Glass Proscenium Discussion Continues Women in Theatre Career Labs

GAN-e-meed Theatre Project announces Boston's Glass Proscenium, a panel discussion and workshop to improve the state of women's employment in Boston theatre. Boston's Glass Proscenium continues GAN-e-meed's Career Labs, an essential program developed to address the specific challenges faced by women in theatre through skills workshops, panelist discussions, and community building. The Boston Center for the Arts is generously donating their space for The Career Labs.

This panel discussion will address the ongoing gender inequality in theatrical hiring practices. Studies have shown that women in theatre, from playwrights to directors to administrators, are hired less frequently. Of produced plays, about 20% are penned by women and only 7% of theaters are led by women. This disparity exists in spite of the facts that audiences are 65% female and university theatre programs graduate women at rates equal to or higher than men. While Boston-specific statistics have not been compiled, a glance at local companies' seasons shows that the local female theatre artists face a similar "Glass Proscenium" in Boston.

An invited panel of established and mid-career theatre artists (including actors, directors, playwrights, technicians, designers, and producers) will discuss their personal experience working in Boston theatre. Panelists will address their experience of gender bias, effective strategies they have seen or employed for handling it, and changes the Boston theatre community can make to even the playing field. After a question and answer session, audience members will suggest topics that they would like to explore in breakout sessions of pro-active idea sharing. The evening will close with a summation of all break-out sessions and plans for action.

"I am excited to work on this significant issue with a room full of creative, intelligent people," notes Jen Alison Lewis, director of the Career Labs and moderator of this event. She says that the primary focus of this workshop will be brainstorming practical ways to remedy the identified effects of gender bias, as opposed to simply examining and critiquing the problem itself. "This will be a very pro-active, positive discussion" continues Lewis "focusing on solutions that we all can help to implement."

For over a year, women and their supporters gathered monthly for informal networking, dialogue, and skill sharing at GAN-e-meed's Networking Nights for Women in Theatre. Conversation often focused on the real challenges women face as they move ahead with their careers and artistic aspirations. "The Networking Nights began not just as a chance for women to enhance their relationships, but as a way for GAN-e-meed to learn what women really need to accomplish their goals. Certain topics kept coming up, and the Career Labs are built around those expressed needs," says Lewis.

The Career Labs series began in January with The Power to Ask, a workshop on negotiation for women in theatre and the arts. Twenty-five female theatre artists of many disciplines came together to listen to Sara Laschever speak on women's seemingly learned propensity to avoid negotiating, and to work on their own negotiation skills. Participants walked away with increased skills and the confidence to further their own careers. Live blogging posts are available at www.ganemeed.org/category/season-2011/career-labs.

GAN-e-meed Theatre Project's Career Labs will continue with two additional sessions in 2011, all based on concerns expressed by women in the arts. Our mid-summer workshop, "Perfecting Your Pitch," will be held on July 11. The 2011 series concludes on September 12 with a round-table discussion on "Balancing Act: The Work/Life continuum for Artists."

"The Career Labs," Lewis continues, "challenge artists to have honest discussions and generate immediate and long-term solutions, empowering a corps of female theatre artists who are ready to take their careers in their own hands."

"I am thrilled that GAN-e-meed is taking this step forward," adds SerahRose Roth, Producing Artistic Director. "We exist not just as a Production Company, but as an advocate for the women our mission serves. Offering this series of opportunities is an important aspect of this."

Prominent Staff for The Career Labs
Jen Alison Lewis is Director of Career Labs and Publicity Associate for GAN-e-meed Theatre Project, as well as producing BOOBfest and directing in the One Page Play Experiment. She is a theatre director; actor on stage, screen and mic; acting coach; administrator; Mom; and President of the Friend of the Medford Family Network. Her acting work can currently be seen in new play readings at Boston Playwrights' and heard in countless online trainings. She holds a BFA from NYU and is a member of Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, and StageSource.

SerahRose Roth is a Founding Board Member and the Producing Artistic Director of GAN-e-meed. She has developed and taught innovative programs for youths through adults at New Repertory Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Yellow Taxi Productions, Boston Children's Museum, and Chicago Children's Museum. SerahRose is a consultant for the inclusion of theatre education in the early childhood classroom and has a particular passion for working with teens and classical scripts. Directing credits include Silence and Lucy Dreaming (GAN-e-meed), Electra (Newton South High School), Inherit the Wind and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Littleton High School). Acting credits include the title role in Hamlet (GAN-e-meed), Ophelia in Hamlet (First Folio Shakespeare and The Theatre Co-Op), Liz Mordan in Our Country's Good (The Theatre Co-Op), Aerosmith in Frodo-A-Go-Go: The Rings Recycled (The Free Associates) and Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest (Penobscot Theatre). SerahRose holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University and is currently a student at Boston University's Institute for Non-Profit Management and Leadership.

About Gan-e-Meed Theatre Project
GAN-e-meed Theatre Project advances the role of women in theatre. Their inaugural 2010 season "Gender In Leadership" launched in May with an acclaimed Hamlet, featuring an all-female cast and starring SerahRose Roth in the title role. It concluded December 18 with Silence by Moira Buffini which played at the Elizabeth Peabody House in Somerville and was hailed as "rich with imagination and talent" (EDGE Boston) and "an evening of gripping theater" (ArtsFuse.org.)

The One Page Play Experiment, on display on the walls of the theatre during Silence featured a staged reading of the 14 finalists and a performance by Guest Artist Whistler in the Dark. Based on audience votes, the five winners will be produced in full during GAN-e-meed's 2011 season.

GAN-e-meed's inaugural season also included collaborations with other arts organizations for shorter engagements. Lucy Dreaming by Stacey Lane and directed by SerahRose Roth, performed as part of FeverFest2010 produced by STAB (the Small Theatre Alliance of Boston). Ties That Bind: three short plays written, directed, and about women was presented by GAN-e-meed as part of Whistler in the Dark's Second Act Series at the Factory Theatre. Funds for Hamlet were partially raised by BOOBFest: Bringing On-Stage Opportunities to Babes, a wildly successful variety show celebration hosted by GAN-e-meed at Boston Playwrights' Theatre.
The 2011 season, "Generational Collision," will be announced in the coming months. GAN-e-meed Theatre Project is currently reviewing proposals by female directors, playwrights, actors, designers, and stage managers.

GAN-e-meed Theatre Project was founded in 2009 to advance the role of women in theatre. It promotes the study of and visibility of gender bias within the theatre community with the goal of establishing gender equity in New England theatre. For additional information about Career Labs, the upcoming season, to join the mailing list, or to learn more about GAN-e-meed, visit www.ganemeed.org.

About the Boston Center for the Arts
The Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) is a not-for-profit performing and visual arts complex that supports working artists to create, perform and exhibit new works; builds new audiences; and connects art to community. The BCA serves arts audiences through exhibitions, live performances and community events, and supports artists through affordable studio, rehearsal and performance space on our historic South End site. The BCA's two-acre campus is home to hundreds of working artists, as well as several nonprofit arts and educational groups that provide a wide spectrum of services. To learn more, please visit www.bcaonline.org.

 

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