and technicians of color," according to information published by Arena Stage.

"When I read The CARER, I was struck by the solo character in the play, George Parker's sense of humor. Here was a man who had just lost his wife to Alzheimer's, and yet he was able to laugh--laugh at himself, laugh at his family members and laugh at his dealings with his crazy next door neighbors," explained Blain-Cruz. She went on to say, "Parker's laughter was, for me, a huge indicator to what was really some of the central questions of the play: How do we go on after we lose someone we love? How can we avoid potentially losing ourselves in a pit of sadness? For Parker, in many ways, it was through a sense of humor about life, and that is where my initial approach to the play began."

A Princeton University theatre graduate she is the Artistic Associate of The Exchange and The Orchard Project in New York City, Blaine-Cruz is responsible for producing the inaugural 24 Hour Musicals at Joes Pub with the Public Theatre.

Other fellows serving as production team members were, Elena R. Flores, Costume Designer and James E. Lawler, III, Lighting Designer.

Playwright John Becker

The Essential Theatre's New Play Reading Series has grown from a small local call for new, unproduced, full-length plays to receiving international recognition through submissions. "With the inclusion of internet advertisement on Playwright list services, we get play submissions from everywhere and from everybody that might have thought they wanted to write a play," says Artistic Director, S. Robert Morgan.

The new play development program is a three year process where plays in the early stages of development are read six times in alternating styles of readings during the development period. Three of the readings are open to theatre patrons to engage them in the process and three are closed, limited to reading actors, the Playwright and others from the various artistic communities. Completing the process in a manner of which the company is proud is, "King Willie," by Jamal Williams.

A novelist, short story writer, playwright and screenwriter, Jamal Williams has a Master of Creative Writing from The University of San Francisco at San Francisco. He is a Charter Member and former Executive Director of The Buriel Clay San Francisco Black Writers Workshop, and Playwright-in-Residence of The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre Company (1989-1992). He is a winner of the San Francisco Bay Guardian 1st Playwriting Competition for Best Full-Length Play, 1991 ("Is You Is or Is You Ain't"). His first novel, entitled Where Dark Things Hide is an urban science fiction and horror novel.

Jamal is a member of the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop and had a new play read in the Playwright Series of the 2001 and 2003 National Black Theater Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With almost 20 of his plays in productions, Jamal's work has been staged many times in different parts of the country: San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Winston Salem, NC, Colorado Springs, CO, and New York City.

His most recent productions include, "Return to Cross creek" (R. Joyce Whitley Play Festival Karamu Theatre Company, "Ding Dong Daddy" (Blacken Blues Theatre Festival, Dallas, TX), "Yesterday Came Too Soon: The Dorothy Dandridge Story" (Los Angeles Production, as well as Berkeley Black Repertory Company, Berkeley, CA, National Black Theatre Festival, Winston Salem, NC, and National Black Theatre, NYC. Additional stage productions are: "Eulogy for the Blackman" (Theater for the New City, New York, "The Blue Mirror Revue" (via The Writer's Clique at Harlem Theatre Company, New York, "Yesterday Came Too Soon: The Dorothy Dandridge Story" (The 4305 Village Theatre. This Los Angeles production was nominated for eight Hollywood/Beverly Hills NAACP Theater Awards of 2001. The production won for Best Actress. And "House on Fire" (Theater for The New City, New York, was highly acclaimed. He is an award winning playwright with two novels to his credit, and two screenplays as well as the recipient of numerous fellowships.

"King Willie," a two act play about three generations of men, the "Tudors," a vocal, but disabled Grand Father, Father, "King Willie," a faded one hit wonder R&B super star and the son whose sexuality is constantly questioned by his father, live in the same Harlem Brownstone and the difficult intergenerational relationships that exist among them resultant from pass indiscretions. The arrival of an unexpected visitor incite them to recognize their commonalities, and we witness the love, respect, and understanding that can exist among strong, opinionated men. Explained one patron during the may 31st final staged reading's post-performance discussion, " You so rarely get to see this type of thing on stage in live theatre about men addressing our issues. I look forward to seeing where this goes." Pending negotiations look for a production of, "King Willie," in the spring of 2010.

In The Wings

Playwright John Becker

As with any worth while performance there are always those standing in the wings, (the area located just off stage) awaiting the queue to go on stage. During the selection process for plays in development there are generally up to three scripts in process. Awaiting its world premiere production is John Becker's, "A Field of Thorns," which also recently completed the development process.

Scheduled for a spring 2009 production, "A Field of Thorns," is best described as a dramedy. A mixture of drama and comedy, the play takes us into the home of the dysfunctional Harts. The disruption of family dinner time by a self described son of God whirls this family into an unexpected but needed healing session.

Bluff Street,
by Sarah Moon

A mother's secret suicide drives a wedge between father and son fostering family disconnect. The past is reignited during an estranged family member's visit. Together they realize the secret and endeavor to break the spell, hoping to not allow this family's history to repeat
itself.

A portion of the proceeds from the staged reading of, "King Willie," by Jamal Williams, Directed by Miss Cody Jones are ear marked for the, Yvonne Olivia Lee Memorial Scholarship Fund at Howard University. The scholarship has been established for women studying Theatre Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences under the division of Fine Arts.

Tornado warnings greatly affected our abilities for maximum benefit on that day, but we will be able to participate in a contribution reflective of attendance.

Congratulations! Mary Colbert, the winner of the gas card give-a-way drawing during the spring presentations of the New Play Reading Series.

Ways you can support The Essential Theatre

Direct contributions of any amount are accepted year round and can now be done on line on a secure Pay Pal account.

All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. The Essential Theatre is a 501-c3 organization.

Encourage and inspire your company to give. Most corporations have matching gifts programs and will match your contribution dollar for dollar. Some corporations will match your volunteer hours with the cash equivalent. Other companies participate in giving through the United Way, NCA. Our United Way designation number for 2009-2010 is 9398.

Support specific programs. Join The Essential Theatre's Playmakers Guild and provide direct support to our new play development program. Membership is $150 each year and supports new play development for the American theatre.

Member benefits include exclusive updates on plays in development, invites to closed readings; not available to the general public, free admission to program events where admission is charged, Free admission to Premieres during active membership year as well as free admission to selected previews of seasonal productions and more!

Give through the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capitol Area, CFC/NCA. Our designation number is 23538.

Engage in Penniless giving. (it won't cost you anything) Here's How!

1. Log on to www.goodsearch.com.
2. Register The Essential Theatre as your designated charity.
3. Every time you conduct a search on www.goodsearch.com they will donate one cent to The Essential Theatre. You can get your entire family involved for arts sake!

Additionally, Goodsearch has a list of online merchants who will donate a portion of any purchase you make online to The Essential Theatre, Just register us as your charity when making your purchases. Call Verizon Velocity Program to make your telephone, internet, wireless and FIOS and Verizon will contribute to our company. Give them our company's tracking number 12552 and order your products.

You can also include The Essential Theatre in your Testamentary giving and be assured that your gift will leave a lasting legacy in your honor by providing our company sustainability for future generations. Contact us regarding language at info@theessentialtheatre.org.

Volunteer! We always need extra sets of hands to usher, serve as hosts at events, etc. Contact us at info@theessentialtheatre.org or theessentialtheatre@hotmail.com

As a result of the storms and area wide power outages June 4 through 7 our Fort Washington office space flooded. Everything got thoroughly soaked. Most things are not retrievable.

Needed in kind contributions are: Standard white business envelopes, boxes and boxes of file folders, 9x12 envelopes, 10x13 envelopes, standard Avery 51/62 laser labels and standard white paper for xeroxing.

All In-Kind Contributions are appreciated.

Looking Up!

There are many reasons that this year has been an extremely promising year. Paramount for that glimmer of promise is you our patron. So as I look up and beyond the immediate, I thank you for all that you have done to help us achieve the minimal mile stones that we have accomplished. The past year fell short of what we had planned, but it was, for many reasons better than the previous year. I am thankful and encouraged for the continued support of Home Box office, Inc. It is solely because of their support that we have been able to offer our pay what you can performances.

Through your support, we are looking forward to the upcoming year. As of July 1 our new fiscal year began. Although we are not in a position to announce a full season as our coffers will not allow for that at this time, we hope you will support our upcoming presentations by contributing, attending, encouraging your friends, family and co workers to become a part of the good work we do. We host a bold vision for this company that is vast and inclusive as we endeavor to explore the human condition.

I am excited about the possibilities of what your participation can bring and look forward to communicating with you by placing it in Down Stage Center. Have an enjoyable and safe summer!

S. Robert Morgan
Founder/Artistic Director

Become an Important Part of The Essential Theatre!